Student teams from five leading universities in Kazakhstan participated in this year’s competition and preliminary rounds were held for the first time and involved law students from the following universities: M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University, KIMEP University, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Narxoz University, and Caspian University. Two student teams were the winners of the preliminary rounds and they participated in the final of the competition.

The competition involved a common law legal problem and required analysis and oral presentation of legal arguments in the presence of two senior AIFC Court judges: Justice Sir Robin Jacob and Justice Sir Stephen Richards.

The final was conducted in the English language which is the official language of the AIFC. KIMEP University won the final and was awarded “The AIFC Court & IAC Moot Final Winners Cup”. All participants, including those who took part in the preliminary rounds, won an opportunity to experience an internship at the AIFC Court and IAC.

The moot competition is a well-known student simulation of a court hearing in which young future lawyers have a chance to analyse a legal problem, research the relevant law, prepare written submissions, and present oral arguments to experienced practicing judges.

Mr. Christopher Campbell-Holt, Registrar and Chief Executive at the AIFC Court and IAC, commented:

“Our “Moot” competition is now in its second year. It plays an important part in our AIFC Court and IAC annual legal education program which we expanded this year to train more than three hundred Kazakh nationals in Nur-Sultan and Almaty. We have since 2018 trained more than five hundred Kazakh nationals. We want to ensure that Kazakh lawyers and future lawyers have the highest international common law skills that are necessary to represent parties at the AIFC Court and IAC. Our training is provided by our distinguished common law judges and by leading common law academics and law practitioners from the City of London, University of Cambridge, University College London, and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. We are delighted that this year we were able to expand our Moot competition to include five leading Kazakh universities and to broaden our engagement with the lawyers of the future in Kazakhstan.”

The AIFC Court and IAC held the Moot Final in the framework of their legal education program which delivers the highest standards of common law court and alternative dispute resolution related training to meet the needs of lawyers and judges in Kazakhstan and the Central Asia region.

AIFC. The AIFC was established on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. In December 2015 President Nazarbayev approved the Constitutional Statute “On the Astana International Financial Centre” (AIFC). The aim of the AIFC is to establish a leading international centre for financial services. The objectives of the AIFC are to attract investment into the economy through the establishment of an attractive environment for investment in financial services, develop local capital markets, ensuring their integration with the international capital markets. https://aifc.kz/

The AIFC Court. The AIFC Court is an independent legal entity. It has its own procedural rules modelled on English common law procedures and leading international practice. The AIFC Court is separate and independent from the courts of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It consists of two tiers: a Court of First Instance, which includes a specialist division known as the Small Claims Court; and a Court of Appeal. It has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising out of the activities and operations of the AIFC and jurisdiction in the case of other disputes in which all parties agree in writing to give the AIFC Court jurisdiction. It does not have jurisdiction in relation to any disputes that are of a criminal or administrative nature. It applies the most up to date and efficient case management practices.

The International Arbitration Centre (IAC). The International Arbitration Centre (IAC) is an independent legal entity. It has its own procedural rules modelled on best international practice. It has its own panel of leading international arbitrators and mediators having many years of arbitration and mediation experience in commercial law, including oil and gas, trade, construction, energy, financial services, banking, Islamic finance, insurance, and intellectual property. IAC arbitration awards are recognised and enforceable in Kazakhstan and internationally.

On September 9, the Rt. Hon. The Lord Woolf CH, Chief Justice of the AIFC Court, officially presented his book “A Vision of the AIFC Court” at a special launch at the AIFC Court to the legal and business communities in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The book was edited by Mr. Christopher Campbell-Holt, Registrar and Chief Executive of the AIFC Court and International Arbitration Centre.

The book follows the successful launch of the AIFC Court in 2018 and portrays the significance of its creation as the first common law court in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Eurasia that is modelled on the principles and procedures of the courts of England and Wales to resolve commercial disputes. The book describes the establishment of the AIFC Court and describes its vision for the future as a leading commercial court that will contribute to the enhancement of Kazakhstan as an investment hub for Eurasia. The book is available in three languages: English, Kazakh and Russian.

It adopts a chronological approach and is divided into two parts. In Part 1 Lord Woolf considers the establishment of the AIFC Court following the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy’s initiative in 2015 to its official launch in 2018. In Part 2 he describes the AIFC Court’s international focus. The book also includes the AIFC Court Regulations 2017 and the AIFC Court Rules 2018 which provide the processes and procedures of the AIFC Court.

At the book launch Lord Woolf shared his vision of the AIFC Court and commented upon its achievements. All guests had an opportunity to receive a signed copy of the book.

Dr. Miras Daulenov, Provost of the M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University, commented:

“This book is a sequenced and lucid explanation of how the AIFC Court operates, what its jurisdiction is, and why it was established. “A Vision of the AIFC Court” is recommended to understand the Court, its authority, and mission.”

Mrs. Sofiya Zhylkaidarova, Managing Partner, Signum Law Firm, stated:

“The AIFC Court with its reputable and experienced judges is a fundamental step to raise Kazakhstan’s voice for justice and fairness, sustainable development, and integrity.”

This book is the first in a series of books the AIFC Court and IAC will publish in the coming years.

Reference:

AIFC. The AIFC was established on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. In December 2015 President Nazarbayev approved the Constitutional Statute “On the Astana International Financial Centre” (AIFC). The aim of the AIFC is to establish a leading international centre of financial services. The objectives of the AIFC are to attract investment into the economy through the establishment of an attractive environment for investment in the financial services, develop local capital markets, ensuring their integration with the international capital markets. https://aifc.zuweb.co

The AIFC Court is an independent legal entity. It has its own procedural rules modelled on English common law procedures and leading international practice. It consists of two tiers: a Court of First Instance, which includes a specialist division known as the Small Claims Court; and a Court of Appeal. It has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising out of the activities and operations of the AIFC and jurisdiction in the case of other disputes in which all parties agree in writing to give the AIFC Court jurisdiction. It does not have jurisdiction in relation to any disputes that are of a criminal or administrative nature. It applies the most up to date and efficient case management practices. www.aifc-court.kz

The AIFC International Arbitration Centre (IAC) is an independent legal entity. It has its own procedural rules modelled leading international practice. It has its own panel of world leading arbitrators and mediators comprising many years of arbitration and mediation experience in commercial law areas including oil and gas, trade, construction, energy, Islamic finance, banking, and copy right. IAC arbitration awards are recognised and enforceable in Kazakhstan and internationally.