PwC Armenia Legal

Corporate, Entity Governance and Compliance

Corporate law is the backbone of your daily operations. Whether you are thinking to enter the Armenian market and set up a new business, or you intend to reorganise your group structure, our legal team along with our tax and advisory colleagues will suggest integrating services to your company to meet the challenges of the future. We suggest:

Structuring business in Armenia, including advice on the form, management of the company in consideration with the goals of the investor.
Advice on the legal entity incorporation, licensing requirements, opening of a bank account and further implementation.
Redomiciliation of legal entities.
Advising on and implementing complex (inter)national restructurings.
Negotiating and drafting Joint Venture Agreements.
Corporate reorganisation, insolvency matter and liquidation.
Annual corporate compliance and secretarial services.
Advising and creating optimal corporate governance operating model, with a transparent policy framework and defined controls.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Corporate transactions might usually have a wider outreach and cover multiple jurisdictions, requiring advice on different areas of law. As part of a network of 3500 lawyers in 90 countries, our integrated teams might help you with any transaction and ensure that your deal is completed as efficiently as possible. We will advise you with:

Restructuring in anticipation of a merger or acquisition (pre-deal restructuring).
Drafting and negotiating transaction documents.
Performing (legal) due diligence.
Implementing legal and tax structures (post-deal integration).

Baking and Finance

The rapidly evolving world has also affected the Banking and Finance industry and is reshaping the traditional products offered by the sector. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, our legal professionals will support you from meeting compliance obligations and structuring new banking products to documenting detailed finance arrangements and providing full-scale transactional support. We advise on all legal issues related to the activities of financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies, investment firms and investment funds. Our scope of services, inter alia, includes:

Drafting all types of financial transaction documents, including template documentation.
Establishment, reorganisation and liquidation of entities and branches acting in the finance sector.
Licensing and regulatory advice to financial institutions (including AML and ESG diagnosis).
Legal advice in connection with merger and acquisition transactions involving financial institutions.

Competition and Antitrust Enforcement

Competition and antitrust enforcement have become the centre of the day-to-day operations of businesses in Armenia as a result of recent legislative changes and harmonization with EU legislation. Whether you need a merger clearance or general advice to exclude anti-competitive behaviour or professional representation in the state authorities, we can put together a team best suited for the work. Our team of experts have extensive experience in competition matters and an insight view of regulations given their involvement in competition legislation development projects. Our team of lawyers along with our economists and valuations specialists will guide you through any competition law matter. Our scope of services, inter alia, includes:

Merger Control.
Concentration matters in restructuring and complex transactions.
Competition Compliance.
Anti-competitive behaviour (anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position, excessive prices etc.).
Competition and IP issues in technology licensing and distribution agreements.

Intellectual Property law

Appropriate protection of intellectual property is one of the essential keys to the success of businesses which allows them to gain competitive advantage and build reputation and reliability. Meanwhile, in the modern world, there is a tight correlation between IP and information technologies. Whether you are an IT firm that is seeking to ensure that its inventions and software programmes are protected, or a company which is franchising its business, our team of lawyers will help you with comprehensive advice. We shall advise and guide you in:

Trademark-related issues, starting from trademark registration both in Armenia and with international systems, to protecting the interests of clients against counterfeited goods.
Advice on copyrights and transfer of economic copyrights with the preparation of the required transactional package.
Due diligence and management of IP portfolio.
Drafting and negotiating license, franchise, distribution and other agreements related to IP use of transfer.
Preparing film production and co-production agreements.
Legal support in preparing and conducting advertising campaigns.
Conducting litigation in matters related to industrial property, including trademarks, designs and patents.

IT law and Data Protection

Preparing and negotiating agreements on the supply, implementation and servicing of IT systems; transfer of copyrights to computer software.
Advisory on the use of open-source software in IT projects.
Preparing and evaluating rules and regulations for services provided electronically, taking into account banned clauses.
Legal advisory in respect of data protection when implementing new online services and applying cookies.
Evaluating compliance with personal data regulations (due diligence).
Preparing documentation and forms of consent for processing personal data.

PPP and Infrastructure

Infrastructure is one of the key development areas in Armenia, while Public-Private Partnership is one of the common mechanisms for infrastructure projects. Infrastructure projects are usually long-term projects and require clear documentation of rights and obligations, as well as installing relevant legal mechanisms for the protection of the interests of the parties involved. Whether it is an energy or transport infrastructure development, we will advise you on:

Procurement procedures and financing of the project.
Development of contractual documents.
Licenses and permits (including environmental) required for the project.

Dispute Resolution:

At PwC, we have a team of experienced professionals who can provide you with comprehensive support on your disputes. Whether you face a contract breach dispute or have a potential issue with the tax authority, our integrated team of lawyers and tax specialists will be there to evaluate the case and guide you through the process. Our team of lawyers also have extensive experience in arbitration disputes, including arbitration cases that involve the state.

As part of our work, we will conduct an initial case assessment reviewing the merits of your position, conduct discovery and develop a respective strategy. We will also provide you with expert witness services, where necessary. Our scope of services, inter alia, includes:

Support in the process of tax audits.
Pre-trial support addressing the acts and actions of the tax authorities.
Drafting statements of claims/defence to the local Armenian courts.
Representing the interests of clients in all instances of court proceedings.
Drafting statements of claims/defence to arbitration institutions (ICC, LCIA).
Representing the client’s interests in arbitration proceedings, including ICSID arbitration.
Advice on recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards and foreign court judgements in Armenia.

Employment and Immigration, HR compliance

At PwC Armenia we suggest you one-stop-shop services for employment-related issues. Our HR team will take care of HR compliance issues of your company along with our legal team covering any complex and unexpected situation, while the tax team will lead your company payroll. Whether you are a local company that intends to entrust employment-related issues with a professional service providing and receiving strategic advice, or a foreign company just entering the market, we will provide you with comprehensive services also covering the onboarding of foreign employees. Our scope of services, inter alia, includes:

Development and due diligence of employment documentation (labour agreements, internal policies, templates for orders).
Advice on terminating employment agreements, mitigating and eliminating the risks.
Advice on outsourcing arrangements.
Representation in front of state authorities and courts.
Assistance with obtaining immigration compliance documents (registration with the address, work permits, and residence permits, visas, social security numbers).
Support in employment law challenges relating to mergers or acquisitions and ESG.
Daily HR compliance services.

Managed Legal Services:

Our managed legal services offering brings together the expertise of a law firm with best-in-class technology and process excellence, providing you with optimised service. We act as a seamless extension of your in-house team and can work either directly with your business stakeholders or sit behind your legal team, helping get your contracts and business-as-usual work done as efficiently as possible and freeing you up to work on more strategic matters.
As part of managed legal services, we will implement a contract management tool which will help you in contract drafting, execution, storage and further management optimising your resources and making the processes smoother and easier.