ABOUT BOND STONE  ·  CLIENT ENGAGEMENT

How We Work With Clients

Bond Stone is an internationally ranked law firm in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan — ranked Legal 500 EMEA and IFLR1000, with partners holding AIFC Registered Legal Adviser status. This page explains our client engagement process: how an enquiry becomes an instruction, how we structure engagements, and what clients can expect throughout a matter.

Our engagement model is designed for international investors and multinational corporations who need commercially focused legal advice in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the AIFC. Every engagement is led by a partner from the first call through delivery.

1. Initial Enquiry — Confidentiality from First Contact

All communications with Bond Stone are treated as confidential from the moment of first contact — whether by email, telephone, referral or direct introduction. An enquiry creates no obligation on either side and no client relationship. Please do not send confidential details at this stage: a brief description of the jurisdiction and the nature of the matter is enough for us to assess fit and identify the right team.

We aim to respond to substantive enquiries within one business day. For matters that are time-critical, we are reachable at +7 701 729 7672. We do not offer free consultations — but we do not charge for an initial assessment of whether we can assist.

2. Conflict Check

Before accepting any instruction, Bond Stone conducts an internal conflict of interest check against its existing and former client base. This is a standard requirement of professional practice and protects both prospective and existing clients. The conflict check is conducted promptly — typically within 24 hours of receiving sufficient identifying information about the counterparties. Where a conflict is identified, we advise the prospective client immediately and, where appropriate, suggest alternative counsel.

3. KYC & Client Onboarding

Bond Stone has AML/CFT compliance obligations. Before starting substantive work, we must carry out Know Your Client (KYC) verification, identifying the client entity, its beneficial owners and, where relevant to the matter, the source of funds.

Standard KYC documentation for a corporate client includes: certificate of incorporation or state registration; extract from the state register (current, not older than 3 months); constitutional documents; identification documents of directors and beneficial owners holding 10% or more of the entity; and confirmation of the legal authority of the instructing individual. For individual clients, passport and proof of residential address are required.

KYC documents are handled in compliance with the Law on Personal Data No. 94-V (Kazakhstan) and stored securely. Physical copies of identity documents are not retained — consistent with the 2024 amendments to Kazakhstan's Personal Data Law. All KYC information is used solely for the purpose of client onboarding and AML compliance.

4. Personal Data Notice & Confidentiality

Before substantive legal advice is provided, Bond Stone issues a Personal Data Notice (PDN), a signed document that sets out the terms on which client data is processed and the confidentiality of later communications.

The PDN is issued and signed personally by the supervising partner. It is sent to the client as a signed PDF for counter-signature and return.

Substantive communications are then marked "PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL". They are protected to the extent the applicable law allows. In Kazakhstan, professional secrecy attaches to qualified legal assistance (Law on Advocacy and Legal Assistance No. 176-VI, Articles 9, 37 and 77-2), and the AIFC Legal Services Regulations 2022 list client confidentiality among the principles for Registered Legal Advisers (s 8(e)). Clients are asked to maintain the same confidentiality designation on their replies.

5. Scope Definition & Legal Strategy

Once the conflict check is clear and KYC is in progress, Bond Stone works with the client to define the scope of the engagement — the specific legal services to be provided, the jurisdictions engaged (Kazakhstan, AIFC, Uzbekistan, or cross-border), the applicable legal framework (Kazakhstani law, AIFC/English common law, or both), and the commercial and legal objectives.

Bond Stone's partners hold AIFC RLA status, which covers advice on AIFC law and English common law. This forms part of the mandate where it adds value: structuring investments through AIFC entities, advising on AIFC Court jurisdiction clauses, or applying AIFC Contract Regulations to a cross-border transaction. Kazakhstani law and AIFC/English law can therefore be covered on a single mandate.

For complex matters, Bond Stone prepares a written scope summary before the engagement letter is issued. It records what is included, what is excluded and what assumptions underlie the fee estimate.

6. Engagement Letter & Fee Structure

As a rule, substantive legal work begins only once both parties have signed an Engagement Letter. The Engagement Letter sets out: the scope of services; the fee structure and payment terms; confidentiality and privilege provisions; data protection obligations; limitation of liability provisions; and governing law — which for international, AIFC-adjacent, cross-border, and fintech matters is the Acting Law of the Astana International Financial Centre, including the AIFC Contract Regulations 2017 and the AIFC Implied Terms in Contracts and Unfair Terms Regulations 2017.

Bond Stone offers three fee structures depending on the nature of the matter and client preference. Fees are open to discussion.

7. Legal Execution

Once the Engagement Letter is signed and any required upfront payment received, Bond Stone proceeds with execution of the agreed scope. Every matter is overseen by a designated partner who is accountable for quality and delivery. Associates and specialists support partners on specific tasks — document production, local filings, notarisation coordination — but a partner remains responsible for the substantive analysis, the advice and client communication.

For matters involving multiple jurisdictions — for example, a Kazakhstan acquisition with an AIFC holding structure and an Uzbekistan operating subsidiary — Bond Stone coordinates across its offices as part of a single mandate. Where specialist external counsel is required in a jurisdiction outside Bond Stone's coverage, we identify and brief appropriate local counsel and maintain coordination responsibility.

Bond Stone represents clients in negotiations with counterparties, discussions with regulatory authorities, banks, notaries, and state agencies — in person, by video conference, or through written correspondence — in accordance with agreed instructions and the scope of the mandate.

8. Communication Standards

Bond Stone operates from Almaty, Astana, Bishkek, Chicago, Kyiv and Tashkent and works across time zones. Our standard is to answer substantive client queries within one business day and to deal with urgent matters the same day. On ongoing matters we report at agreed intervals, and promptly where a material development occurs.

9. Completion & Deliverables

On completion of a matter, Bond Stone delivers all agreed work product in a clear, usable format — executed documents, legal opinions, due diligence reports, regulatory filings, or closing summaries as applicable. For transactional matters, Bond Stone prepares a closing checklist confirming all deliverables and their status.

10. Post-Engagement Advisory

Many clients continue working with Bond Stone after completion of an initial matter — on a retainer basis or through subsequent transactional instructions. Bond Stone provides post-engagement support including ongoing regulatory compliance advisory, contract updates and renewals, annual corporate maintenance, and legal input for subsequent transactions. For clients who engage Bond Stone under a monthly retainer, continuity of advice across multiple matters is built into the arrangement.

Work Before an Engagement Letter

If Bond Stone provides legal services at a client's request before an Engagement Letter is signed, the firm may be entitled to payment for those services under the applicable law. We therefore ask clients to sign the Engagement Letter before requesting substantive work.

Start an Engagement

To make an enquiry or discuss how Bond Stone can assist with your Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, or AIFC legal matter, contact us directly. All initial communications are confidential.

[email protected]
+7 (701) 729 76 72 — Almaty

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