Hiring an English-Speaking Lawyer in Tbilisi: What to Ask First

Overview

Check that the person handling your case is a licensed Georgian lawyer. The Georgian Bar Association publishes a searchable list.
Ask who will actually do the work, and whether that person speaks English well enough to explain it.
Get the scope, the timeline and the price in writing before you pay anything.
Walk away from anyone who guarantees an outcome a government office decides.

Most foreigners in Georgia need a lawyer at some point: for a residence permit, a property purchase, a business setup, a dispute. There are plenty of options in Tbilisi, from large international firms to one-person practices to relocation agencies that offer legal help as part of a package. They're not all the same, and the differences matter more when you can't read the documents yourself.

We're a Tbilisi law firm for expats, so we have a view. These are the questions we'd want you to ask us too.

1. Is the person licensed?

In Georgia, a licensed lawyer is a member of the Georgian Bar Association. The Bar keeps a public database of its members, with their languages and areas of work. Look the person up.

Some relocation services have licensed lawyers on staff. Others don't. For simple paperwork, that may be fine. For anything that could end up in a dispute, you want a licensed lawyer responsible for your file.

2. Who will do the work?

The person who meets you isn't always the person who handles your case. Ask:

Who prepares the documents?
Who files them and goes to the appointments?
Who do I contact when I have a question, and how?

If the work is done by someone who doesn't speak English, ask how you'll get updates and in what language.

3. Do they speak English well enough to explain it?

"English-speaking" can mean anything from fluent to a few phrases. A first call tells you a lot. Can they explain the process, the risks and the timeline clearly? Do they answer the question you asked?

You're paying, in part, for someone to explain Georgian law to you. If you finish the call more confused than when you started, keep looking.

4. What exactly is included?

Get the scope in writing. For a residence permit, for example:

Does the price include translations, notarization and apostille checks?
Does it include government fees, or are those extra?
What happens if the application is refused? Is a second attempt included?
Does it cover the residence card collection, or only the decision?

A low quote that leaves out half the steps isn't cheap.

5. What does it cost, and when do I pay?

A good lawyer gives you a fixed price or a clear hourly rate, in writing, before work starts. Ask when payment is due. Paying part upfront is normal. Paying everything before anything happens is a risk.

6. How long will it take?

Ask for a realistic timeline, and ask which parts depend on the lawyer and which depend on a government office. A lawyer controls how fast documents are prepared and filed. They don't control how fast the agency decides.

7. Have they handled cases like mine?

Ask how often they handle your type of case: work permits, property permits, Individual Entrepreneur setups, off-plan contracts, inheritance. Ask what usually goes wrong and how they deal with it. A lawyer who does this work regularly will answer without hesitation.

Warning signs

Guaranteed results on a decision a government body makes. No honest lawyer can promise a residence permit.
No written price.
Pressure to pay in cash with no receipt.
A general power of attorney when the task is specific. See our guide to power of attorney in Georgia.
Vague answers about who does the work.
A broker's lawyer. If a lawyer is introduced by the seller's broker in a property deal, ask who pays them.

How we work

Here's what you get from us, and what you should expect from any firm you hire:

A licensed Georgian lawyer who speaks English and explains each step.
The scope, timeline and price in writing before we start.
Updates by email or WhatsApp, so you know where your case stands.
Video calls if you're not in Georgia yet.

We handle residence permits, business setup and the 1% tax regime, property purchases, wills and inheritance, divorce and disputes. Tell us what you need and a lawyer will reply with the next steps and a price. You can also read more about us.