Seven Pillars makes the law work for you. Focussed on our clients, Seven Pillars delivers solutions, not just advice. We use innovation and out of the box thinking to put our clients’ interests first. We are dedicated to achieving optimal outcomes, in tight timeframes and for value.
Seven Pillars works with you, and for you, synthesising commercial, legal and judicial expertise, locally and globally.
Seven Pillars has unrivalled experience at the intersect of business and law and was established to support those doing business in, with or through Kazakhstan and, more particularly, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).
Seven Pillars is the only law firm in Central Asia that can offer advice through the lens of lawyers who have worked in business and in law firms; in Government and in the Judiciary; in the East and in the West; and in Court and in the Boardroom.
We are a global law firm headquartered in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, with offices in London, Dubai and Cape Town. Our global network comprises 850 lawyers, which enables us to serve our clients on each continent (except Antarctica) in any industry and on any topic. Our firm is named after the Zheti Zhargy, 7 foundational pillars of the Kazakh legal system introduced in the 17th Century by Khan Tauke – by following that heritage Seven Pillars is building the leading law firm in Central Asia.
Mark is a solution orientated, innovative and client-centric lawyer with experience working in big law firms, in-house, in finance, in Government and in the judiciary. Mark’s extensive, global and diverse experience allows him to find answers where others find problems, especially in developing economies in Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Mark has advised Heads of State, Ministers, Chairmen and C-suite executives of some of the world’s largest organisations. He is also comfortable working with innovators, academics, entrepreneurs and others looking to design the future. Mark brings a commercial and pro-active approach to business building, with a risk based, holistic and pragmatic approach to problem solving and dispute avoidance . He is described as ‘brilliant, honest, charismatic, and eloquent, and someone who is seen as having boundless, optimistic energy’.
Having been in-house counsel for one of the largest South African financial services institutions, Kim is a client focused, solution driven and innovative lawyer who leverages her experience to ensure that the advice and guidance that she provides is practical, useful and what her clients need.
Kim is therefore uniquely placed to provide practical and pragmatic solutions for complex legal issues ensuring that the solutions are tailor made to clients’ needs.
Dr Mimi Zou is an English and Australian qualified lawyer with 18 years of experience in top global law firms, tech, financial services, international organisations and civil service. She is an internationally recognised expert on commercial law, contract law, employment law and dispute resolution. She is an accomplished and award-winning legal scholar and teacher, having held the first academic post in Chinese law at the University of Oxford and co-founded the Deep Tech Dispute Resolution Lab at Oxford. Fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, she is the author of numerous books and articles on Chinese and comparative civil and commercial laws. Dr Zou holds doctoral and master’s degrees in law from the University of Oxford.
A young, commercially minded lawyer from Kazakhstan, Ainur holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in international law. Ainur has previously worked on various projects within the AIFC Academy of Law and shares the innovative spirit needed to succeed in the region.
Having initially joined Seven Pillars as an intern, Ainur proved herself an excellent addition with her creative and solutions-driven approach. Her outstanding performance saw her join the team as a consultant.
