OUR EXPERTICE

Our attorneys specialize in a wide range of asset based and structured financings, including tax and operating leases, loan facilities, and numerous capital market-based transactions. We also advise on secured and unsecured credit financings, as well as asset repossession and other regulatory matters. We act for all parties in structured finance transactions. Our understanding of the specific requirements of each participant allows us to design specific strategies tailored to achieve our client’s objectives.

We provide our clients with advice and representation on local and international disputes and are regularly retained to act as counsel in high-value litigation and arbitration cases. We support a wide array of clients ranging from individuals to multinational corporations. Our international network allows us to assist our clients in resolving their legal issues wherever they may arise. We also pride ourselves on a strong international compliance practice and offer personalized and focused legal representation for clients who are faced with serious non-compliance charges.

We address the risks and complexities arising from investigations and enforcement actions, whether in a single jurisdiction or across many, and advise on the application of global sanctions and export controls. Our team assists clients in dealing with regulatory matters, such as the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), UK Bribery Act, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) statutes and regulations, and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). We also advise and represent clients on matters related to risk assessments, compliance reviews, compliance programs, investigations, enforcement matters, and civil claims. Our experts have extensive experience advising clients on all aspects of regulatory compliance involving the banking, capital markets, and investment fund sectors. We create complex strategies designed to protect our clients and enable them to pursue their business objectives confidently.

Our team advises and represents a wide range of clients on all types of merger, acquisition and joint venture transactions, ranging from small investments (less than $1 million) to large investments (more than $100 million). These transactions involve various client-types and industries, including technology, energy, infrastructure, banking and finance, insurance, telecommunication, utility, manufacturing, healthcare, sports, and media. We also advise on a number of structures, including mergers, stock and asset backed purchases, joint ventures, leveraged buyouts, restructurings and recapitalizations, and takeovers.

We advise on all sectors of the construction and engineering industry, including energy, infrastructure and development, from the drafting of tender and project documents to the resolution of disputes arising out of projects. We prepare and negotiate all major forms of construction contracts and ancillary documents, such as financial support arrangements, concession contracts, joint venture agreements, technology supply and license agreements, and operation and maintenance contracts. We advise owners and contractors on various construction projects. Our clients range in size from large multinational entities to smaller family owned businesses and are representatives of all major segments of the construction industry, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, power, and commercial property.

High net worth local and regional groups recognize the benefit of forming an office. We understand the needs and goals of these groups and can provide assistance with a comprehensive approach to creation, oversight, and wealth management and preservation, including structuring trusts and foundations in various US, European and other jurisdictions around the world. We collaborate with other professional service providers to assist clients with a holistic set of services to meet the growing complexity of needs and opportunities facing the high net worth groups.

We advise clients on all major employment, compensation and benefits matters, whether advisory or transactional, including executive compensation, employment, incentives and immigration. Our team works closely with in-house legal counsel and the HR department to draft, implement and enforce best practices policies and procedures. We also represent clients in employment disputes involving from wrongful termination claims, severance and compensation, penalties, and pensions.

We represent start-ups through every stage of their lifecycle. Our team provides clients with ongoing day-to-day legal advice, as well as transactional services in connection with financing (formation, seed, convertible note, preferred equity), complex strategic transactions, and exits. While we are primarily focused on working with founders, we have worked with venture capital groups and represent a number of top “angels”, which has allowed us to implement an investor’s perspective when advising both start-ups and investor clients.

We advise clients on various aspects of technology development and investment, intellectual property rights, as well as information and communications technology matters. Our attorneys support clients with technology related litigation and provide advice on non-litigious matters, such as Intellectual Property registration and protection, local and international Information and Communications Technology (ICT) regulations and restrictions, and negotiation and preparation of related agreements and transactions.

One of the most valued aspects of our practice continues to be our dedication to focusing on tax issues at the earliest possible stage of each transaction. We endeavor to find ways to add value by discovering innovative approaches to reduce the client’s tax burden, and in turn, increasing the overall economic benefits of the deal. Our attorneys understand that tax planning must be balanced with challenges resulting from operational, accounting, regulatory and financial considerations. Our detailed approach allows us to identify obscure but potentially costly tax issues, and offer solutions with the highest level of expertise. We have a special team dedicated to Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and tax exchange information. We have developed a specific practice devoted to assist binational individuals, corporate entities and financial institutions with international tax compliance, including FATCA, Report of Foreign Banks and Financial Accounts (FBAR), the Global Account Tax Compliance Act (GATCA), the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEI) and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) developed by the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and other transnational tax and accounting matters. We also provide US sanctions compliance advisory and licensing services.

We have extensive experience in structuring and negotiating complex transactions and developing innovative techniques to ensure they are Shariah compliant. Our attorneys have advised on all types of Islamic finance transactions, including Murabaha, Ijara, Wakala, Istisna, Salam, Mudaraba, Musharaka and Sukuk issues. Our Islamic finance experience covers capital markets, banking, project finance, asset finance, restructuring and investment funds.

We advise our clients on various in-bound and out-bound cross border transactions, including sale and purchase agreements, marketing agreements, agencies and distributorships, international tax and tariff, technology licensing and transfer, corporate finance, direct foreign investment, international compliance, anti-dumping and subsidies, maritime, INCOTERMS and customs restrictions. Our experts also establish, manage and administer various legal entities, such as companies, trusts and foundations, to meet our clients’ specific objectives. These include employment and local compliance matters, cross border investments, corporate (re)structuring, wealth protection, tax optimization, and foreign market entry. We provide customized services by following the best practices in direct foreign investment and compliance standards.

The detrimental effects non-compliance penalties can impose on a business have resulted in local and international companies shifting their focus to the area of corporate compliance. This created a need for a dedicated compliance officer, independent of the general counsel, to monitor and train employees on compliance matters and ensure they are conducting business in accordance with local and international regulations. Given the importance of a compliance officer to our clients, we have developed a unique Outside Compliance Officer program designed for corporate entities who prefer an independent outside compliance officer to monitor and training staff, as well as conduct independent investigations without the bias that may be cultivated between employees. Our program provides corporate clients, through a temporary loan arrangement, with an experienced attorney or attorneys to work from the client’s offices on a full-time or part-time basis, as needed. In this capacity, we provide experienced and cost-effective corporate compliance services without subjecting the client to local employee hiring restrictions.

Many businesses, from start-ups to large privately held companies, do not have in-house counsel for reasons of cost, philosophy or transition. In other instances, in-house lawyers may not have the time or the expertise to handle specific matters. For these reasons, we have developed a unique Outside General Counsel program designed for corporate clients who prefer outside counsel to handle corporate formalities and legal issues, without incurring the high overhead and multi-tiered staffing of large law firms. Our program provides corporate clients, through a temporary loan arrangement, with an experienced attorney or attorneys to work from the client’s offices on a full-time or part-time basis, as needed. In this capacity, we provide experienced and cost-effective legal services without subjecting the client to local employee hiring restrictions.