Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm

Firm overview: Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm is the largest multi-practice law firm in Lebanon, with a primary market position leading on complex first-of-their-kind transactions across all practice areas and industries, and a significant record acting on high-profile arbitration and litigation cases with an international reach. In addition to their thorough knowledge of the law, the firm’s diverse team of attorneys is distinguished by an in-depth specialization, a sharp understanding of its clients' businesses and the industries they operate in, and a strategic pragmatic approach to legal advice.

The firm works closely with a number of top-tier legal correspondents in all key jurisdictions, allowing the firm to offer businesses in need of legal assistance in any country easy access to global advice. Many of the firm’s senior lawyers have international experience working with prominent global law firms and are admitted to practice outside Lebanon. The firm is a member of the International Bar Association, and has consistently been recognized as a tier-one market leader by prominent international legal directories, including Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500, and IFLR1000.

Representative experience: The firm handles major local and cross-border deals, and its unparalleled representative transactional experience includes advising on a wide spectrum of landmark transactions, namely, the largest-ever US$200m asset-backed issuance in Lebanon through the securitization of a major real estate portfolio, the acquisition of a listed bank in Europe, the US$150m cross-border syndicated facility led by a global bank to a telecoms group, the first-ever US$300m international syndicated financing of a renewable energy project in Lebanon, multi-million issuances of preferred shares and structured products by Lebanese banks, the first-ever Power Purchase Agreement with the Government of Lebanon, two EPC contracts for €270m reciprocating engines power projects in Lebanon, Lebanon’s first EPA for the exploration of offshore petroleum resources, the development of a major real estate project financed through the issuance of convertible profit-sharing bonds, the ground-breaking multi-bank private placement to finance the launch of a TV station, the largest private debt restructuring in Lebanon, and multi-million acquisitions and private equity transactions across all industry sectors.

The firm’s impressive record includes several high-profile mediatized international arbitration cases, namely representing a renowned TV station in winning an ICC against the largest production and media group in the Arab world, a major Danish/German EPC consortium in the ICC arbitration case against the Republic of Lebanon, several arbitration cases related to major real estate projects and investment funds, and major complex litigations cases in the FMCG, pharmaceutical and energy sectors. The firm is consistently solicited to participate in public policy and legislation reforms in collaboration with local and international governmental bodies.

Clients: Clients include major groups who contribute vitally to the country’s economic growth, and some of the world’s leading multinationals, namely commercial and investment banks, governmental agencies, investors, entrepreneurs, start-ups, insurance companies, trade companies, service providers, consultants, distributors, real estate developers, charitable organisations and private clients. Many of the firm’s clients maintain a strong international presence throughout the MENA region, the UK, Europe and the US.

Publications and speaking engagements: The firm regularly contributes editorial pieces to prominent publications and many of the firm’s attorneys are invited to speak at conferences on topics of interest. Recent conferences and editorial contributions include:

• The Lebanon chapter of the Banking Regulation guide, published by Getting the Deal Through and edited by Wachtell, Lipton, Rose and Katz USA;
• The Lebanon chapter of the Energy Regulation & Markets Review, published by The Law Reviews and edited by Latham & Watkins USA;
• The Lebanon chapter of the Inward Investment & International Taxation Review, published by The Law Reviews and edited by Latham & Watkins USA;
• The Lebanon chapter of the Data Protection in the Financial Sector guide published by One Trust Data Guidance;
• The Beirut Energy Week;
• The Annual Harvard Arab World Conference (HAWC).