(Jad Skaff - HNS LEGAL Founding Partner - explains how the firm is adapting to clients’ changing needs)

1) What do you see as the main points that differentiate HNS LEGAL from your competitors?

HNS Legal is known for delivering strategic advice as well as handling complex client matters. Its team of highly specialized attorneys provide services ranging from general corporate services such as corporate structuring, day-to-day and regulatory legal advice, drafting and reviewing of legal documentation, to more complex matters such as mergers and acquisitions and restructuring. The unparalleled depth of knowledge of our team in the various fields of law, its dedication and responsiveness, and its delivery of tailored solutions to the firm’s clients is what sets HNS Legal apart from other law firms. The ability of our team members to advise on a wide range of industries and legal practices makes us invaluable to our clients who count on our advice not only with respect to legal compliance but also with respect to business considerations. Our wide, yet specific, overview of the different markets in which we operate have assisted several of our clients in successfully pursuing their businesses and sometimes making amendments to their business strategies. Our firm has a very busy M&A practice, and advises both buyers and sellers on the purchase or divestment of businesses. The vast majority of the transaction include a cross-border element within the MENA region and also sometimes within Europe, Africa or Asia. Our expertise has allowed to us to reach a high-level of comfort when advising on cross-border transactions while relying on local counsels for limited specific matters only. This allows our clients to rely on our services for their cross-border matters without the need to appoint local counsels in each jurisdiction in which they are involved. Moreover, HNS Legal has developed a solution consisting of allocating resources to assist legal departments of regional and multinational companies in the region when such legal departments are overwhelmed with the internal requests of the businesses, given the growth that the region is witnessing recently. HNS Legal either acts as a legal department for the businesses which lack in-house counsels, or provides support to the legal departments when in need of additional resources, hence, alleviating the recruitment requirements of companies. When providing such a solution, we have been able to advise on the different legal aspects within the region where the clients operate, without having recourse to local counsels. The main industries in which our firm has provided such services include: FMCG, food and beverage distribution and manufacturing, aviation and airport services (airport management, wrongful death claims, ground handling, cargo handling, airport lounges operations), management and strategy consultancy, media and entertainment, information technology and Telecommunications, oil & gas, startups, logistics and transportation, healthcare, non-profit organizations and real estate and construction. We have also developed an expertise in the banking and finance sector, ranging from regulatory advice, to liquidation of banks. Moreover, in addition to the growing M&A experience, the department is one of the very first firms to advise on highly specialized fields such as Blockchain and the use of cryptocurrencies and NFTs in Lebanon as well as renewable energy including PV installation, private sale of energy and energy wheeling. In conclusion, aside from having a deep industry knowledge that allows to ensure successful outcomes for our clients, our team excel in guiding clients through all stages of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings. We believe these strengths differentiate us from our competitors and also allow us to meet and exceed our client expectations.  

2) Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

Businesses in the technology field are rapidly growing and legal matters related to technology are becoming gradually more challenging. This includes data privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property, e-commerce, and most recently artificial intelligence. Businesses require nowadays legal guidance to navigate complicated regulatory frameworks, draft and negotiate technology-related contracts, and protect their data and intellectual property rights. Legal professionals specializing in cybersecurity and data privacy are playing a critical role in helping businesses navigating regulatory requirements, assessing cybersecurity risks and implementing compliance programs. Moreover, compliance and governance practices in law firms will grow due to stricter regulations, globalization, and risk management needs. This will result in a reshaping of the legal framework, with updates, enforcement actions, stronger corporate governance, and enhanced risk mitigation which are becoming compulsory. As a result, legal intervention will be in high demand in said fields as businesses seek guidance to navigate these challenges and maintain compliance.  

3) What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients?

During the last year, we have reorganized the workflow within the firm in a way which allows us to service any client, including new ones, efficiently and swiftly. Moreover, we are integrating technology within said workflow to try to minimize the time the time spent on each task as much as possible for both the benefit of the client and the team. In addition, we started implementing quality control measures and client surveys to ensure that we are delivering the best service to our clients, while regularly gathering feedback from clients to improve our services and guarantee client satisfaction.  

4) Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

We are currently working with a software development team on integrating legal softwares and artificial intelligence within our internal system of work. Technology is playing an important role in the legal field and we are keen on benefiting therefrom to provide efficient and swift legal services to our clients.  

5) Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

When working on specific matters, namely acquisitions, we are usually involved in the commercial aspects. Given our wide expertise in the region and our knowledge of the business requirements and standards, our clients involve us in the commercial and financial side of the deals. We have recently advised the sellers of a business on structuring the sale in two components, one fixed and another one based on the achievements of the business following its sale on an earn-out basis instead of limiting themselves to the value of the business upon its sale only, thus, extracting as much benefits as possible post-completion.  

6) Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms - where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Our firm has already gained the trust of many clients in the region. In the upcoming couple of years, we envision our firm establishing itself as one of the leading law firms in the region renowned for its exceptional services. A crucial part of our vision involves growth and expansion both in terms of our talented team and our areas of expertise. We will strategically attract first-class professionals and invest in their development to ensure we possess the necessary skills and resources to meet the changing needs of clients across different industries and practice areas. Moreover, we will actively embrace technology and innovation to improve efficiency streamline processes and deliver value to our clients. This entails embracing technology by adopting the latest technological tools to enhance our service delivery and improve our client satisfaction. We will also continue to prioritize long lasting relationships with our clients founded on efficiency, trust and transparency.