Hannouche Associates

The firm: Hannouche Associates is a full-service law firm established throughout the past three decades as one of the leading law firms in the region, advising and representing a wide range of clients from its offices in Lebanon since 1988 and in Iraq since 2010.

The firm comprises a team of more than 20 lawyers from different backgrounds, disciplines and nationalities. It is this international profile of our attorneys that allows us to provide custom-made legal services adapted to each client’s background and field of specialization.

Capitalizing on its proficiency in the areas of corporate law, banking, corporate finance, oil and gas, labor law and taxation, among other specializations, Hannouche Associates has been at the forefront of many landmark deals in Lebanon and Iraq, where clients have come to rely on the international standard of its professional services, paired with a local know-how and track record that built the firm’s reputation as a powerhouse in emerging markets.

Iraq practice: The legal challenge facing Iraq at the moment is a combination of evolving laws, changing almost on a monthly basis, and the need to accommodate the complicated deals that organise relationships between international companies and foreign investors on one hand, and, on the other hand, local private sector and governmental authorities.

Hannouche Associates was one of the very first foreign firms to enter the Iraqi market in September 2010. This early move helped build a large team of foreign and local lawyers, thus fulfilling the firm’s vision of forming a one-stop shop for every foreign company looking to operate in Iraq, an asset which was key to the firm’s success.

The different legislation and directives applicable in the Kurdistan region and federal Iraq induce confusion into any business plan a foreign company might be preparing before entering the Iraqi market. On that level, the firm’s constant presence on the ground has eased this obstacle to its clients by keeping them updated and informed of all developments, especially ones related to corporate law and immigration regulations, thus bridging the gap between the expectations of foreign companies and the complicated legal framework usually in place in any emerging market.

Since the establishment of the practice in Iraq, the firm has served several multinational and regional clients ranging from oil and gas companies, oil services companies, commercial and investment banks, and insurance companies, to contracting companies, telecommunications and information technology companies, airlines, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and governmental institutions, among other clients.