Drawing on the firm’s wider strengths in project finance, energy, financial institutions and transport, Norton Rose Fulbright Islamic finance distinguishes itself through its impressive capability in facilitating transactions across a range of sectors using Shariah-compliant structures. The firm’s EMEA Chair, Farmida Bi, oversees the team, which leverages its global network, including its Dubai office. Derivatives and structured finance lawyer Yusuf Battiwala excels in capital markets work and is the key contact for Islamic derivatives, repos and hedging aspects of Islamic financing. Carla Akuamoah Antelo regularly supports Battiwala on the full gamut of Islamic structured products.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘NRF team demonstrates strong expertise in Islamic derivatives and consistently adopts a highly client-centric approach, even when advising on complex and sophisticated matters.’
- ‘Yusuf Battiwala consistently delivers work of exceptional quality. He brings a strong technical foundation across both structured Islamic and conventional derivatives products. ’
- ‘NRF, led by Yusuf Battiwala, provides the leading offering of Islamic Finance within derivatives, structured products and structured financing.'
- ‘Yusuf Battiwala is a leading partner who uniquely has market leading Islamic Finance knowledge in conjunction with being a leading derivatives and structured products partner, meaning he leads in both conventional and Islamic transactions.'
- ‘NRF have been invaluable in supporting our Islamic product offering. They have extensive expertise in this area and, in addition to advising on the legal and regulatory aspects, are able to provide invaluable insights into market practice and Shariah structuring.’
- ‘Yusuf Battiwala has a real depth of knowledge of Islamic products and market practices. He is therefore able to provide invaluable input into structuring discussions and to facilitate interactions between his clients, their counterparties and their Shariah advisors/boards.’
Key clients
- JP Morgan
- First Abu Dhabi Bank
- Natixis
- Macquarie Bank
- ACWA Power Development
- Bank ABC
- Bank of London and the Middle East
- Bank of New York Mellon
- Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance
- Islamic Development Bank
- JP Morgan
Work highlights
Advising the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) and the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) on developing an industry standard Islamic repo agreement.
Advised Offa on one of the UK’s first Shariah-compliant tranched private securitisations, which will originate Shariah-compliant residential buy-to-let (BTL) mortgages, known as BTL Home Purchase Plans (BTL HPPs).
Advised an institutional investor in respect of the Islamic financing of a logistics property located in the harbour area of Rotterdam.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Yusuf Battiwala
Practice head
Farmida Bi
Other key lawyers
Yusuf Battiwala; Carla Akuamoah Antelo