Headed by Ahsan Zahir Rizvi, RIAA BARKER GILLETTE  is well placed to advise on cross-border commercial arrangements, and has particular expertise in assisting clients making greenfield or brownfield investments in Pakistan. Its clients include entrepreneurs, companies and non-profit entities. Rizvi has advised on numerous project and corporate financing transactions, in addition to M&A and privatisation deals. Other areas of expertise span advising on IPOs, private placements, debt offerings and asset-backed offerings. Managing partner Bilal Shaukat is another leading member of the department and concentrates on M&A, competition laws and project financing.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Highly professional and diversely experienced legal team.’

  • ‘Response time is good. Integrity is impeccable! Advisory is very professional.’

  • ‘Collaboration of the law firm is excellent and also good use of technology.’

  • 'Ms. Shafaq Rehman has a good understanding of the laws and has the ability of quick understanding of the topic I shared with her and discussed. Quality of work and response time is awesome and she is a thorough professional.’

  • 'Problem-solving attitude and the approach of a business partner rather than a client/vendor relationship. Responsiveness - quick and effective. It all starts and ends with people and the organisation's ethos.'
  • 'I have dealt with Mazhar Bangash who is outstanding.'
  • 'They have an excellent leadership which has over the course of the years not only gained immense knowledge of legal, corporate, and administrative structures but have also developed invaluable relations. This makes them amongst the best players in their field in town.'

Key clients

  • Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity and USAID
  • Pakistan Yarn Merchants Association
  • Khyber Pass Economic Corridor
  • All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association
  • New Hampshire Insurance Company
  • Endeavour Global Inc. (Endeavour)
  • National Democratic Institute
  • Ravi Urban Development Authority
  • Dynamic Resources Limited
  • Gul Ahmed Textile Mills Limited
  • Liberty Mills Limited

Work highlights

  • Successfully served as legal advisors for Ravi Urban Development Authority's Public Private Partnership project regarding the concession agreement for the Chaharbagh Project – Alamgir Block I.
  • Advised Endeavour Global Inc, a global non-profit organisation, on the establishment of a licensed not-for-profit aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs.
  • Represented New Hampshire Insurance Company (NHIC), a member company of AIG, on divestment matters.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Ahsan Zahir Rizvi

Other key lawyers

Bilal Shaukat, Shafaq Rehman, Mazhar Bangash