Active on the borrower and lender side of a wide array of transactions including project finance, acquisition finance and refinancing and restructuring Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP demonstrates notable sector experience in real estate, energy, shipping and aviation. The team are regularly called upon by major regional banks to advise on complex, cross border transactions in areas such as the Caribbean, central and southern America, Asia and Europe, and demonstrate a strong competence across Islamic financing, boasting a portfolio of novel transactions in this space. Rustum Shah joined the practice from Hogan Lovells (United Arab Emirates) LLP in February 2022, seamlessly taking the mantle of team head and leading a wealth of mandates that involve high-value restructurings and acquisition financings. Philip Clarke handles financial services regulatory issues. Associates Chinar Zaidi and Murtaza Hussain are active across the full range of client instructions.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘SH has handled many complex transactions for us in the last few years. We like their speed and efficiency while handling complex trades, in particular.’
Key clients
- Yellow Door Energy Limited
- National Bank of Fujairah PJSC
- Commercial Bank of Dubai PSC
- Emirates NBD Bank PJSC
- China Construction Bank
- ICICI Bank Ltd
- Axis Bank Ltd
- FIM Bank (Malta)
- Bank of Baroda
- Jumbo Electronics
- Omniyat Group
- Tufton Oceanic
- Allana International
- Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC
Work highlights
- Advising Yellow Door Energy Limited on a multi-million-dirham debt refinancing with the National Bank of Fujairah for a portfolio of solar projects in the United Arab Emirates.
- Advising National Bank of Fujairah who provided a facility of AED 62 million to CleanMax Alpha LeaseCo FZCO.
- Acting as lead lender's counsel to one of the largest Islamic Banks in the UAE in respect of the term murabaha facilities - one of first transactions for the lender to enter into which was structured under Shari'a Standard Number 59 regarding the Sale of Debt (Standard 59) by the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) - provided to the subsidiary of a corporate group.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Rustum Shah