Civil & Criminal Litigation

International Law Firm Litigation

The Firm has been representing two major international law firms with offices in Bahrain in a highly political case filed by the Bahrain Bar Association seeking to invalidate the latter’s licenses claiming non-existent competition recourses and appealing the constitutionality of a 2006 law allowing for reputable foreign law firms to operate in Bahrain subject to certain restrictions

Telecommunications

Following the announcement of successful bidders for the National Fixed Wireless License (NFWS) by Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), the Firm has been appointed by the second largest mobile telecommunications company in Bahrain to represent it before the High Civil Court in a defence over the validity of its bid and the success thereof. The Firm has also been acting for a Saudi Arabian telecommunications company in a case filed by the incumbent operator claiming circa US$500,000.

It has been appointed as legal counsel to LightSpeed Communications, a newly formed joint venture between existing Bahrain founding shareholders and Jordan Telecoms which holds 51% of the company’s shares. The Firm continues to act as lead local counsel to MTC Vodafone.

Oil & Gas

On a regional level, lead by principal and founder Elham Ali Hassan, the Firm has been representing a highly regarded establishment in a civil and criminal litigation involving US$50 million on behalf of the defendants; the case has been filed in Bahrain by a public company owned by the Government of India. The Firm has been managing the relationship between parties in India and Turkey along with representation before Bahrain courts.

Fraud

The Firm has been appointed by parties from South Africa, Australia, and United Kingdom to file a criminal complaint and civil proceedings against a Bahrain operating Group which has internationally swindled millions of dollars through a series of scams over falsified projects around the world promising high interest rates in a short term.

Company/Corporate/Funds/Banking

In the first half of 2007 alone, the Firm has established tens of companies with various structures, amongst other, foreign branch offices and closed joint stock companies. The Firm has incorporated a Closed Joint Stock Company on behalf of Energy Central BSC (c) whom it has advised on the finance and structuring of a utilities company with a capital of US$7 million for the Durrat Al Bahrain project, a mega resort which is currently being built on reclaimed land off the south coast of Bahrain.

The Firm has handled the negotiation and drafting of shareholders' agreements, joint venture agreements, advising on share and asset acquisitions and disposals, restructuring, company secretarial services and corporate tax advice for a regional real estate company.

The Firm has been retained as legal counsel to United Bank Limited, the largest commercial bank in Pakistan with branches in Bahrain. It has incorporated a number of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) on behalf of corporate sponsors from GCC countries for the issuance and management of both Islamic and conventional fund companies.  

Shipping and Aviation

The Firm acts for ship owners, charterers, shippers, aircraft owners and lessees, and insurers. We have advised on ship and aircraft arrests, cargo loss and damage, ship and aircraft sale and purchase, maritime collisions, bills of lading, maritime mortgages, and charter-party claims.

The Firm has undertaken work in fixed-wing aircraft financing, negotiation and conclusion of aircraft lease and lease-purchase agreements, aviation insurance, airline licensing, aircraft registration and other aviation regulatory matters.Highlights of recent work in the aviation area include acting for a conglomerate and acting for the lender in a facility for the acquisition of an aircraft in South America. Recent work in maritime law includes acting for Bahrain Maritime & Mercantile International (BMMI) in a case involving a large insurance default. The Firm has also advised a navigation services provider with regard to submitting a tender bid in the Kingdom for air navigation services.

Intellectual Property

With the growing international consciousness of intellectual property rights, the Firm has acted as agent for many international clients from around the world to register copyrights, designs, domain names, patents, trademarks, and utility models. The Firm works closely with reputable intellectual property divisions’ of international Firms, amongst other, Clyde & Co.

 Property

The Firm has advised a number of companies and developers in relation to lease agreements and purchase agreements of properties currently being built; most being freehold ownership of property with an interest in the common-hold areas- a recent development in registering of land with the assistance of United Kingdom’s H.M. Land Registry has brought to existence the strata title in Bahrain.

Employment/ Labour Union

The Firm has been advising Al Marai, a leading regional dairy company, on its labour union dispute. It has also been successfully acting for DynCorp, a multi-billion dollar U.S. Navy contractor, in court proceedings brought by its union leaders over events of an illegal strike by union members which resulted in their respective termination.

Private Law

In light of legislation allowing for foreigners to purchase property in areas category A, B, and C in Bahrain, the financial boom in the region the Firm has been appointed by a number of select foreign families to draw up wills over properties held in Bahrain and in the region.