Sharq Law Firm

Qatar

Address:
Alfardan Office Tower, 17th Floor
West Bay
Doha
Qatar

+974 4444 2230

+ 974 4037 7288


Key contacts:

BD Coordinator: Elham Raweh
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Quick facts:

Number of lawyers: 30
Network memberships: IBA
Languages: Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Turkish


Sharq Law Firm is a full-service law firm servicing the Qatari local market as well as international organisations outside of Qatar. Sharq Law Firm brings together a group of seasoned professionals who share a passion for law and a knack for quality and customer service to offer clients legal services at the highest standard. The firm is driven by client needs and has a wealth of experience in many disciplines. Furthermore, the team is a diversified one with members from different corners of the globe. The official languages of the firm are Arabic and English and most of the lawyers are fully bilingual. The team is led by senior partner Mr Rashid Al Saad, who has a wealth of experience leading and managing major and complex projects.

The corporate department of Sharq Law Firm deals with all corporate and commercial matters which range from provision of legal advice and opinions to representing clients on major transactions within Qatar and internationally. The team are well versed in Qatari law and greatly sought for by International Law Firms for their expert advice on issues related to Qatari Law. The department has worked on almost all the major transactions in Qatar, either solely or jointly with International Law Firms. They are highly knowledgeable in M & A, capital market and financing matters, bonds issuance, company incorporation & restructuring, IPO, provision of legal advice and opinions, general corporate and commercial matters, advise on tax issues, drafting and reviewing of different types of agreements, JV incorporation and financing. In addition, the team members provide regular advice to the major governmental organisations where Sharq Law Firm sits on their legal panels. Members of the Corporate team at Sharq Law Firm are fully bilingual, with some of them trilingual. The geographically diverse nature of the team enables them to assist our clients over several jurisdictions, as they possess not only extensive knowledge of Qatari law but they are also highly knowledgeable of the applicable laws in their various home jurisdictions. The combined strength of the team makes them truly unique and highly knowledgeable. Their approach to issues is holistic in manner and they work with clarity and efficiency in delivering the required services to our clients.

Litigation Department at Sharq Law Firm handle major cases either before the local courts or before the ADR panels such as the International Chamber of Commerce and Qatar Chamber of Commerce. The department provides diversified, top-end and cost eective legal services to major companies and businessmen in the Qatari Market such as major energy and construction companies, oil and gas companies, major companies listed in the Capital Market, Companies in the automobile industry, real estate and property management companies. Our Litigation Department is made up of diversified and multi-jurisdictional attorneys who are capable of analyzing and delivering successful solutions to different kinds of multi-jurisdictional disputes and investigations including but not limited to civil and commercial disputes, labour, criminal, personal aairs disputes and regulatory investigations. Moreover, our attorneys have extensive and significant experience and are able to represent clients before local courts, International panels and settlement negotiations.

The Arbitration & Construction team of Sharq Law Firm have extensive experience in the real estate sector. They have assisted several government bodies in and outside Qatar on devising various development schemes involving Public Private Partnership (PPPs) related to the energy sectors (PWPA) as well as real estate (PPPs) on master developments, sub-development, investment structures, guarantees, etc. and SPAs. The team have advised many governmental and high-end companies in devising master developments and SPAs. Our role also involved evaluating feasibility studies, carrying out executive negotiations with related partners and execution of business models with clear and legitimate contracts in place. Our senior team members have been advising various government and semi-government authorities on public procurement strategies, policies and procedures. They have acted as members of the strategic tendering and procurement executive committees on various projects which included commercial aspects such as the owner’s finance structure, letters of credits, repay and hedging with London Metal Exchange Market (LME) as well as currency hedging formulas, procurement frame contracts with major suppliers, guaranteed price contracts and call-off contracts.

Sharq Law Firm clients include all the major governmental organisations and noteworthy private companies, family businesses and high net-worth individuals in Qatar, regionally and internationally. The team’s expertise cuts across multiple sectors such as Governmental organisations; Oil & Gas; Retail; Shipping; Construction; Hospitality; Pharma & Life Sciences; Defence; Education, Telecommunications; Transportation; Sports; Utilities and Real Estate.

  • Asset finance
  • Banking
  • Capital markets: Debt
  • Capital markets: Equity
  • Covered bonds
  • Financial restructuring
  • Financial services regulatory
  • Hedge funds
  • Investment funds
  • Islamic finance
  • M&A
  • PPP/PFI
  • Private equity
  • Private equity funds
  • Project bonds
  • Project development
  • Project finance
  • Real estate finance
  • Real estate funds
  • Restructuring and insolvency
  • Securitisation
  • Structured finance/securitisation
  • Trade finance

Mergers & Acquisitions

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Advised a client in the acquisitions of a company in Lebanon valued at US$50mn;
  • Advised a client in the acquisition of investments in an educational institution to be set up in Qatar involving four shareholders valued at QAR 500mn.
  • Conducted due diligence services in connection with the acquisition of three assets valued at QAR7.5bn in Qatar between two Investment companies to be transferred a hospitality company.

 

Capital markets: Equity

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  •  
  • Advised our client in the establishment of a Qatari Public Shareholding Company to be listed in the Qatar Stock Exchange and owned by a major oil & gas company in Qatar including the IPO procedure from the Qatari Law perspective valued at QAR 1bn;
  • Assisted our client in conversion to Joint Stock Companies.
  • Provided legal advice on listing a foreign joint stock company listed in New York Stock Exchange.

 

Covered bonds 

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Advised a State Entity on International Bonds issuance valued at US$13bn;
  • Advised a State Entity on International Bonds issuance valued at US$ 12bn;
  • Drafted a legal advice on the ability of a governmental institution to use liquidated bonds in completing a project.

 

Restructuring and insolvency 

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Advised our client in restructuring from a Private Shareholding Company to a Limited Liability Company;
  • Amended the company structure of a global school to LLC;
  • Assisted in the conversion of a shipping company in Qatar and updated the constitutional documents of five subsidiaries.

 

Structured finance/securitisation

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Drafted and negotiated a Master Murabaha Agreement between a company established in Qatar and a company in BVI for the amount of QAR 4,000,000.
  • Assisted a hospitality company in Qatar in establishing a JV with a Malaysian Hotel Management company valued at QARn370mn.
  • Drafted and negotiated agreements for a consulting company in setting up a high-tech greenhouse project worth USD 250 million in Qatar in order to cope up with the domestic demand for agricultural products.
  • Provided legal advice on the available legal action and the preferred cause of action to be taken to claim the breach of assignment of right and the default in the facility agreement.
  • Prepared Head of Terms for Potential Financing Agreement and drafting Term Sheet for a holding company.
  • Reviewed a facility debt agreement for a governmental institution.
  • Provided a legal opinion to the Client in relation to a Franchise Agreement for an educational institution.
  • Reviewed a credit facility agreement and other related documents between an oil and gas company and a financial institution;
  • Drafted a detailed master agreement between a government authority in charge of regulating and operating the authority in Qatar and its subsidiary assigning its rights in certain commercial outlet, restaurants, leased premises.

 

Real estate finance

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Drafted the contract and provided legal opinions on the construction and operation of a large residential / retail compound in Doha, Qatar on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis valued at QAR 2bn.
  • Acted for the Claimant in an ICC arbitration in Qatar in relation to a dispute surrounding the construction of hub offices for a major construction project valued at QAR 110mn.  
  • Advised a major developer in relation to a Sale and Purchase Agreement for the construction and redevelopment of reclaimed land in Dubai with a value of AED 80mn.
  • Represented the Client in a matter relating to the termination of a QAR 69mn Masterplan Development Agreement by Owner. 
  • Provided a legal opinion in relation to a Sale and Purchase Agreement of an Energy company valued at QAR 740mn.
  • Represented the Claimant, a major contractor, in an ICC Arbitration in the State of Qatar. This arbitration concerns the construction of a large, high-value residence for a high-profile Qatari citizen valued at QAR 162mn.
  • Represented the Claimant in two simultaneous QICCA Arbitration’s surrounding a contractual dispute valued at QAR 30mn for the supply of manpower for a major residential, commercial and retail construction project in Qatar.
  • Advised the client on a Sale and Purchase Agreement, Lease and a Build, Operate and Transfer Agreement for a mall and valued at QAR 600mn.
  • Represented the Claimant in an ICC arbitration valued at QAR 80mn in relation to the design, construction and maintenance of a Centre at a Stadium in Qatar.
  • Advised the client on Swiss law and drafting a Settlement Agreement related to the construction of water pipelines valued at QAR 150mn.
  • Reviewed a Facilities Management Agreement in multiple stages valued at QAR 28mn for a major developer in Qatar.

 

Project finance

Rashid Al Saad

r.alsaad@sharqlawfirm.com

Abdelraouf Elbekei

a.elbekei@sharqlawfirm.com

 

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Acted for our client in a QAR 80 Million dispute relating to construction of a Major Qatar Landmark. Acted for the Claimant in an ICC arbitration seated in Qatar, before a panel of 3 arbitrators.  
  • Acted for the Claimant in 2 concurrent arbitrations before the QICCA, regarding the provision of labour for a large-scale project valued ar QAR 30mn.  This arbitration is governed by Qatari Law and involves applying for injunctive relief before the Qatari courts.
  • Acted for the Claimant, a subcontractor, in a dispute surrounding a major Qatari infrastructure and transportation project.  This was an ICC arbitration, with 3 arbitrators and the seat being in Doha with value of QAR 17mn.
  • Provided an early evaluation dispute assessment on a major transportation project as well as legal advice on Qatari Law in support of a Defence in an ICC arbitration.
  • Advised a large Qatari Public Shareholding Company relating to some of Qatar's largest construction projects.
  • Acted for a Qatari non-profit organisation as related to their multi-billion construction contracts valued at QAR 7.5mn;
  • Represented the Respondent in an ICC arbitration in Doha, in relation to installation of acoustic plaster at a key Qatari landmark project valued at QAR 129mn.  
  • Represented the Claimant in an ICC Arbitration in London. Acted for the Claimant in a high-value ICC Arbitration based in London, surrounding a major Qatari infrastructure project.  The arbitration was heavily dependent on Quantum and Delay expert reports and witness evidence.
  • Advised the client in relation to a dispute surrounding Architectural, Civil and MEP works for to a large Qatari construction project and representing the client in negotiations with the Experts appointed by the court.  
  • Advised a contractor on its legal entitlements to Extension of Time valued at QAR 40mn in relation to a landmark high-profile construction project in Qatar, construction of which has been completed.  The matter concerned highly-specialized acoustic installation works for a project with challenging and unique architecture.  This involved multiple subcontractors and factors in downstream arbitration proceedings.
  • Provided a legal opinion in relation to the QAR 750mn construction contract related to the construction of the Commercial Terminals in the New Port Project
  • Represented our client in an arbitration in accordance with QICCA Rules.
  • Reviewed the QAR 268mn Contract and Memorandum of Understanding and provided legal advice related to a metro project in Doha.
  • Reviewing agreements and providing legal opinion on a contract to supply telecommunication works to a large residential compound currently under construction in Qatar.
  • Provided a legal opinion in relation to an infrastructure contract valued at QAR 26mn.
  • Provided legal advice on Qatari and Japanese law to a major Qatari engineering company in relation to the construction of a power plant in Qatar.  
  • Acted on behalf of the Claimant in an ICC arbitration, in Doha, Qatar valued at QAR 15mn.
  • Represented the Respondent in a QICCA arbitration in Qatar with claim value of QAR 4mn. The arbitration surrounds the manufacture of pre-cast concrete slabs and defects in the concrete.
  • Provided advice as local counsel on Qatari Law, in support of an energy company's defence under a commercial arbitration before the ICC valued at QAR 450mn.

  • Accounting
  • Automotive
  • Aviation
  • Banking
  • Construction and materials
  • Consumer goods and services
  • Energy
  • Financial services
  • Food and beverage
  • Government and public policy
  • Healthcare
  • Industrials
  • Insurance
  • Investment management
  • Media
  • Natural resources
  • Oil and gas
  • Pharm and life sciences
  • Real estate
  • Shipping
  • Social infrastructure
  • Tech and telecoms
  • Tourism
  • Transport
  • Utilities

 

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