Kuwait - Jurisdiction IFLR1000 Review

Al-Hossam Legal

Firm overview

Al-Hossam Legal (Legal Consultants & Attorneys) provides high-end quality legal services and in-depth long experience (from 27 to 42 years) on major and landmark complex legal files and transactions in Kuwait and GCC as well as many Shari`ah deals in Asia, Europe and the U.S.A. The firm focus on corporate, commercial, banking & finance (including Islamic finance), capital markets, M&A and high value commercial litigations to selected major local and international banks, corporations and private clients representing full range of industry sector.

ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners

Firm overview

Recognised as the preeminent firm for corporate and finance matters in Kuwait, ASAR – Al Ruwayeh & Partners is the firm of choice for leading multinational corporations, government entities, and major local businesses. With over 40 years of experience, ASAR combines commercial insight with a proven ability to deliver on complex, high-value transactions across the Gulf.

The firm’s Finance practice is a market leader, advising on conventional and Islamic finance structures, including bilateral and syndicated lending, project finance, structured finance, and derivatives. ASAR is also a go-to advisor on financial services regulation, with a strong track record advising banks, investment companies, and sovereign wealth vehicles on compliance, licensing, and structuring.

ASAR’s Corporate team is widely recognised for its work on joint ventures, group reorganisations, cross-border M&A, and strategic investments. The firm regularly advises private equity firms and institutional investors on transactions across key sectors, including infrastructure, energy, logistics, and healthcare.
In the capital markets space, ASAR has guided clients through major IPOs, sukuk and bond issuances, and compliance with evolving securities regulations. Clients value ASAR’s ability to navigate the region’s fast-evolving legal and regulatory landscape with precision and foresight.

ASAR plays a central role in Kuwait’s infrastructure development, having advised on every project initiated by the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP), including in the power, water, telecom, and renewable energy sectors. The firm also acts on first-of-their-kind tech infrastructure and data centre developments in the country.

With offices in Kuwait and Bahrain and affiliations in over 100 jurisdictions, ASAR provides seamless support to clients operating locally, regionally, and globally. Its integrated, partner-led service model continues to set the benchmark for corporate and finance legal services in Kuwait.

Meysan

Firm overview

Launched in 2015, Meysan is an innovative and ambitious international law firm, comprising leading legal experts from the Middle East and the UK, serving those territories and beyond.

With a team of over 60 lawyers covering all key areas of corporate and finance law, the firm has advised on more mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions by value than any other law firm in Kuwait, completing over 30 deals exceeding US$30 billion in total value over the past seven years.

Meysan is the most respected firm in Kuwait, with unmatched bench strength and a remarkably broad range of partner expertise. Strong in both domestic and international matters, as proven by our distinguished clients and track record. We are a top adviser on corporate financings and capital markets transactions in Kuwait, working across the full spectrum of equity, debt, and hybrid instruments, including numerous market-first innovations. Its boutique approach, limiting the number and type of matters handled, ensures a focus on high-value work, while a lower partner-to-associate ratio guarantees hands-on partner attention.

The firm's clients include some of the largest Kuwaiti and Middle Eastern blue-chip companies, multinational corporations, international financial institutions, sovereign governments, family groups, and high net worth individuals. Most importantly, Meysan takes a boutique approach to legal practice, selectively limiting the number and scope of matters it undertakes to deliver the highest standard of service to its clients.

Ehtikam Legal Group

Firm overview

Ehtikam has been serving the Kuwait and Gulf areas with considerable success. We pride ourselves on a deep tradition of excellence, ensuring only the highest quality service. We understand the challenges and pressure that come with every case and are here for you, every step of the way.
Dependable, calm, and well-spoken, our team of legal professionals adds the personal touch our clients deserve whilst approaching each new case with the attention it needs.

Mission
Leadership in providing our services in various fields, achieving justice and guaranteeing the rights and interests of our clients, from which the office’s vision stems, its objectives are formed, and its work mechanism crystallizes, with a character characterized by professionalism and professionalism.

Vision
We are committed to providing an integrated package of services in the legal business in accordance with the highest standards of quality, transparency, effectiveness and speed of completion, as our in-depth practical and legal expertise enables us to provide advice and effective solutions to all problems.

Departments of Ehtikam Group: Ehtikam Legal Group is distinguished by its knowledge by individualizing legal departments specialized in working on each type of case separately and differently from the other section, as this method of work provides full focus on each file of those with experience and specialization in these various sections.

Real estate contracts section: The real estate contracts department is responsible for drafting and reviewing all real estate contracts, including those related to sales and exchanges through housing and other related issues that may arise in Kuwait or abroad. The department, led by Ms Iman Abdulrahman Alhashash, also works on protecting against real estate fraud and addressing the legal implications of such agreements.

International section: The international department of the Ehtikam Legal Group, led by lawyer Abdulatif Aldakhil, specializes in handling international legal files, cases, and disputes. This is achieved through strategic partnerships that the group has with various global law firms across neighboring regions and the world.
Family counseling department: The family consultations and reconciliation department, led by Ms Manal Alfeqeai, is dedicated to handling confidential family cases, providing high-quality advice, and offering effective solutions. The department focuses on providing tools and appropriate means to reach optimal solutions for couples before resorting to purely legal methods.

Cybercrime section: The cybercrime department provides legal and technical consultancy in cases related to cybercrime. It carefully studies and follows up on such cases, offering detailed and technical summaries of consultations. The department, led by Dr Safaa Zaman, also provides periodic reports on notable cybercrimes and how to address them.

Development and training department: The training and development department at the Ehtikam Legal Group is responsible for building and refining the technical and legal skills of its members. The group continuously invests in human capital to maximize its potential, aligning with its vision and mission. The department, under the leadership of Mr Saud AlTukhaim, works regularly to achieve this goal.

Department of financial and computational analysis: The financial and accounting analysis department works on providing financial technical studies and reports for individuals and companies involved in cases requiring accounting expertise. This department, under the guidance of Dr Jamal Abdelrahim, aims to save time, effort, and costs for clients by utilizing the expertise of financial and accounting professionals.

IFLR1000 Reviews

Financial and corporate

Alfahad & Partners (Consultants and Attorneys)

The law firm Alfahad and Partners (Consultants and Attorneys) was established in 2018 and advises clients out of its Kuwait City office.

In the financial sphere, the firm has a particular focus on domestic and cross-border M&A work, especially acquisitions in which they work for clients linked with the banking and financial services sectors.

Key clients

Key clients include TUV SUD, Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Finance House, Ahli United Bank, Prime one Group General Trading and Contracting, Aref Investment Group, Biotisk Energier Sweden, and Rexel Middle East.

Al-Hossam Legal

Al-Hossam Legal is a Kuwaiti law firm with vast experience in advising on a wide array of financial and corporate transactions. It has its offices in Kuwait City.

The firm has decades of experience in advising clients on banking and finance, M&A, and capital markets transactions.

The firm is particularly active in advising on M&A deals and the equity side of capital markets transactions such as mergers, rights issues and initial public offerings for clients in the banking sector. The firm also advises on debt capital markets, especially bond issuances.

Key clients

Key clients include National Industries Holding Company, Kuwait Financial Centre, Gulf Bank, Al-Ahli Bank, Boubyan Bank, Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company, Kamco Investment Company, National Industries Group Holdings, and Boubyan Petrochemical Company.

ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners

Kuwaiti law firm ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners was founded in 1977. The firm has offices in both Kuwait City and Manama, Bahrain. The firm is led by managing partner Ahmed Barakat.

In the financial and corporate practice, the firm's work focuses on acquisitions for clients connected with financial services, retail and logistics whilst in project development the firm works on both energy and infrastructure projects for clients connected with the financial services, transportation and energy sectors.

Key clients

Key clients include Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Suez Environment, Gameland Trading and Contracting, Hydro Trading, Ahli United Bank, Limak İnşaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret, Petrochemical Industries Co, Kuwait Polypropylene Industries, The National Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait International Bank, Burgan Bank, Kuwait Financial Centre, Cummins PGI, Deloitte & Touche ME, Engie Services Middle East and Riyad Bank.

Meysan

Meysan Partners is a Kuwait headquartered corporate law firm. Founded in 2015 it is led by managing partner Bader El-Jeaan and has operations across the Middle East.

The firm boasts an active capital markets practice, which has experience encompassing the complete spectrum of equity, debt and hybrids instruments. The practice does predominantly issuer side work and advises on financing mandates.

The firm is also present in M&A where it advises on deals of varying size and complexity.

Testimonials

Capital markets: Equity

“Flexible with approach and scope. Quality of work as well as understanding of local rules and regulations.”

M&A

“Meysan is unique in that they only assume lead counsel roles on transactions. Their lawyers all came from senior positions in international firms and so are confident and experienced in negotiating and leading the most complex and high-value transactions, whether M&A or capital markets.”

“My experience with Meysan Partners has exceeded my expectations in every aspect. From start to finish, they show unparalleled professionalism, expertise, and dedication. One aspect that particularly stood out was their proactive approach to identifying and mitigating potential issues before they arise. Their strategic planning were instrumental in navigating seamlessly through some of the challenges, ensuring that a particular transaction progresses smoothly and efficiently.”

“I enjoy dealing with Bader El-Jeaan and Michel Ghanem. They are always professional, courteous and detail oriented and think outside the box. Also, they are always reachable and ready to go above and beyond to help us solve our legal issues.”

Restructuring

“The Meysan team has been extremely pro-active and going above and beyond to meet our needs in a very tight timeline. This includes liaising with the regulators and also coordinating with the local governmental bodies to expedite the process, on several occasions. Moreover, the innovative solutions and expertise regarding how to structure such a transaction on such a large scale since it involved the restructuring of more than 100 companies on a global basis among others were excellent. What really makes them stand out is their level of professionalism, they supported us throughout this transaction which took months to finalise.”

Bader El Jeaan

“Bader El-Jeaan is perhaps the leading M&A lawyer in the region. He's adept at not only executing high-value M&A deals, but creating precedent transactions for the region. Recently, he's noted as the strategist of our firm’s recent moves, a transaction that's reverberated in Kuwait and which is likely to trigger others to follow.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Bader for several years on various transactions and his out-of-the-box thinking coupled with his in-depth knowledge and experience were every time instrumental in achieving a successful outcome.”

“Bader is an extremely knowledgeable attorney and his attention to detail is remarkable. Bader has worked for our firm on a number of large transactions (in Kuwait and overseas) and his continuous feedback and support, along with his project planning skills and dedication throughout these projects are invaluable. His vision and deep understanding of our business’ needs differentiates him from others.”

Michel Ghanem

“He communicates, responds, assigns, delegates and provides innovate solutions.”

Tarek Yahya

“Provides innovative solutions to issues.”

Key clients

Key clients include Agility, Daimler, Deliveroo, Delivery Hero, InstaShop, KIPIC, KNPC, HSBC, Citibank, Agthia, L’Oréal, Aetna, Gulf Insurance Company, Kuwait Telecommunications and Ooredoo.

Abdullah Kh Al-Ayoub & Associates

Founded in 1982, Abdullah Kh Al-Ayoub & Associates is a full-service law firm in Kuwait and is led by its founder and managing partner Mr Abdullah Kh. Al-Ayoub.

The firm advises on financial and corporate transactions including international business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and finance. The firm has considerable experience in dealing with financial institutions and companies within Middle East and across Europe, Asia and the United States.

Al Markaz Law Firm

Founded in 1983, Al Markaz Law Firm is situated at the heart of Kuwait City.

The firm’s banking offering has wide-ranging expertise in domestic and international work and serves both Islamic and conventional commercial banks, investment companies, funds and other financial institutions.

In project development the firm works on infrastructure project deals for clients connected with the energy or public sectors.

Key clients

Key clients include ABB Utilities, Al Bassam Engineering, Al Masar Leasing & Investment, Arabian Capital Investment and Finance, Bank Muscat, China Export & Credit Insurance Cooperation, Coutts Bank, Gianni, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Kuehne & Nagel, Optima Solutions, RBS International, Skycom Express, Tencent Gaming, Rheinland Kuwait, Xiaomi Corporation and Xpress Money.

Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group

With offices in Kuwait and Dubai, Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group is a dynamic Middle Eastern law firm. It was formed in 1954 in Kuwait and is presently led by managing partner Mr, Khalifah Al-Yaqout.

The firm is highly active in the Kuwaiti financial and corporate sphere. It has a track record in industries which had previously lacked legal support in the country such as logistics and TMT, where the firm has advised start-ups in the country’s booming tech sector.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include Microsoft, Al Ghanim Industries, HSBC, Warba Bank, Talabat, Carriage, Mashkoor, Aayan Real Estate, Hyusong Heavy Industries, Dietsmann and the Embassy of France in Kuwait.

Al-Hamad Legal Group

Al-Hamad Legal Group is headquartered in Kuwait City and was founded by Ms. Rana Yacoub Al-Hamad in 2003.

The firm’s main specialism is banking and finance, both conventional and Islamic, with expertise in aircraft financing, PPP/PFI financing, capital markets and investment funds.

It has strong capabilities in PPP project work in Kuwait and regionally. Its practice spans the broad area of project development across several sectors.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include Health Assurance Company (Dhaman), J3 for Management and Development of Lands and Real Estate, Raith Engineering and Manufacturing Company, National Industries Group Holding Company, Alternative Energy Projects Company and Enertech.

International Counsel Bureau

The International Counsel Bureau was established in 1994 by Abdul Rahman Al Haroun. He was later joined by Ghazi Al Qahtani in 1998. The firm is presently led by managing partner Aisha Al Nesef and has an office in Kuwait City.

In financial and corporate work, the firm has been active in a wide variety of work including mergers, restructurings, investments, bond issuances and loan financing for clients.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include EQUATE Petrochemicals Company, Kuwait Finance House, NBK Capital, Ahli Bank of Kuwait and Amazon.

Taher Group Law Firm Company for Litigation and Legal Consultation

Taher Group Law Firm was established in 1969 is presently led by Dr Fawaz Alkhateeb the firm’s managing partner. Besides its main location in Kuwait City, the firm also has an office in Cairo.

The firm is active in financial and corporate areas such as banking, capital markets, M&A, regulatory and PPP, with a high volume of transactions completed each year. Its clients operate in several sectors, including healthcare, services, investments and construction.

Key clients

Key recent clients include Marafie Group, Commercial Real Estate Company, Credit and Information Networks, Wara constructions and Waldorf Astoria Hotel Chain.