IFLR 1000
The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms

	Norton Rose Trowers & Hamlins
	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hassan Radhi & Associates Hatim S Zu'bi & Partners Qays H Zu'bi
	Ahmed Zaki Yamani
	Jalila Sayed Zeenat Al Mansoori & Associates

	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Norton Rose
	Baker & McKenzie Hatim S Zu'bi & Partners
	Hassan Radhi & Associates Haya Rashed Al Khalifa Qays H Zu'bi
	ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners

Recognised for its well-established relationship with the Bahrain Government by competitors, all the practice's most notable recent activity has been for its key client.Part of the Bahrain Government's privatisation strategy for 2030 is a waste-to-energy plant and integrated waste management system.... [more]

Recognised for its well-established relationship with the Bahrain Government by competitors, all the practice's most notable recent activity has been for its key client.

Part of the Bahrain Government's privatisation strategy for 2030 is a waste-to-energy plant and integrated waste management system. Practice head Harnek Shoker acted for the Government on structuring its agreement with French company, Construction Industrielles de la Mediterranée, who will build the $300 million plant. It was one of the first solid waste PPP (public-private partnership) deals to achieve commercial close in the Middle East when it was finalised in June 2010.

Addressing the region's housing shortage is important if the authorities want to avoid a reoccurrence of events earlier in the year and Freshfields advised on the implementation of the first affordable housing PPP project, which continues at time of writing.

In more familiar territory for the country, partner Joseph Huse was acting as counsel for the National Oil and Gas Authority and Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) on the proposed exploration and production sharing contract for deep gas in Bahrain in February 2011. A follow-on instruction sees Shoker advising Bapco on the $1.1bn financing for the new project.

Early in 2010, Shoker acted for the Central Bank of Bahrain and the Ministry of Finance on issuing a $1.25 billion international bond, its largest ever. The ten-year sovereign bond, which was closed in March, was admitted to trading on the LSE's main market, a first for a Bahrain sovereign bond.

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	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance
	Linklaters
	Ashurst Clyde & Co Hogan Lovells Norton Rose Shearman & Sterling Simmons & Simmons Vinson & Elkins
	Afridi & Angell Al Tamimi & Company Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hadef & Partners

	Allen & Overy Clifford Chance Linklaters
	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Shearman & Sterling
	Al Tamimi & Company Ashurst Clyde & Co Herbert Smith Hogan Lovells
	DLA Piper Hadef & Partners Latham & Watkins Norton Rose Simmons & Simmons Trowers & Hamlins Vinson & Elkins
	Baker & McKenzie Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Habib Al Mulla & Company KBH Kaanuun Wong Partnership

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's practice has a distinctly smaller offering than it's magic circle counterparts in the UAE, but its size is deemed commensurate with it's approach, as one lawyer observes: "They have quite a different strategy because their energy is on three/four clients at most." This approach perhaps explains why competitors question the firm's visibility.... [more]

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's practice has a distinctly smaller offering than it's magic circle counterparts in the UAE, but its size is deemed commensurate with it's approach, as one lawyer observes: "They have quite a different strategy because their energy is on three/four clients at most." This approach perhaps explains why competitors question the firm's visibility.

One area in which the firm has grown in the last 12 months is corporate, after poaching leading lawyer Pervez Akthar from Allen & Overy. Known for being transient, Akthar has left A&O twice now. The firm's former Middle East corporate head joined private equity house Abraj in September 2008, before returning in May 2009 and making his latest, December 2010, departure. Freshfields will hope its new corporate head is settled because he represents an excellent acquisition, with many lawyers stating that Akthar's experience, understanding and relationships in the region represent major benefits. "He will undoubtedly help Freshfields," remarks one peer, while another agrees: "There will be a big effect. He's a good lawyer and he has good client base and he has the down-to-earth, regional approach." Akthar's clients and former colleagues, Abraj Capital, are also seen as a substantial gain and invariably lucrative bonus to his appointment. Senior associates Mazhar Khan and Rob Cant also joined from A&O in September 2010 and May 2011, respectively.

Of the firm's long-standing partners Patrick Ko is the most recognised by the market, one competitor says: "Patrick Ko is a very good partner, very able and technically sound."

2010 proved an active year for the firm's corporate practices, which closed come significant deals between May and September. One saw Ko lead a team advising on only the second public takeover of a Nasdaq Dubai listed company which was awarded M&A Deal of the Year at the IFLR Middle East Awards 2010. The firm acted on behalf of Securities Saudi Arabia and Citigroup Global Markets the financial advisers to Kingdom Holding Company in its $843 million acquisition of outstanding shares in Kingdom Hotel Investments. Another merger saw the firm advise the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) on the legal aspects of the merger of ABN AMRO Bank with Fortis in June 2010. It led to the DIFC branch of Fortis Bank ceasing to exist, leaving the DIFC branch of ABN AMRO Bank as the sole surviving entity in the DIFC.

Head of banking finance Joseph Huse has been active for long standing client Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE). He and a team are advising on the financing, tax structuring and leasing of two aircraft to Virgin Blue, an Australian operator, and one to Korean airline, T'way. DAE also mandated the firm to counsel on capital markets and conventional financings for a mixed portfolio of B777-200 freighter and B737-800 passenger aircraft, leased to a number of international airlines.

In project work the firm has been active on a number of cross border deals. Marc Fèvre is advising the Office Nationale d'Electricité, part of the Moroccan government, on the development of the Taza wind farm in Morocco, which is estimated to cost between $200 and 400 million. Fèvre is also advising the lenders to a consortium bidding for the $1.5 billion Sur Independent Power Project in Oman. Locally Fèvre is advising Alstom Transport in relation to the $2 billion Al Sufouh Tram Project in Dubai.

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