Clients say Ali Sharif Zu'bi Advocates & Legal Consultants are the Jordanian firm "most-well known internationally". Domestically, peers say the firm holds a similarly prestigious position: "They are definitely tier one; it's one of the leading firms in Jordan," says one....
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Clients say Ali Sharif Zu'bi Advocates & Legal Consultants are the Jordanian firm "most-well known internationally". Domestically, peers say the firm holds a similarly prestigious position: "They are definitely tier one; it's one of the leading firms in Jordan," says one.
Practice head, Khaled Asfour, was the lawyer clients said they had interacted with most and all were content with the quality of advice and service they received "Excellent; he is professional and has plenty of experience. I don't think he has been with another firm all his life," says one. Asfour's ability and approach was apparent throughout the law firm according to another client: "Khaled and everyone else we dealt with there was excellent technically. Their work product was great it was extremely well done, there were never any errors." Clients also say that the firm knows how to handle interpersonal issues and has a good regional knowledge base. "They dealt with the sponsor for us who was inexperienced and difficult and they weighed in on Iraqi legal issues which are definitely not cookie-cutter," says one client.
An area one client felt the firm could improve was its capital market experience on the side of the issuer: "For M&A and general financial work yes, but on capital markets deals, on the trickier side, I don't think they are experienced," says the client.
A surprise move saw co-founder and former joint managing partner of Jordanian Counsellor, Jumana Toukan, make the transition to the firm in January 2011.
The firm had a role in all the country's headline deals but the most prominent saw it advice on the first public offering of a sovereign bond issue to the international markets by the government. Asfour took the lead advising JPMorgan on the $700 million debut Eurobond issue which closed in November 2010.
Demonstrating it's cross border capabilities and expanding the firm's Iraqi law expertise, it has been acting for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation in connection with several financings granted to borrowers in Iraq but with security taken in Jordan.
In a substantial project financing, Asfor is again taking the lead, acting for Arab Bank in lending $300 million for the Saraya Aqaba real estate financing.
The firm has also continued its corporate activities and was lead counsel for AQWA Power of Saudi Arabia in connection with the acquisition of a majority stake in the Central Electricity Generation Company from Jordan Dubai Capital
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