Bahrain

ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners traces its presence in Bahrain back to 2006. The office advises on Bahraini law and is backed by expertise from its office in Kuwait, where the firm was originally established in 1977. Led by recently made up managing partner David Walker and supported by well-seasoned practitioners such as Steven Brown, of counsel, and recently returned partner Simone del Devo, the firm has top class practices in both corporate and financial practice areas, underpinned by Bahrain-qualified partner Amal Lari and associate Ahmed Al-Saeed. The team has a regular presence on the market’s most sophisticated transactions.

Hassan Radhi & Associates was established in Manama in 1974. The firm has been a long-standing fixture in Tier 1 and is widely considered one of the top offices for all domestic corporate finance work. Partner Noora Janahi has a stellar reputation in the market, working alongside partner Noor Radhi, who leads many of the firm’s deals. The firm, which also has a team based in Muscat, Oman, covers the whole spectrum of corporate finance, from bank lending, project development and financing to capital markets and M&A.   

Highlights 
Recent examples of the firm’s deal work include advising Solidarity Bahrain on its acquisition of conventional insurance service provider Al-Hilal Life. The team guided the client through the bidding process, all the way into the post-merger regulatory aspects. The deal required expertise in insurance regulations, Sharia’ compliant instruments and transactional M&A. In the debt capital markets, Hassan Radhi & Associates worked alongside a UK magic circle firm to advise the joint global coordinators on Nogaholding’s update of its sukuk programme. The deal is representative of the steady stream of sophisticated capital markets mandates it receives from Bahrain’s biggest issuers.  

Testimonials
“Very professional, very sound in terms of their technical legal advice” (finance client)

Key clients 
GFH Financial Group, Barclays Bank, Arab Banking Corporation, Citi, Gulf International Bank, HSBC, National Bank of Bahrain, Standard Chartered Bank, JP Morgan Securities

Haya Rashed Al Khalifa is one of the oldest and most prestigious firms in the market, boasting over 30 years of providing legal advisory services to a diverse and distinguished client base. The firm is known for its work for clients in all aspects of corporate commercial and financial transactions, including banking and finance, restructuring and insolvency, financial services regulatory and M&A . 

Testimonials
“The team offers timely responses, high-availability and accurate analysis” (M&A client)
“Elie Yazbeck is very responsive and understands business and business problems very well. He's client-oriented and always gives accurate feedback on questions addressed to him.”
“Sachin Shaji is an excellent and pragmatic litigator” (M&A client)

Key clients 
Bahrain Sugar Refinery, Bahrain Economic Development Board, Bank of America, Bahrain Development Bank, Bahrain Islamic Bank, Kuwait Finance House, Majed Al Futtaim Properties, KHCB, Texel Air

Newton Legal has become a fixture on Bahrain’s local legal market. It is also registered as a foreign legal consultant, a license it has held since 2012. The firm was founded by Joseph Huse, a former partner of a global elite firm, and operates out of Manama. The deal team is led by Bahraini lawyers, most notably managing partner Aamal Al Abbasi, who upholds a strong reputation in the local market. The team is especially well known for its corporate practice, where it has a notable record on top M&A, joint-ventures, and corporate restructurings.

Highlights
Newton Legal has repeatedly acted as counsel to Ahli United Bank. In October 2022, working alongside Linklaters, the team represented the bank on its takeover by Kuwait Finance House (IFLR Middle East Awards 2023, M&A Deal of the Year), which led into supporting the bank with post-acquisition advice. Just over 12 months later, the team closed another deal for the bank, advising it on the sale of its two insurance subsidiaries, Al Hilal Life and Al Hilal Takaful, to Solidarity Bahrain. The deal comprised a public M&A and required complex regulatory advice and corporate transactional support.

Testimonials
“We have used the firm for its legal opinion on various complex matters. They are an excellent team led by a very professional partner.” (banking client)
“The team advised us on the legal documentation and regulatory process for the divestment of regulated business. Their knowledge, client service and approach to work stands out.” (M&A client)
“Aamal Al Abbasi is very good in client management” (banking client)
“I would recommend Ahmed Fardan for his work laying down a regulatory plan and drafting of transaction documents.” (natural resources client)

Key clients 
Ahli United Bank, National Bank of Bahrain, Gulf Aluminum Rolling Company (GARMCO)

Dating back to 1921, Zu’bi & Partners Attorneys & Legal Consultants is Bahrain’s oldest law firm. The firm is a long-standing fixture in Tier 1 and has offices in Manama and Dubai. Market commentators regularly cite as the firm as a clear market leader, particularly in matters of banking and finance. It has a glittering record on conventional and Islamic finance transactions, with a strong capacity for innovative Shari’ah-compliant products and financial regulatory advice. 

Highlights
Zu’bi & Partners repeatedly acts for the Ministry of Finance and National Economy and in 2023 advised on a $1 billion sukuk issuance and $1 billion drawdown from its GMTN programme. In the financing space, the team advised HDFC Bank, Bahrain branch, as borrower on a $525 million club financing from a group of international lenders. Showcasing its expertise in public M&A, the firm advised Al Baraka Group on its acquisition by Dallah AlBaraka Holding, which led to the delisting of Al Baraka Group. The deal required an intricate understanding of public M&A regulations and processes. The team also acted for Gulf Tamin on a share acquisition into the listed Arab Insurance Group.

Key clients 
Ministry of Finance and National Economy, HDFC Bank, Al Baraka Group, Gulf Tamin

Regional law firm Al Tamimi & Company has had an office in Manama since 2014 and is supported by its considerable network of 16 offices located across the GCC. The Bahrain-based team is led by managing partner Rad El Treki, who specialises in corporate commercial, and who works alongside head of banking and finance Rafiq Jaffer, who moves between the firm’s Bahrain, Saudi and UAE offices. Al Tamimi is well regarded in the market across the corporate finance, handling a steady stream of banking, projects, regulatory and M&A mandates.  

Baker McKenzie is one of only a small handful of truly global law firms with an office in Manama. The team has a strong link to the Saudi Arabia office, as well as the Qatar office. Ian Siddell serves as head of banking and finance, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and co-managing partner of the Bahrain, Doha and Saudi offices. Fatima Alhasan is the lead Bahrain-licensed lawyer, working alongside partner Delwar Hossain. The team has an especially strong record in banking, finance and restructuring, but boasts a valuable client-base across all financial and corporate.

DLA Piper is one of a small handful of truly global firms with an office in Bahrain. The firm is led by Mohamed Toorani. Toorani has headed the office since 2013 and became a partner in DLA Piper in 2021. The team, which relocated to a new office in Manama in 2023, is supported by its regional and global network. The firm covers all manner of corporate finance, regulatory and projects, with notable roles for international clients in financial regulatory and corporate structuring advice in Bahrain.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is the only UK magic circle firm with an office in Bahrain, which it has nurtured and developed for more than a decade, having established in Manama in 2007. The office is led by Harnek Shoker and is supported by its formidable regional and global network, resources and expertise, most notably the firm’s UAE office. The team focuses on high-end, sophisticated and complex work, often with cross-border elements. The team has cultivated a prestigious and loyal client base in Bahrain and often takes a lead roles on large deals.

UK-headquartered Trowers & Hamlins is a full-service law firm with offices across the Middle East, Asia, North Africa and Europe, including key Islamic centres Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Malaysia and Oman. The firm handles a steady stream of banking and finance and corporate mandates. The corporate team is led by the highly reputed Brian Howard while the banking and finance practice is led by Jeremy Ingham. The firm has developed a strong presence in the market over many years.

Zeenat Al Mansoori & Associates has been providing advice on domestic corporate financial law since 1989. The firm is led by Zeenat Al Mansoori, a litigation and arbitration specialist, while Amel Al Aseeri leads a corporate commercial practice that has a growing reputation. The firm is generally well regarded in the market, and although it is best known for its disputes work, the team has a strong profile for all manner of corporate finance, particularly on the corporate side. An M&A client praises the team for its “technical knowledge, pragmatic commercial advice and market knowledge”.