Bahrain > Islamic finance
Islamic finance
Baker & McKenzie Limited’s ‘quality of work is among the best’. Its work includes acting for The National Commercial Bank and Samba Financial Group on the SAR4.75bn multi-option Islamic and trade finance facilities for Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University, and advising Saudi Binladin Group on a murabaha-based sukuk. Ian Siddel and Julie Alexander are ‘both extremely knowledgeable, calm under pressure, and tenacious in negotiations’.
Norton Rose (Middle East) LLP has a strong track record of acting for various Bahrain ministries, and is currently acting for the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Works, as well as international and domestic banks and financial institutions. The group has acted for the Kingdom of Bahrain on sovereign sukuk al ijara launches on the London Stock Exchange. Dominic Harvey heads the practice, and is highly recommended.
Trowers & Hamlins’ Neale Downes advised Gulf Finance House on a $100m convertible murabaha facility, and acted for Capinnova Investment Bank and its partners (First Leasing Bank and INTL Capital) on establishing a Bahrain-domiciled, open-ended $100m ijara fund. Other clients include TAB Energy, Bahrain Islamic Bank, and the Central Bank of Bahrain. Jeremy Ingham was promoted to partner.
ASAR – Al Ruwayeh & Partners’ Mike Durgavich and Sam Habbas are both standouts for Islamic finance work, and represent clients such as Gulf Industrial Investment, Kuwait Finance Centre, and World Muslim Foundation, as well as regularly acting local counsel as for international firms.
Hassan Radhi & Associates covers the full range of Islamic finance, advising on everything from start-ups to high-profile Shariah-compliant investments for Islamic banks and institutions. Hassan Ali Rhadi has ‘a lot of exposure to international deals, as well as a lot of experience in dealing with local matters’.
Haya Rashed Al Khalifa Attorneys at Law & Legal Consultants’ ‘overall knowledge of business and legal procedures is strong and up to date’. The firm has experience advising on murabaha, mudaraba, ijara and sukuks for Bahraini banks and financial institutions.
Qays H. Zu’bi, Attorneys & Legal Consultants ‘sets itself apart with its professionalism and commitment to client needs’. The group acted alongside Herbert Smith LLP on the restructuring of a $120m sukuk, and advised the Ministry of Finance on a $1.25bn sukuk from the Central Bank of Bahrain.