The Legal 500

At Al Kamel Law Office, Rasheed Kamel and Tamim Foda lead advice to clients including Barclays and Commercial International Bank on financings and facility agreements such as a $20m facility provided to Palm Hills Middle East; and $300m granted to Etisalat Misr. The firm also advised German development finance institution DEG on SIAG International’s €4m acquisition of shares in SIAG El Sewedy Towers. Mohamed Kamel is an expert in capital markets and international finance.

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie)’s eminent position in the finance market was underlined by its role as adviser to the Egyptian lenders and the IFC on the $158m financing of Egyptian Indian Polyester Company’s Ain Sokhna PET plant. Mohamed Ghannam acted on the largest financing to be entirely covered by Egyptian banks – the $1bn facility to Etisalat Misr. Mohamad Talaat and Hazim Rizkana add depth to this ‘outstanding’ team.

Banking law ‘supremo’ Mona Zulficar heads Zulficar & Partners Law Firm’s team, which has debt, project and syndicated loan financing expertise. It has guided Orascom Construction Industries through a series of revolving facilities, and advised Arab National Cement Company on project loans.

‘A unique team of young, dynamic, focused lawyers headed by class A, experienced colleagues’, DLA Matouk Bassiouny provides ‘first-rate knowledge of the black letter law and the practical aspects of negotiating and concluding transactions in Egypt’. ‘Outstanding’ team head Mahmoud Bassiouny represented a syndicate including J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley on extending a $1bn facility to Petroleum Export Limited V; and in March 2011 advised Saudi Egyptian Touristic Development Company on a $120m medium term loan. John Matouk is ‘first class’.

Shalakany Law Office represents borrowers and lenders, and recently advised the underwriters on the first international debt offering by the New Urban Communities Authority; and Solvay Alexandria Sodium Carbonate on its EGP15m loan from NSGB. Khaled El Shalakany is highly experienced and newly made up partner Aly El Shalakany is internationally trained.

New partner Amr Abbas, formerly of White & Case LLP in Washington DC, replaced Jim Wright at the ‘highly professional’ Sharkawy & Sarhan in March 2011, after Wright moved to the US and left legal practice. Ahmed El Sharkawy advised EFG-Hermes on a loan from the DEG, and the IFC on a $12m project financing granted to Galaxy Chemicals.

Zaki Hashem & Partners, Attorneys at Law lost two partners and two associates to DLA Matouk Bassiouny in January 2011, including capital markets expert Mohamed Abdel Fattah, but this team remains ‘highly capable’ and able to handle a range of instructions from financial institutions.

Ibrachy & Dermarkar regularly handles project, corporate and debt financings, and recently advised Orascom Telecom on a $2bn credit facility arranged by ABN AMRO and Citibank. It also has experience of international bond issues. Tamima Yehia is now the key contract for banking and finance transactions.

‘First class’ Ibrachy Law Firm has a ‘solid base of international law’ experience, and is frequently called on to develop innovative financing structures such as two sub-participation agreements of $15m and $17m for Piraeus Bank Egypt and Piraeus Bank Cyprus. The ‘very knowledgeable’ Ashraf Elibrachy is recommended, as is Tarek Gadallah.

Nour Law Office managed by Trowers and Hamlins has a strong reputation for structuring facilities for lenders and ensuring that borrowers benefit from the best terms. Sara Hinton and Tim Armsby continue to advise blue-chip lenders and borrowers.

At SNR Denton, Frédérique Léger’s ‘excellent knowledge of local practices’ informs the team’s projects and finance work. It recently advised the IFC and RBS on banking and derivatives regulatory frameworks; and Standard Chartered on a $50m syndicated term loan for United Sugar Company.

Nagla Nassar at Nassar Law has extensive project and Islamic finance experience.