The Legal 500

Full service firm A.A.Atai & Associates, Attorneys at Law has five lawyers, led by name partner Ali Akbar Atai, who is praised by clients for his ‘efficiencies and expertise’. It has a working relationship with international law firms DLA Piper LLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and two US firms. In 2010, the firm’s international commercial team advised Wurth Switzerland on the liquidation of a subsidiary in Qeshm Island (Iran) and Osram (German) on its acquisition of shares. Other recent commercial clients include Volvo Truck Corporation and Lorenz Snack-World Holding Gmbh. The firm offers dispute resolution expertise, as well as intellectual property experience – recently advising ASTM International (USA) on a copyright infringement case. It also offers shipping and transport expertise. Clients praise the firm for its ‘immediate response times’ and offering a ‘premium service’.

Two-partner Atieh Associates Law Firm has international legal experience and is headed by Babak Namazi. The firm’s work focuses primarily on foreign investment with clients including major banks and international organisations, particularly within the oil and gas industry. Notable projects in 2010 included advising foreign companies in their acquisition of a petrochemical plant, and on upstream oil and gas-related matters; and advising foreign lenders on its financing of an independent power project. The firm also recently advised a foreign automotive business in relation to imports and distribution of vehicles in Iran. On the telecoms front, the firm acted for a foreign telecom operator concerning its participation in the second GSM license in Iran. The firm is part of Atieh Group, a leading consulting practice in Iran.

Multi-lingual firm International Law Office Dr Behrooz Akhlaghi and Associates has a strong practice in international trade law, banking and foreign investment, intellectual property and telecoms. The names of recent clients are confidential but include major regional firms and companies based in Europe and Australia. The 10-lawyer firm is currently acting for an international aviation and shipping company. It also has a robust litigation team currently acting for a major international agribusiness and food company before the domestic courts. Behrooz Akhlaghi has an excellent reputation for his academic expertise, lecturing business law and international trade law. Past clients include the World Bank, IMF, British Airways and Fujitsu Services Limited. The firm has worked in partnership with various foreign firms including Baker & McKenzie LLP, Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co LLP and Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. and is a member of International Business Law Consortium (IBLC).

Full service business firm Tavakoli & Shahabi has an excellent reputation in Iran’s legal market. Whilst the two-partner firm is hesitant to detail the nature of its recent work and name most of its clients, it has acted for Tetrapak, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, Renault SA and Allen & Overy LLP. Much of the multi-lingual firm’s work involves foreign investment and regulatory work, and it has a robust arbitration and litigation practice. The firm recently advised a multinational transport manufacturer and other international corporations, such as Electrolux. The firm also advised Australian and Canadian mining companies regarding the establishment of joint venture companies with Iranian state agencies to explore and develop non-ferrous mineral resources.

Torossian, Avanessian & Associates is a stalwart of Iran’s legal scene and is one of the most prominent law firms in Iran. The firm represents multinational companies doing business in the country and works closely with international law firms. The firm has a robust energy and natural resources practice and recently advised on oil and gas projects worth more than $3bn. It also assisted a major client in manufacturing, mining and industrial projects valued at more than $6bn. The firm has particular expertise in the finance sector and, in 2010, the real estate, retail, and financial and commercial transactions on which the firm worked on were worth more than $1bn.

Law Offices of Dr Hassan Amirshahi & Associates has considerable experience in the regulatory and commercial sectors, recently advising a Far East automotive manufacturer on a joint venture project with a local automotive manufacturer in Iran. The firm is ‘heavily engaged’ in real estate cases, and has an active IP practice, particularly in patent registration, and is expanding its local litigation practice. The firm offers expertise in shipping matters, aviation and maritime laws and advised on a contract for a dry lease of passenger planes between an East European client and a domestic airline company, and is representing a client regarding obtaining the necessary licenses from Iran Civil Aviation Organization.

J Nouraei & M Mostafavi Law Office focuses on full service commercial work and financial practice, particularly focusing on joint ventures and partnerships. The firm also has a dedicated litigation practice with an emphasis on mediation and arbitration, and advises on IP law. Managing partner Jahanbakhsh Nouraei was previously head of legal affairs and director of the Arbitration Center of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines.

The five-lawyer firm of Dr Jamal Seifi & Associates is well known for its corporate and commercial practice, and expertise in construction, investment, IP law and telecoms.

The names of clients are confidential, but the firm is advising European and international corporations in the oil and gas, petrochemicals and telecoms sectors. In 2010, the firm advised a private Iranian company in relation to IGAT 6 Pipeline; was counsel for the financing clients of a major LNG project; and advised an Iranian cosmetics company in its international business practice. The firm has a dedicated arbitration and litigation practice, an important area of its expertise, appearing before both domestic and international arbitration courts. The firm’s litigation experience includes a number of important cases involving foreign parties before the domestic courts. Name partner Jamal Seifi is reputed for his arbitration experience and has been appointed as arbitrator on an on-going basis on the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague. He has acted in several international cases and is working on a major arbitration in Paris. The firm has worked closely with international law firms including Norton Rose LLP, Withers LLP and two international law firms based in Paris.

The two-partner Law Offices of M Ebadi Tabrizi & Associates is expanding to meet demand, and plans to open a new office in Tabriz. The firm focuses its practice on corporate and intellectual property. In 2010, it advised on a joint venture between South Korean company Senvex and its Iranian partner. On the construction front, the firm is advising on a €1bn construction project in Iran. The firm’s litigation practice recently acted on an important litigation between an Italian car manufacturer and an Iranian government company. The firm has also won a lengthy litigation for an auditing firm in Iran’s arbitration centre; and won a trade mark case for the Turkish company Eti Gida. The firm has working relationships with international firms including Italian firm Studio Legale de Capoa e Associati and UK firm Reed Smith.

Adib Law Firm’s full service firm advises clients in matters that frequently involve multi-jurisdictional issues. Name partner Hamed Natanzi Adib is dual qualified in Iran and the US, whilst founding partner Mohammad Adib is the former head of the legal department at Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation and also has academic expertise. The firm advises foreign firms on investment matters; and has a strong arbitration practice and has advised on more than 700 cases in the domestic courts. Mortazavi Tabatabai has 30 years’ experience as a High Court Judge in Iran. The firm’s client list includes agricultural supplier Cargill, technology provider Itron Management Services and UK law firms Norton Rose LLP and Clyde & Co LLP.

Alavi & Associates’ practice focuses largely on corporate matters, particularly in the oil and gas sector, and also offers arbitration and litigation expertise. Past clients include a UK-based engineering company, a UAE-based oil corporation and a UK law firm.

Law Offices Dr Ali Laghaee & Associates Inc International has an internationally known anti-counterfeit and litigation department with a client list that includes companies such as Coca-Cola, Dell, HP, Nike and Sony.

International Law Office Dr Parviz Savrai & Associates’ full service, 12-lawyer firm has grown significantly since its inception in the 1990s and offers deep international experience. It advises business outfits ranging from start-up operations to multinational corporations – particularly within the energy, natural resources and financial services sectors. The firm has a dedicated trade mark and patent registration service.

Pars Associates is a full-service law firm with solid experience in the energy sector. The firm’s litigation team has acted for clients from Korea and Japan.