The Legal 500

Haidermota & Co’s ‘experts in corporate law’ advise on take-overs, strategic alliances, joint ventures and restructuring, with the team being particularly noted for its M&A work. Recently it advised the global container operator, International Container Terminal Services, on a proposed investment via the purchase of a 55% stake in Pakistan International Container Terminal Services. The team is also advising HSBC on its divestment of banking branches in Pakistan. Other clients include Abu Dhabi Group and Dawood Group. Karachi-based Khozem Haidermota and Shabbir Harianawala, as well as Lahore-based Ali Asghar Khan, are ‘all highly competent and provide accurate and well-researched advice’.

Orr, Dignam & Co’s teams in Karachi and Islamabad have expertise in general corporate work and especially in M&A for blue-chip clients. Department head Maudood A Khan acted for the US group WPP 2005 Limited and its UK subsidiary, JWT, on various acquisitions of advertising and media companies. Asim Nasim and Aliya Yusuf advised the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector on a $105m steel mill project.

Vellani & Vellani advises commercial clients on a variety of matters including restructuring, tender offers, mergers, acquisitions and divestments. The firm covers a broad range of sectors including pharmaceuticals and shipping, and has a strong client base in the financial services and technology sectors. Badaruddin F Vellani and Ameen Vellani are the key contacts.

Chima & Ibrahim’s lawyers are ‘leaders in Lahore’, and the firm advises a number of foreign clients on transactions and regulatory clearance. Salman Chima and Khalid Ibrahim are recommended.

Cornelius, Lane & Mufti’s commercial law specialists draft and negotiate contractual deals including supplier contracts, joint ventures and concession agreements. Salman Aslam Butt, Munawar-us-Salam and Shehzad Ata Elahi are recommended.

Kabraji & Talibuddin’s renowned Kairas Kabraji heads the firm’s transactional practice, and acts for a mix of domestic and international companies.

Mohsin Tayebaly & Co has been busy on the M&A side, acting for banks and sizeable corporates. The firm advised on a complex merger between Feroze Textile Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Feroze 1888 Mills Ltd, UTI Industries Ltd and Friendship Ltd. It also drafted legal documents for Bodhicitta Works, a production company, relating to a feature film. Irfan Tayebaly and Mehreen Manto are the key contacts.

RIAA Law recently advised on a number of mergers and acquisitions, including advising House of Habib on the proposed merger of Makro Habib Pakistan Limited, which own a network of cash-and-carry outlets, with Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan. The deal will be the first of its kind in Pakistan as it involves a complex division of assets between parties, subject to the approval of Sindh High Court. The team has also been advising clients such as Mitsui & Co on competition matters relating to various proposed transactions. Senior managing partner Ahsan Rizvi is a ‘major strength’ of the team, and Bilal Shaukat, Nadir Altaf and Omer Soomro are also recommended. One client praises the team’s service as ‘very timely, with in-depth knowledge and appropriate advice’.

Abraham & Sarwana’s core strength lies in its representation of international clients in large transactions. Recent work has involved acting for clients in the IT sector, such as Microsoft Corporation, and on the sale of military equipment. Jawad Sarwana is the key name.

Hassan & Hassan (Advocates)’s Parvez Hassan and Mehr Saleem are the key contacts, advising on a broad range of corporate, commercial, competition and regulatory matters.

Khan & Associates acts on both contentious and non-contentious corporate matters. On the transactional side, it has an emphasis on joint ventures, distribution agreements, M&A, and the day-to-day oversight of business. Clients include Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. Mansoor Khan is the key contact.

Liaquat Merchant Associates covers a wide range of matters including incorporation, restructuring, regulatory advice and M&A. Recent work includes advising government-owned banks on procurement and assisting foreign investors to acquire shares in banks. The firm is frequently instructed by UK law firms to advise on Pakistan law. Liaquat Merchant and Faresa Ahsan are recommended.

Mandviwalla & Zafar is ‘technically excellent and has a proven track record of delivery’. The firm has a strong M&A practice, typically representing financial institutions. Recent transactions include acting for Isbank of Turkey during its acquisition of HSBC Pakistan, and advising Bestways Groups, a sponsor shareholder of United Bank, on its acquisition of a majority stake in United Bank from his Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan. Mehmood Mandviwalla is recommended.

Corporate and commercial law is a core area for Mujtaba Jamal Law Associates (MJLA), which has recently experienced an increase in international transactions. It has been advising an international group with businesses throughout Asia Pacific on its business in Pakistan, and advising a major intentional design and engineering company on the acquisition of a construction consultancy in Pakistan. Mujtaba Jamal is recommended.

Surridge & Beecheno has a strong roster of multinational clients across various industry sectors. It has a robust aviation practice, which advises clients such as Airbus Leasing and AerCap Ireland Limited on lease agreements. In addition, Khurram Rashid is also counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission, which it has been representing on a number of matters. The firm also advised Kraft Foods on its acquisition of the Tang beverage business from Clover Pakistan Limited. Pharmaceutical companies also feature on the client roster.

Akhund Forbes advises on M&A, corporate governance, joint ventures and restructuring. Rabel Akhund and Rizwan Akhund are the names to note.

Amhurst Brown is best known in the oil and energy sector, where its corporate law experience includes drafting work for petroleum multinationals. Javaid Akhtar is the key contact.

Bhandari, Naqvi and Riaz’s Feisal Naqvi recently moved successfully to have a company removed from the US Department of Commerce’s Entity List, which listing subjected it to rigorous licensing requirements. The firm also provides corporate advice to clients such as Samsung Gulf Electronics. Iftikharuddin Riaz is also recommended.

Ebrahim Hosain, which has offices in Karachi and Lahore, represents corporate clients in the construction, engineering, food and hotel sectors. Shabnam Noorali advised Danone on an acquisition and Zahid F Ebrahim advises hoteliers such as Serena Hotels and Hashwani Hotels, both of which are operators of Marriott Hotels in Pakistan. Furkan Ali is also recommended.

Irfan & Irfan is known for its IP work, and for competition law aspects of corporate deals. Hasan Irfan Khan is recommended.

Sattar & Sattar particularly focuses on advising clients on incorporation in Pakistan. Ijaz-ul-Ahsan is the primary contact.