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Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie)

NILE CITY BUILDING, NORTH TOWER, 21ST FLOOR, CORNICH EL NIL, RAMLET BEAULAC, CAIRO
Tel:
Work +20 2 2461 9301
Fax:
Fax +20 2 2461 9302
Web:
www.bakernet.com
Zurich, Washington DC, Warsaw, Vienna, Valencia, Toronto , and 68 more

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Egypt

Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie)'s finance practice encompasses bank lending and capital markets, recently advising National Société General Bank in extending a EGP1.4bn loan to El Sewedy Cables for a greenfield cement facility. The firm’s capital raising deals have included advising on the two biggest recent IPO’s (TMG Holding and Palm Hills Development) and two $1bn national government bond tranches.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

‘Highly recommended’ Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) remains comfortably positioned, frequently advising on sizeable acquisitions. Clients comment that the firm is ‘extremely responsive and well aware of corporate constraints’. Helmy Hamza advised the National Bank of Kuwait Capital on its purchase of Egyptian Al Watany Bank for $516m. Managing partner Hazim Rizkana is deemed ‘an excellent corporate lawyer’.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) managing partner Hazim Rizkana is described as ‘a very fine arbitration lawyer’ and leads a strong disputes team. Recent arbitration clients include The Arab Republic of Egypt (ARE) and the Tourism Development Authority, while the team acted on a landmark litigation case under new competition laws filed by the Egyptian Competition Authority against cement companies Lafarge and Assiut Cement.

Legal market

Within Legal market,

Clients find Egypt an increasingly dynamic market, which though dominated by the larger, well established full-service corporate and commercial practices such as Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie), Shalakany Law Office, and Zaki Hashem & Partners, Attorneys at Law, is seeing an explosion of quality boutiques, including Sharkawy & Sarhan and Ibrachy Law Firm, which both split from Ibrachy & Dermarkar in recent years. Quality international firms including Trowers & Hamlins in association with Nour Law Office are also gaining more traction. Practitioners continue to be largely generalists, with quality of advice depending heavily on the individual engaged.

Oil and gas

Within Oil and gas, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

The team at Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) continues to be ‘at the top of their game’, delivering regular advice to the Ministry of Petroleum. The practice’s recent flagship deal was for Korean Export Import Bank (KEXIM) in a $2.2bn refinery project financing. The firm has extensive experience negotiating contracts for gas-fired projects.

Privatisation

Within Privatisation, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

‘Highly recommended’ Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) continues to play an integral part in the restructuring of the state-owned insurance industry, which holds strong privatisation potential. The team’s resume is second-to-none, having advised on the majority of recent sales, including for Bank of Alexandria on its 80%, $1.6bn sale to Italy’s SaoPaolo IMI, and acting for Banque du Caire with regard to its scuttled sale. Partners Taher Helmy and Mohammed Ghannam are praised for ‘absolute responsiveness’.

Projects and infrastructure

Within Projects and infrastructure, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) is described as ‘a firm you can rely on when it comes to complicated deals being done for the first time in Egypt’. The team advised El Sewedy Cables in connection with a $900m copper smelter and refining project, and assisted the Ministry of Petroleum in overcoming major challenges that threatened to derail a major project in the fertilizer industry after $450m was already invested.

Telecoms

Within Telecoms, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) remains a key firm in Egypt’s telecommunications market, acting as chief legal counsel to Telecom Egypt, the largest fixed line operator in the Middle East and Africa and the sole provider in Egypt. With advice described by clients as ‘off the charts’, recent work includes advising Telecom Egypt on undisclosed potential acquisition activity in the Middle East region.

What we say worldwide

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Legal Developments by:
Baker & McKenzie

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