The Legal 500

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie)

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) maintains its reputation as a ‘go-to’ firm in Egypt for all manner of finance, whether project, debt or syndicated loans. The ‘outstanding cohesive team’ includes standout practitioners Taher Helmy, Mohamad Talaat, Mohamed Ghannam and Hazim Rizkana. Highlights for 2010 included advising lender Commercial International Bank on a $66.5m medium term loan agreement to the Egyptian Gas Derivatives Company (EBGD) to finance the Ras Shukeir gas derivative plant.

Corporate and M&A

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

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) fields a seven-partner team, including ‘much-respected’ partners Mohamed Ghannam, Taher Helmy, Hazim Rizkana, Hatem Soliman and Mohamad Talaat. The firm regularly features in the top corporate deals in Egypt: in 2010 it advised on the first Egyptian IPO since the start of the global financial downturn, that of Egyptian dairy company Juhayna Food Industries, in a deal worth $180.5m.

Dispute resolution

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

The ‘first-class’ litigation team at Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) is spearheaded by two heavyweights: Hazim Rizkana and Mohama Talaat. The team regularly handles large-scale disputes for its impressive corporate client base, including acting for Barclays Bank in a $300m dispute with Egyptian Distribution Group and for Egyptian General Petroleum Company on a dispute with a competitor.

Intellectual property

Within Intellectual property, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Hazim Rizkana and Mohamad Talaat are experienced IP practitioners at Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie). Highlights of 2010 included advising Italian security technology company Cisa on the protection of IP rights relating to Ingersoll Rand in Egypt.

Legal market overview

Within Legal market overview,

The legal market in Egypt is dominated by a few full-service firms, the most well known of which are Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie), Shalakany Law Office, Zaki Hashem & Partners, Attorneys at Law and Al Kamel Law Office. Two-partner practice Sharkawy & Sarhan is also prominent, together with Ibrachy Law Firm and Ibrachy & Dermarkar, which has expanded with the hire of five associates in 2009 and 2010. There have been no major shake ups since the prominent and ‘extremely well-connected’ Mona Zulficar left Shalakany Law Office to found Zulficar & Partners Law Firm in 2009. International firms do not have a strong presence on the ground, with the exception of Trowers & Hamlins in association with Nour Law Office, SNR Denton – formerly Denton Wilde Sapteand DLA Matouk Bassiouny, which all practise in collaboration with local practitioners.

Oil and gas

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

Mohamed Ghannam Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) is the key contact for oil and gas matters. Highlights included advising Commercial International Bank on the project to develop an NGL extraction plant at Ras Shukeir, and acting for Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation on the Sea Bird concession agreement with subsidiary Ganope.

Projects and infrastructure

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

Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) is regularly namechecked on leading PPP deals in Egypt. Highlights in 2010 included acting as legal counsel for Orasqualia, on the PPP to build a wastewater treatment plant in Cairo, the first public/private partnership to be executed in Egypt. Taher Helmy, Mohamed Ghannam and Mohamad Talaat all have the ‘total confidence of clients’.

Telecoms

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

As a full-service law firm with high service levels across every sector, Helmy, Hamza & Partners (Baker & McKenzie) is a natural choice of instruction for telecoms companies looking for local expertise combined with worldwide reach. Longstanding clients include Telecom Egypt, one of the largest fixed-line operators in the Middle East, and the only provider of telecoms in Egypt. Other clients include Attachmate and Nokia.


What we say worldwide

Please choose another Baker & McKenzie office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.

United Arab Emirates

Offices in Abu Dhabi

Australia

Offices in Sydney and Melbourne

Austria

Offices in Vienna

Azerbaijan

Offices in Baku

Belgium

Offices in Brussels, Antwerp, and Brussels

Bahrain

Offices in Manama

China

Offices in Beijing and Shanghai

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Munich

Egypt

Offices in Cairo

Spain

Offices in Madrid and Barcelona

France

Offices in Paris

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

Hungary

Offices in Budapest

Indonesia

Offices in Jakarta

India

Italy

Offices in Rome, Milan, and Bologna

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Kuwait

Kazakhstan

Offices in Almaty

London

Offices in London EC4V and London EC4V

Luxembourg

Offices in Luxembourg

Libya

Malaysia

Offices in Kuala Lumpur

Netherlands

Offices in Amsterdam

Philippines

Offices in Makati

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Russia

Offices in Moscow and St Petersburg

Sweden

Offices in Stockholm

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

South Korea

Saudi Arabia

Offices in Riyadh

Switzerland

Offices in Zurich and Geneva

Taiwan

Offices in Taipei

Thailand

Offices in Bangkok

Ukraine

Offices in Kiev

United States

Offices in Washington DC, Palo Alto, New York, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, and Houston

Vietnam

Offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Legal Developments by:
Baker & McKenzie

  • New rules due on assessment of workplace working conditions

    Continuing our practice of regularly updating our clients on changes in the Russian legislation, in this legal alert we would like to inform you that as of September 1, 2011, the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation will introduce a new procedure for assessing working conditions in workplaces. 1 [1] Results of workplace assessments with respect to the working conditions conducted before September 1, 2011 (in accordance with the procedure currently in effect 2 [2]) will remain valid up until the next regular assessment.
    - Baker & McKenzie

Legal Developments in Egypt

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to