Lebanon

The firm is representing the interests of Lebanese businessman, MP and former Minister of Telecommunications (2011-2014) in Lebanon, Mr. Nicolas Sehnaoui, as defendant in a case brought by the public prosecutor for alleged violation of duties assigned to him as minister and alleged misuse of public funds before the Chamber of Deputies (to be then referred to The Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers). a highly sensitive case in which the Firm is defending the interests of the MP and former Minister of Interior Mr. Nohad Machnouk in the criminal lawsuit pertaining to the Port of Beirut’s blast (August 4,2020) for presumed alleged charges of homicide and abuse and job negligence brought before the Supreme Council for the trial of Presidents and Ministers. another new significant criminal case is handled by the Firm related to the escape of Mr. Carlos Ghosn in a trans-border jurisdictions implicating Japan, USA, Turkey and Lebanon whereby the Firm represents both in Lebanon and Turkey the interests of defendants, an American Lebanese citizen Mr. George Zayeck and the American citizens Mr. Mickael Taylor and Mr. Peter Taylor. moreover, the Firm is handling several and highly sensitive new criminal cases involving important public figures/politicians in Lebanon. the Firm is advising a public entity in Ukraine in relation to the implementation of a Performance Guarantee against a Lebanese Bank (ranked among the top banks in Lebanon) arising from a contract concluded between the Ukrainian entity and an Italian contractor for the reconstruction of wastewater treatment plant in Ukraine. The Firm is representing as well the interests of a reputable Lebanese food company (Brands Holding sal) holder and licensor of one of the most famous poultry brands in Lebanon (“Shuman farms”) in a commercial case. The Firm has represented and continued to do so in 2021 the interests of LBCI in the ongoing criminal action brought in 2007 a prominent Lebanese political party (the “Lebanese Forces”) against Lebanese TV broadcasting company “Lebanese Broadcasting Company International sal”, known under the trade name “LBCI”, claiming the ownership and control of the TV channel. Such criminal case was intensively followed by the Lebanese Public and medias. A judgment was issued by the criminal Unique Judge on 28/2/2019 who rejected the criminal action against LBCI. The Lebanese Forces filed an appeal and the case is now pending before the criminal Appeal Court. The Firm has represented the interests of one of the major shareholder in a large family business group (“Obegi Group”) in various sectors (industrial, banking, food and design) in a several trans-borders lawsuits. Another significant criminal case handled by the Firm is related to the assassination in 1982 of the former President Elect of Lebanon late Mr. Bashir Gemayel. Following the freezing of the proceedings (for political reasons) for more than 35 years, the Firm has succeeded, with four other leading key law firms, to reactivate the proceedings before the Highest Court in Lebanon (Judicial Council) and the assassins were sentenced to death in absentia on October 2017. Such political trial was intensively followed by the Lebanese Public and local and regional medias and is considered as a major justice achievement.