The Legal 500 > Asia Pacific > Pakistan > Banking and finance

Haidermota & Co Advocates has a superb team that advises on a whole host of financial products from syndicated lending and debt instruments to Islamic financing. The team is also well-regarded for its skill in advising on all aspects of financing that is backed by export credit agencies. It has a proven track record of acting in major cross-border transactions and often works with foreign financial institutions and multilateral agencies. It remains an excellent choice for advising on complex security structures, inter-creditor arrangements and financial restructurings. The team’s experience extends to advising on the establishment of microfinance banks and institutions in Pakistan. The key figures are senior partner Khozem Haidermota and Mohammad Anwer. Zahra Abid is also recommended.

Kabraji & Talibuddin is regularly engaged by major banks, financial institutions and corporate entities to advise on a myriad of complex onshore and cross-border financial transactions.  The team is well-equipped to handle an array of financial matters from capital markets work to sukuk transactions as well as derivatives and swap transactions. It frequently advises on cross-border securities deals too. Kairas Kabraji has considerable experience in a broad spectrum of banking and finance matters including structured finance and acquisition financing. Maheen Faruqui is adept at advising on structured and acquisition financing. Syed Maaz is also recommended along with Danish Shah who is particularly skilled at advising on financing matters relating to projects and energy.

Ahmed & Qazi fields a first-rate team that is routinely instructed by a sizeable number of banks and financial institutions in Pakistan (including some microfinance banks). The team is well-placed to handle the full array of banking and finance matters from mortgage financings and restructurings through to debt and asset swap transactions. It also has significant experience in all forms of Islamic financing. Names to note are managing partner Nadeem Ahmed as well as Saim Hashmi. The practice regularly advises financial sponsors, lenders, borrowers, investors in addition to fund managers and pension trustees. Other key clients include central banks and government agencies.

Liaquat Merchant Associates has considerable expertise in corporate and consumer financing, project financing in addition to leveraged and acquisition financing. Other strengths lie in electronic banking and in all areas of Islamic financing and Sharia compliant modes of financing. Under the leadership of Faresa Jafarey Ahsan the team is regularly engaged by both local and foreign banks and other non-banking institutions throughout Pakistan. Hira  Ahmad is another prominent member of the team along with senior partner Liaquat Merchant. There have been changes to the team at a senior level. Darakhsan Vohra left the firm while Shayan Ahmed joined the team.  Hassan Arif has been promoted to the partnership.

With fully operational offices in Karachi and Islamabad, the team at Orr, Dignam & Co is particularly rated for its work on Islamic finance transactions, project finance and acquisition finance matters. It frequently handles a broad array of banking and finance matters, including asset financing, securitisation and export credit transactions. The practice has recently advised on several complex financial transactions involving banks, multilateral institutions and government agencies. Another core area of expertise lies in advising on aircraft leasing transactions. Asim  Nasim is among the main contacts at the firm.

Raja Mohammed Akram Co. often represents leading banks and individuals on contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm has also acted for several major banks in landmark constitutional challenges and has also represented banks and financial institutions in a variety of recovery proceedings. Its project finance team has advised on numerous financing matters for renewable energy power plants. Lahore-based Salman Akram Raja and Abuzar Niazi head the department along with Basil Nabi Malik who is based in Karachi.