Trowers & Hamlins LLP > Manama, Bahrain > Firm Profile

Trowers & Hamlins LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Bahrain > Banking and finance (including Islamic finance) Tier 1

Trowers & Hamlins LLP’s banking and finance team acts for a diverse range of regional and international financial institutions, as well as the Central Bank of Bahrain licensees on their in-country and regional finance initiatives and broader regulatory requirements. Although maintaining a broad spread of conventional lending work, the practice is particularly known for its in-depth expertise in Islamic finance, encompassing capital markets, traditional financing products and repos and derivatives in the Islamic financing space. International managing partner and practice head Jeremy Ingham offers extensive experience across contentious and non-contentious restructuring and insolvency work, acting for banks, financial institutions, corporates and insolvency practitioners. With a strong focus on debt capital markets and Islamic finance, Bilal Kahlon regularly advises on Shariah-compliant and sukuk transactions in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Salman Ahmed in Oman is another key figure and is the main client partner for Ahli United Bank following its conversion from a conventional to an Islamic bank.

Bahrain > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

Well versed in large and complex transactions, Trowers & Hamlins LLP has a highly respected corporate and commercial practice in Bahrain, with M&A, fund formation and regulation, capital markets and group restructurings among its key areas of expertise. Specialist corporate and funds lawyer Brian Howard leads the team and brings over two decades of experience acting for GCC clients, including sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, banks and industrial enterprises; co-head Dominic O’Neil is especially strong on the private equity side. Benjamin O’Brien-McQueenie was promoted to partner in July 2023 and splits his time between the Bahrain and Oman offices.

Bahrain > Real estate and construction Tier 1

The construction team at Trowers & Hamlins LLP works in conjunction with the firm’s real estate and infrastructure group to provide a full-service offering in Bahrain. Practice head Abdul-Haq Mohammed is vastly experienced across both real estate and infrastructure and regularly handles large-scale transport, healthcare and housing projects, as well as PPP arrangements. Unkar Chanian continues to bolster his reputation as a go-to lawyer for real estate matters, acting for a diverse range of clients spanning governmental bodies, developers and high-net-worth individuals. Construction expert Cheryl Cairns also provides significant support from Dubai.

Bahrain > Dispute resolution Tier 3

Trowers & Hamlins LLP‘s team in Bahrain has solid experience in managing disputes in various forums in the MENA region, including the Bahrain Centre for Dispute Resolution, the DIFC courts and the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre, and under a multitude of arbitral rules including LCIA, ICC, DIAC and UNCITRAL. The offering is led from Dubai by Cheryl Cairns and Matthew Showler, while Deborah Howard is a key contact in Bahrain. The practice is particularly well regarded for its expertise in disputes pertaining to construction, real estate, banking, fraud and insolvency.