Associate
Middle East Alliance Legal Consultancy
Total years of experience :15 years, 5 Months
Significant work assignments undertaken at MELF include:
- Presently acting for a travel and tourism company on a transaction involving sale of its 49% shares (estimated around AED 150 Million) to strategic investors within UAE and KSA.
- Presently acting for a private joint stock company (under incorporation in Abu Dhabi) on private placement of its shares for raising a minimum capital of AED 500 Million.
- Presently seconded to Al Qudra Holding PJSC for supporting the General Counsel and legal department to advice and work upon all critical assignments, which include negotiating, drafting and reviewing various commercial agreements and other documents, and providing opinions on corporate, labour and real estate related matters.
- Acted on behalf of Al Qudra Holding PJSC and successfully negotiated with Suez Environment pertaining to their settlement as shareholders in a waste management company in Abu Dhabi. Advised the client on future restructuring of waste management company in line with the agreed settlement.
- Acted as the lead counsel for Al Qudra Real Estate LLC and negotiated with PAL Cooling Services, one of the major district cooling service providers in UAE, on concession contract for a 30 year term to provide district cooling services in Danat, Abu Dhabi. Estimated royalties for the concession are AED 90 Million.
- Advised an Abu Dhabi based holding company on its internal restructuring which included removal of certain top-level managers, changing of its board, and substituting board members and shareholders of its subsidiaries within and outside of UAE.
- Conducted legal due diligence of a Abu Dhabi based construction company (estimated to be worth around AED 650 Million) on behalf of a client, and prepared a comprehensive report on the findings of the due diligence along with recommendations for the proposed acquisition of the said construction company by the client.
- Advised Manarah for Investments and Development LLC and FWO (one of biggest construction companies in Pakistan) on setting up a joint venture construction company in UAE.
- Acted on behalf of Nirvana Travel and Tourism LLC by drafting and negotiating on economic resource planning software agreement (worth AED 2 Million) with a software provider.
- Acted on behalf of Al Qudra Real Estate LLC to negotiate a claim by a Dubai based construction company (originally for AED 3 Million) and successfully settled for AED 700, 000.
- Advised Al Qudra Real Estate LLC on critical provisions of FIDIC based contracts and other DBOT contracts, musataha and concession contracts pertaining to various residential and commercial construction projects of Abu Dhabi Government including Al Ruwais and Maqta Souk projects.
- Advised Nirvana Travel and Tourism LLC on its various financial facilities, including the security documents (guarantees, assignment of proceeds etc.) with various financial institutions within UAE.
Significant work assignments undertaken at Lexium include:
- Acted on behalf of Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a U.S Government. Agency, as lenders in a transaction involving loan of U.S $150 Million to a Pakistani based oil & gas company for LNG project.
- Conducted due diligence for Allen & Overy pertaining to operations of an overseas financial institution in Pakistan without having any physical presence in Pakistan.
- Advised Tetra Pak Pakistan on its labeling policy for packaging food material including milk and juices and food safety requirements, for complying with local laws.
- Drafted Sale and Purchase Agreement for Escorts Hotel Limited to sell property within a major shopping mall constructed in Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Drafted, reviewed and negotiated commercial agreements in various areas including services such as electronic bill payments systems, advertising, storing, brand activation and site sharing for Augeure Pakistan (Private) Ltd.
- Advised Oracle Pakistan on import of certain telecom equipment under Pakistani Customs law.
- Advised Tetra Pak Pakistan on civil and criminal liability towards its industrial customers due to malfunctioning of its equipment.
- Acted on behalf of Nishat Group by drafting and negotiating various agreements concerning franchising, sale, purchase and distribution of consumer/industrial products.
- Acted as counsel for Senwan Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd on the acquisition of a rice production facility in Pakistan, and carried out the due diligence exercise.
- Advised a major financial institution in Pakistan on compliance of its business activities with local anti-money laundering laws.
- Acted on behalf of Silk Bank and Habib Bank (Pakistan) and carried out due diligence pertaining to land/property as collateral for a mortgage for providing them with pre-mortgage legal opinions.
- Advised Imran Khan Foundation and Namal Education Foundation in establishing their provident/pension funds, old-age benefits schemes and on other matters pertaining to Labour Laws.
- Advised a client on enforcement of foreign registered trademarks and copyrights within Pakistan to impact of any possible infringement.
- Carried out research and drafted memoranda of law / opinions to provide advice to clients pertaining to various aspects of corporate / commercial law, foreign exchange laws, import/export policies, intellectual property laws, telecommunications and land laws.
My work included:
- Responded to legal queries from other departments and provided them with opinions on the particular issues after the consulting with the Manager.
- Drafted and reviewed fuel-supply, hospitality services, fuel-carriage agreements, undertakings, legal notices and other documents as requested by various departments.
- Reviewed and negotiated lease deeds, dealerships agreements and other documents pertaining to opening of a retail outlet and advised on risks (if any) associated with proposed retail outlets.
- Represented the company in front of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and prepared responses to authority’s notices/queries. Appeared in courts on behalf of the company, if required, and coordinated with external lawyers on litigation matters.
I am a law graduate from the University of London. Throughout my law degree, I performed exceptionally well and was awarded with numerous scholarships by my college. I was awarded an overall Upper Second Class Honours.