Middle East - Government

Bahrain

• Represented the Kingdom of Bahrain in the privatization of its power and potable water utility systems, which included providing counsel as to the structuring and implementation of a regulatory framework (including associated tariffs), structuring, drafting and assisting in the implementation of all necessary legislation.
• Represented the Kingdom of Bahrain in various disputes relating to the construction of a major development project and the restructuring of its electricity and water industries.

Egypt

• Represented the Arab Republic of Egypt in arbitration proceedings against adverse party, Veolia Propreté, with respect to a waste management service agreement for the distribution of water in the city of Alexandria, Egypt.

Iraq

• Represented the Iraqi Oil Ministry in a BOT transaction involving the construction of Iraq’s third oil pipeline, valued at US$15 billion.

Jordan

• Advised the Government of Jordan on a dispute over a 25-year concession agreement for the development of casinos and tourist facilities in the Kingdom of Jordan.
• Advised the Council of Ministers and Natural Resources Authority of the Kingdom of Jordan on various long-term mining concessions in the Kingdom in relation to the mining of oil shale.

Lebanon

• Advised the Republic of Lebanon on matters of international public law, including matters with respect to the United Nations.

Morocco

• Represented the Kingdom of Morocco on both its US$750 million and US$1.5 billion note offerings.
• Retained by the King’s initiative to attract global companies to invest in Morocco within the newly established Casablanca Finance City.

Qatar

• Represented a senior member of the Qatari Royal Family in the acquisition of a marquis hotel property in the United States.

Saudi Arabia

• Advised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over a four-year period on a proposed natural gas initiative, which involved inviting foreign firms into the Kingdom to implement integrated natural gas projects including upstream, midstream and power, water and petrochemical projects through the establishment and organization of joint ventures.
• Represented the Capital Markets Authority of Saudi Arabia to rewrite the country’s Companies Law based on Western legal principles and international best practices.

Syria

• Advised a coalition of Syrian opposition groups in preparation for UN-sponsored peace negotiations in Switzerland.