Levant Law Practice is a regional law firm. It was first established in 2002 under the name Mattar Mouawad Majdalany el Khazen law firm in Lebanon subsequent to the merger of Mattar & Mattar law firm (founded by Mohammad and Rabeh F. Mattar) and the respective law offices of Gebran Majdalany, Rafic Mouawad and Youssef el Khazen.
In 2008 with the entry of two new partners, Adib Tohme and Fadi Nader, the Firm decided to change its name to Levant Law Practice ("LLP") with the aim of developing a fully fledged regional practice through offices and affiliations in Beirut, Riyadh, Doha and Gambia, and correspondent law firms in the major business centers of the Levant, the Gulf region and Africa.
CLIENTELE
Dedicated to advising corporate and individual clients involved in a wide range of local and cross borders transactions as well as in complex multi- jurisdictional disputes, LLP represents multinational and regional companies, financial institutions, state-owned entities, family and other privately held businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals.
With a strong presence in Beirut (where its head office is based), Riyadh (in association with the Law Firm of Adnan Yaseen), Doha (in association with Osama Abdulla Abdulghani Law Office), Gambia (in association with Fajara Chambers), and a group of selected legal correspondent law firms throughout the region, LLP is well positioned to serve its diversified client base and to provide adequate legal support to their sophisticated needs.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE
Where others see barriers, we see new opportunities, challenges and incentives to innovate. Levant Law Practice (LLP) currently represents a wide range of local, regional and multinational clients, with businesses ranging from traditional trading, general contracting, services and manufacturing activities to the rapidly developing banking, insurance and financial sectors in the Levant, Africa and the Gulf region.
ARBITRATION and LITIGATION
LLP has a strong and diverse litigation and arbitration practice. Our arbitration and litigation team has produced exceptional results of national and international importance, representing clients as plaintiffs or as defendants in a wide range of substantive areas including international criminal trials, local and cross border commercial disputes, international arbitration, insurance regulations and coverage disputes, bankruptcy, environmental litigation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and media, employment, tax disputes and professional liability cases.
BANKING and FINANCE
LLP is involved in an extensive range of banking and finance transactions and represents local, regional and multinational banks and financial institutions in providing legal advice in the areas of investment funds, securities, project finance, acquisition financing, debt restructuring, securitization and structured finance products.
CORPORATE and COMMERCIAL
LLP has extensive knowledge in this area, including inter-alia, corporate set-up and restructuring, joint ventures, distribution and licensing, commercial representation and business and shares acquisitions.
We have considerable experience in advising both our domestic and international clients on a variety of joint ventures, shareholders' agreements, partnerships and other collaborative structures ranging from conventional style holding company joint ventures to multi-layered joint ventures, limited and unlimited partnerships and strategic alliances.
INSURANCE and REINSURANCE
In recent years the insurance sector has substantially grown in the Arab region. Saudi Arabia has particularly witnessed the establishment of a large number of insurance companies. The supervision of the insurance sector has also seen significant changes with the introduction of new regulations across the region.
LLP acts for a number of multinational and regional insurance and reinsurance companies as well as for insurance intermediaries. We also advise on the incorporation of insurance joint ventures, insurance branches and on matters related to the provision of insurance services in the local markets.
We further act in relation to mergers and acquisitions, reorganization and the winding-up of insurance companies as well as provide legal advice and advocacy services in connection with insurance regulatory matters, insurance policies and reinsurance treaties.
ISLAMIC FINANCE and TAKAFUL
LLP has advised a number of regional investment banks on the formation of Sharia' a compliant Real Estate and Equity Funds, in addition to a wide range of innovative Islamic Finance transactions, including aircraft lease financing, mortgage financing, project finance and leveraged corporate and private equity acquisitions.
We have also worked on the structuring and drafting of Takaful (Islamic insurance) products and advised on the formation and operation of Insurance Takaful companies in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
LABOR LAW and SOCIAL SECURITY LAW
LLP advises its corporate clients on various aspects of Lebanese and Gulf Labor Laws, as well as on Social Security and Pension Laws in the region.
MERGERS and ACQUISITIONS
LLP represents numerous clients in this field, including mergers and/or acquisitions of banks and financial institutions.
We have also advised on numerous private equity transactions acting for equity investors, lenders, companies raising capital and management teams.
LLP has extensive expertise in transactions financed through syndicated debt, debt capital markets, securitizations, joint ventures and secondary market sales of equity interests.
PROJECT FINANCE
In this field our experience includes: banking and limited non-recourse transactions, capital markets/bond financings, preparation of tender documentation, bids and proposals to undertake projects, evaluation, negotiation and drafting of key project agreements such as concessions, power purchase, engineering, procurement and construction contracts; advising on security structures; drafting and negotiating support documentation packages.
PUBLIC and ADMINISTARTIVE LAW
LLP advised many public and semi-public institutions and represented them before the Council of State in litigation arising from their relations with third parties.
We have also represented clients before the Constitutional Council to challenge the results of some parliamentary elections, as well as the legality of certain laws.
We also provide legal opinion to clients on matters related to international public law and international treaties.
REAL ESTATE
LLP provides its clients with legal advice and services in relation to the structuring of major real-estate projects including all the derivative contracts related to the formation of special entities, construction and contracting.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS and MEDIA
Having represented one of the two former mobile telecom operators in Lebanon,
LLP has gained a wide and far ranging experience in the legal and operational aspects of telecommunications and media. Our team also represents a major international operator in the negotiation of telecommunications licenses as well in drafting and closing related agreements, in addition to providing ongoing legal advice and support.
LLP also represents a major television network in all its corporate activities and litigation matters.