Qays H. Zu'bi Attorneys & Legal Consultants

Qays H Zu'bi is one of the most well regarded and better known Bahraini lawyers, having been practicing law in the Kingdom of Bahrain for over 25 years. Prior to setting up the Firm, Qays was a partner in White & Case LLP. Qays has a reputation for providing a personal approach and maintaining high professional standards. He has handled several noteworthy transactions for major corporations, high profile individuals and financial and commercial clients. Qays also acts as the Vice President Legal of the American Chamber of Commerce, is a Board Member of Injaz (Junior Achievement) in Bahrain, in addition to Mr. Zu'bi being the Honorary Consul for Canada.

After the departure of White & Case LLP from Bahrain, Qays H Zu'bi, took over from where White & Case LLP left off, ensuring the standards of service and quality provided to its existing clients and potential new business exceeded that of the client's expectations.

Today, dealing with major international banks and companies, high net worth individuals and those businesses wishing to establish themselves in Bahrain, not to mention its relationships and assistance provided to other top tier International Law Firms, the Firm, by employing a diverse and highly experienced team of lawyers, prides itself on its accomplishments to date.

Highly competent, knowledgeable and experienced Grahame Nelson, Partner in the Firm, heads its Banking and Corporate & Commercial practice. In the last 2 years that Grahame has been with the Firm, he has handled several significant and often commercially sensitive matters for large corporations and high profile individuals.

Practising in Litigation for over 15 years, Mamoon El Tayeb, Partner in the Firm, heads the Litigation and Arbitration practices within the Firm.

Recent Accomplishments include:

Banking and Finance:

Acting for Citibank and Credit Suisse in a US $200 million Bridge Loan financing for the acquisition of shares in a leading Bahraini investment bank; acting for Unicorn Investment Bank BSC(C) and advised on all aspects of its private placement subscription in an amount of US $248.2 million; representing Gulf International Bank BSC in a transaction involving an aggregate loan facility of US $326 million to a Kuwaiti shipping company. The transaction involved registration of a mortgage on the ship in Bahrain in order to perfect the security; advising an Islamic Bank (under incorporation) with a paid up capital of US $500 million on all aspects of its private placement subscription; acting as local counsel for the lead manager in a US $25 million bond offering by Esterad Investments B.S.C.; acting as Bahrain legal counsel for the lenders in connection with a US $750 Deposit Facility for Gulf Investment Bank Bahrain; advised major international banks acting as lenders in a US $200 Million margin loan facility to a major Bahrain based investment bank; advised the lead book runners and underwriters in a US $420 Million GDR issue by a Bahrain's leading investment bank. The GDRs are to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Corporate and Commercial:

Acting for a major Saudi Arabian group in negotiations with German and Finnish contractors to establish a pre-cast concrete factory in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia; acting for a leading international entertainer in connection with the re-financing of loans owing to the Fortress Group and various other matters relating to his business affairs; acting for Bahrain International Circuit SPC in matters related to its ownership and operation of the Bahrain International Circuit. This has included matters relating to the Formula 1 Grand Prix, television broadcasting agreements, contracts relating to other events held at the Circuit, agreements relating to extension of the Circuit, sponsorship agreements, intellectual property issues and proposals to establish a new city in Sakhir, Bahrain; representing a major Saudi investor in negotiations for purchase of a large residential complex in Bahrain; acting for the lead underwriters on the IPO of Bahrain's largest shopping Mall; part of an international team of lawyers currently advising a large Middle Eastern hospitality group on its initial public offering of shares and GDS. The IPO is expected to be launched by early - mid 2007; acting in the matter of voluntary liquidation of an Islamic bank operating in Bahrain; advising and handling all legal matters relating to the corporate internal restructuring of Coca Cola Bottling Company; assisting a client with the acquisition of properties in Baku, Azerbaijan which includes setting up companies and reviewing tax structures; acted in the matter of restructuring a Bahraini joint stock company, part of a large Middle Eastern hospitality group in connection with its proposed offering of ordinary shares under the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority in the Dubai International Financial Centre and an offering of ordinary shares in the form of Global Depository Shares.

Dispute Resolution - litigation and arbitration:

Successfully representing a Saudi investor in a claim for US $1 million against a major GCC bank; acting for a client in respect to settlement of claims alleging negligence, amounting to US $90 million; currently representing a major Saudi company in a compensation claim of about US $78 million against a governmental entity; currently representing a Bahraini company in a dispute with a UK leading company as a sub contractor in a tender for an outside broadcast facility; currently representing a Saudi investor against a Bahraini national in a land dispute involving 87 plots of land and about US $21 million; currently representing a large U.S. telecom company in a US $30 million arbitration against a major Bahraini telecom service provider.

Islamic Finance:

Representing Kuwait Financial Centre SAK in the establishment of a US $200 million Shariah compliant real estate fund; representing Atlas Investment Group of Jordan in the establishment of a US $250 million Shariah compliant fund.

Infrastructure and Project Finance:

Acting as Bahraini advisors for the banking syndicate that provided US $1.2 billion financing related to the purchase of Al Hidd Power Station and Water Treatment Plant, the largest privatisation project in the country; acted and continues to act for the Purchaser in the matter of privatisation of ports in the country.

Other matters include:

Part of a regional team of lawyers that represented a major international hip-hop entertainer in a criminal trial brought against him in a neighboring jurisdiction; currently acting for the Ministry of Transportation in the drafting of a Request for Proposal for conducting a feasibility study in relation to the operations cost and prices for services.