Conventional finance

We act for lenders and borrowers in various financial transactions, including syndicated financing transactions, bilateral loan transactions, equipment finance, aircraft finance, trade finance and debt restructurings. We also provide regulatory advice in connection with lending arrangements in the UAE, including such matters as US FATCA and UAE Central Bank Regulations. We also advise on AML and international sanctions in connection with financial transactions.

Our clients include international and regional banks in the UAE and Africa including multinational lending agencies as well as leading commercial banks in the UAE and Pakistan.

Islamic finance

Some members of our team are seasoned Islamic finance professionals and experienced in working independently, as well as alongside sharia’a structuring advisers. They have excellent relationships with key sharia’a scholars and speak regularly at Islamic finance conferences and events, both in Europe and the Middle East.

Their experience includes:

• The structuring and issuance of sukuk, with particular focus on sukuk al musharakah and sukuk al ijara;
• Murabaha debt financing, (including commodity murabaha);
• Musharakah and ijara debt financing transactions;
• Sharia’a compliant investment funds;
• Sharia’a compliant deal structuring for underlying fund investments;
• Sharia’a compliant incentive arrangements (including sharia’a compliant carried interest arrangements); and
• Dispute resolution relating to islamic finance transactions.