PRACTICE
Our firm covers a wide legal practice, through our in-house team and allied offices.
In-house Practice
Our in-house team offers comprehensive “first-class” legal services, in both consulting and litigation, in all major civil, commercial and administrative law fields, such as:
Banking and finance law
Soumrani Lawyers & Legal Counsels represents a number of prime Lebanese and foreign banks and financial institutions. As such, we have provided legal support in the establishment of several financial institutions and branches of foreign banks in Lebanon. Our firm also acted for several banks in major merger and acquisition transactions, both in Lebanon and across border.
Our exposure to the banking sector gave us a wide experience in, and in depth knowledge of the internal and international banking operations and contracts, fiduciary operations, and securities issuance and placement such as preferred shares, priority shares, certificates of deposit and bonds.
Soumrani Lawyers & Legal Counsels pioneered in the development of the legal structure and documentation of the first Lebanese mutual funds several of which are currently listed on the Beirut Stock Exchange.
Mergers and acquisitions
We have developed a strong experience in corporate mergers and acquisitions: our track record includes companies in varied fields, such as finance, oil, industry, real estate, retail, telecom, etc.
Our experience covers all aspects of these transactions, as counsel for acquirers, sellers and targets, from the initial stages of confidentiality arrangements to due diligence, acquisition agreements, put and call options, escrow arrangements and shareholders agreements.
Corporate and Commercial law
Our expertise in Commercial Law is second to none. Our firm represents a large number of prime Lebanese and foreign companies intervening in a vast range of commercial activities. Such activities include heavy industry, oil and fuel trade, exclusive agencies for major cars manufacturers, retail stores, local and international construction companies, etc.
We continuously provide advice to foreign clients on the optimal structure for the establishment of their presence in Lebanon or their joint venture with Lebanese partners, through the careful distribution and protection of the respective majority and minority rights in the vehicle created to host such venture and the drafting of the appropriate memorandums of understanding and shareholders agreements.
We have also advised on complex international and cross-border transactions, corporate restructurings and corporate governance.
Arbitration
Our firm has a unique exposure to internal and international arbitration, a field we have been involved in since 1976.
This exposure allowed our partners to develop a strong experience through their acting as attorneys, or as members or chairmen of arbitral tribunals in internal and international cases, whether in ad hoc arbitration, or in arbitration conducted under the ICC Rules.
Real estate law
The Real Estate sector has always been and remains, together with the banking sector, among the most active sectors of the Lebanese economy.
Our firm intervened in numerous major real estate transactions, including the long lease or acquisitions of land by Lebanese and foreign investors, the developments of real estate projects and the establishment of real estate funds specialized in Lebanese real estate investments.
Aviation law
In our capacity as legal advisers to several aviation companies and insurance companies, we have developed a unique expertise in aviation law.
This expertise covers the advising of our clients in pure aviation matters such as aircraft purchase, leasing, financing and insurance, and in aviation related matters such as insurance claims resulting from personal injury and loss of goods.
Labor and social security law
Our firm’s representation of a large number of employers operating in Lebanon exposed us to the numerous problems arising from the Labor Law and Social Security Law.
This exposure built a strong and profound expertise in employees’ conflicts, both collective and individual, syndicate negotiations, and labor litigation.
Administrative law
The firm has a vast expertise in administrative law, as a result of an in depth knowledge of the administrative doctrine and jurisprudence, and a long experience in administrative recourses before the Council of State (Conseil d’Etat).
The firm also represented individuals, business organizations, and other entities before municipal, state, and administrative agencies.