Anti-Money Laundering

We are able to design, implement and monitor anti-money laundering compliance programs for our clients.

We draft policies and procedures, deliver training, and advice on risk mitigation as regards the anti-money laundering issues.

Arbitration & Litigation

We routinely use arbitration, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as pragmatic ways to meet our clients' needs.

From minor two-party conflicts to multimillion-dollar corporate matters, we use arbitration and mediation to resolve disputes involving: Complex financial issues, Corporate restructuring, Bankruptcies and workouts, Securities matters, Intellectual property conflicts, Oil and gas matters, Tax controversies, Contracts and commercial agreements, Business torts, Construction claims, Employment and labor matters.

We work with clients to prepare contract provisions, organizational procedures and guidelines on using arbitration and mediation to settle commercial disputes. We assess which venue is best suited for each case. Our lawyers have handled numerous arbitrations in forums sponsored by International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Our firm has one of the most respected litigation teams in the country. We have handled some of the most complex litigation and arbitration cases. The lawyers have represented clients both before the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

Our firm has extensive experience in business litigation. Our attorneys have successfully litigated disputes pertaining to breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of contract, intentional and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage, among others.

Additionally, our practice includes matters of complex commercial litigation involving alleged violations of competition law, trademark and copyright infringement, and other areas of intellectual property.

On the real estate litigation front, owing to significant speculation in this given sector in the recent years, our firm has provided representation for some of the largest developers in Pakistan. We have represented many developers in cases arising out of almost every type of real estate development, including commercial, residential, planned unit developments and master-planned communities.

We regularly represent private clients in litigation relating to property leases and transfers. We also represent landlord`s and tenants in ejectment proceedings before the rent controllers as well as before the superior courts.

Banking & Securities

We have advise a number of banks and financial institutions on various aspects of bank financing, leasing, capital market transactions, securitization, and debt restructuring.

We act on bank financing transactions such as secured and unsecured bilateral and syndicated loans, refinancing, project finance, trade and asset finance and structured finance.

We provide advice on financial services products to local institutions and foreign clients, compliance requirements on financial institutions, the application of securities laws, laws affecting the provision of financial services and exchange control requirements.

Competition & Antitrust

We advise on a range of competition law issues including cases that relate to cartels, abuse of dominance and other prohibited practices, interim relief proceedings, appeals, exemptions, leniency applications and consent orders before the competition authorities.

Corporate Structuring

Our corporate and commercial practice has accumulated many years of experience and provides expertise and legal advice on a range of issues including: Formation and structure of new business ventures, shareholder agreements, investment agreements, business succession agreements.

Customs & Taxation

We offer a wide range of services to clients that engage in imports and exports and other trade related activities.

Examples of the types of services that we provide include:

• All regulatory aspects of importing and exporting;
• Advice on all Customs related risks relating to cross-border transactions;
• Customs and Excise reviews and health checks;
• Training on Customs and Excise legislation;
• Advice on tariff determination queries;
• Providing advice on all aspects of anti-dumping; countervailing and safeguard duties;
• Advice on rules of origin;
• Claiming of refunds and drawbacks; and
• Advise on the customs duty implications of the payment of royalties; license fees and distribution rights fees relating to imported goods.

We provides thoroughly considered and legally sound transactional tax advice to local and international financial institutions, corporates and individuals. The tax practice aims to combine our commercial and tax law expertise to provide efficient tax solutions.

In particular, we can provide specialist advice on, inter alia:

• structuring of private equity funds and private equity transactions;
• exchange control;
• international tax, in-bound and out-bound investments,
• transaction taxes; capital gains tax;
• sales tax, value added tax (VAT);
• formation and tax registration;
• share incentive and other employee incentive schemes and related tax issues; and
• assistance with tax litigation.

Data Protection & Privacy

We assist in following matters:

• International data transfers
• Personal information privacy issues under the local laws in the context of cross-border investigations and discovery requests,
• Liability risk mitigation resulting from data breach incidents,
• In-house data privacy compliance trainings,
• Privacy policies and disclaimers for public access websites, secured web portals, and e-mails,
• Medical information disclosure thresholds,
• Financial data disclosure thresholds,
• Customer privacy policies,
• Employee and work place privacy policies and contracts,
• Data retention policies,
• Drafting of non-disclosure agreements, and
• Drafting of intra-company data transfer policies, compliance thresholds and agreements.

Employment

We provide advice on workplace issues including:

• staff termination,
• redundancy,
• unfair dismissal,
• office policy documents,
• recruitment procedures,
• letters of offer,
• employment contracts,
• disciplinary and grievance procedures,
• restraint of trade agreements,
• confidentiality obligations, and
• workplace training.

Environment

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Franchising & Distribution

We assist in the following matters:

• supply and distribution agreements,
• service and consultancy agreements,
• licensing agreements,
• confidentiality agreements,
• preparing and advising on franchise agreements, and
• assisting with termination and transfer of franchises.

Intellectual Property

In recent years the laws pertaining to intellectual property, information technology, and telecommunications have become increasingly complex, as markets converge and globalize.

We assist our clients with a whole range of issues in this area including the following:

• Trade mark registration and protection,
• patents and design registration and protection,
• business name registration and protection,
• domain name registration and enforcement,
• copyright protection,
• infringement claims and anti- counterfeiting,
• agency and licensing agreements,
• manufacturing arrangements, and
• product endorsements.

Islamic & Project Finance

We have advised on Islamic financial products, Islamic trade finance and the practical applications of Islamic banking and finance.

We have also studied the legal framework of Takaful and the legal aspects of Islamic electronic banking.

Joint Ventures

We assist on the following issues:

• setting-up and structure,
• agreements to regulate control and management,
• advice as independent counsel on disputes resolution,
• advice on obligations under corporations/company laws including director's duties, shareholder rights, financial reporting and lodgment requirements.

Mergers & Acquisitions

• agency agreements and confidentiality agreements,
• acquisition and disposal of businesses and corporate entities,
• due diligence and risk analysis,
• partnership interests,
• joint venture interests and interests in investments, and
• sale and purchase of minor shareholdings.

Product Regulation

Product specific regulatory/compliance strategy at the early stages can be critical to the ultimate approval of the product. Failure to address regulatory and compliance concerns often results in delays in market entry of the products.

Regulatory requirements extend beyond design and development, manufacturing, and distribution processes. Product labeling is held to specific standards across many regulated industries including, tobacco, medical devices, cosmetics, drugs, dietary supplements, energy drinks, etc.

We regularly advise our various client on products standards compliance regimes as to various countries in relation to food,drugs,andcosmetics industry.

We assist our clients in lobbying and making representations before the standards setting organizations and agencies.

Technology & Telecoms

Research and development agreements, software licenses, maintenance and support agreements, systems integration, turn-key agreements, escrow agreements, outsourcing/ managed services, hardware procurement, customer resource management arrangements;

On-line contracting, on-line tendering, e-business, ASP (application service provider) arrangements, web site development.

We have experience of advising on telecommunication transactions and compliance. We can assist clients in obtaining telecommunication licenses and authorizations.