Emile Kanaan is a Founding Partner and the Chairman of The Levant Lawyers (TLL). A hall–mark of TLL is the international approach of its lawyers, so not only does Emile hold a Masters at French law and Lebanese law, but also as a consequence of a sixteen year formal association with a well established City of London law firm, including  ...

Emile Kanaan is a Founding Partner and the Chairman of The Levant Lawyers (TLL). A hall–mark of TLL is the international approach of its lawyers, so not only does Emile hold a Masters at French law and Lebanese law, but also as a consequence of a sixteen year formal association with a well established City of London law firm, including eight years residing in England, he has developed a particular expertise in the application of Common Law concepts to transactions governed by Civil Law and vice versa.

He has an extensive experience in a variety of national and international law disciplines including banking, trust, holding companies financial structuring, project finance, development of structures for duty free zoning construction, real estate development, insurance and internet transactions. His clients include governments, pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, construction, plant and equipment companies and banks and other financial institutions including assurance companies.

Credentials    

Sole legal adviser to the United Nations (ESCWA) in The Lebanon since 2008 and acted for European Union and Lebanese Government to redraft and adapt Lebanese laws to meet international norms in relation to online transactions (e-commerce).

Advising Monsanto in relation to GCC (Gulf Cooperation Countries) and Jordan, Libya, Iran and The Yemen in respect of intellectual property rights appertaining to Plant Varieties and other rights of Plant Breeders and in respect of import and export requirements appertaining to grain.

Advising Lutron on agency law including preparing a comparative study of relevant laws as between the UAE and Saudi Arabia and the development of a trading vehicle which avoided the need for a local trading partner in KSA. 

Advising numerous corporate clients, shareholders and limited partners on issues relating to corporate governance including fraud on minority shareholders, abuse by majority shareholders, fraudulent enterprises as well as the more usual aspects of company management and administration.

Acting on major arbitration under English law relating to offshore companies and Libyan construction companies.

Acted in London and New York on claims arising from the restructuring of sovereign loans of West African Nation.

Handled various international disputes under ICC rules including disputes on water reservoir and transmission system in Kuwait and tolled trunk road project in The Lebanon

Advising the Lebanese Government on standard procurement and other forms under an extended contract.

Advising Standard Brands (Trading) Ireland on various distribution contracts for countries within the region. 40 Million each) and Salaata Port ($200 Million)

Acted for Lebanese Government in the preparation of project agreements and other documents in connection with its BOT projects including Toll Roads ($1400 Million), Cité Sportive (Lebanon’s Sport City) ($200 Million), Palace Conference Center ($1300 Million), Duty Free Zones in Beirut ($80 million), Klayat and Riyak Airports

Advised investor and executive officer of a major Middle Eastern airline including review of commercial contracts relating to aircraft transactions as well as other major business decisions of the company. 

Advised on the setting up of investment holding company with property owning subsidiaries and on investment strategy to allow tax efficient investment in and repatriation of proceeds from property development in Spain and separately property enhancement in Portugal.

Legal Education        

1964    Master at French Law (Lyon University)

1965    Master at Lebanese Law (Université St. Joseph)

Publications   

2010    Comments on a range of legal issues published in some French legal periodicals

Developments

            Common law courses at diverse law schools in London

Languages     

            Arabic, French and English

Boulos Kanaan holds an LLM from La Sagesse University in Beirut.

Boulos Kanaan holds an LLM from La Sagesse University in Beirut.

He joined the Beirut Bar Association (BBAL) in 1977 and has permanently been a member of E. Kanaan & Co. Law Offices and The Levant Lawyers (TLL).

He is a reputable lawyer in the litigation field with proven proficiency for over 30 years in numerous high profile cases covering various areas of law. Boulos is well known for his prominent sense of lobbying.

Credentials    

Boulos represents local, regional and national clients’ and acquired a wide experience in dealing with commercial and banking activities and relating disputes.

He advised many local and multinational companies in the Gulf Region on real estate investment and construction matters

Boulos has successfully assisted major companies as well as high profiled individuals in sorting out tax matters and problems through his dominant personality and large sphere of contacts.

He successfully achieved remarkable results in cases relating to contracting, real estate, inheritance problems, wills, commercial representation, corporate matters and majority abuses, banking activities, multiple criminal and penal cases, inside tradings, competition, trademarks and patents, various companies financial and accounting offences. 

Boulos sits in various companies as member of the board and supervise all legal matters relating to strategy and management issues.

Handled for major companies such as Nestle International and Halifax Bank of Scotland important cases and issues relating to labor law, social security law, pension fund regulation, share option scheme, etc…        

Legal Education        

            L.L.M. from La Sagesse University    

Languages     

            Arabic, French and English

Elie has strong regional experience and has actively encouraged and participated in the creation of stronger regional legal ties within both MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and those states which are members of GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council). He has been heavily involved in advising on Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contracts  ...

Elie has strong regional experience and has actively encouraged and participated in the creation of stronger regional legal ties within both MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and those states which are members of GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council). He has been heavily involved in advising on Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contracts within the region on both non contentious and contentious matters and in respect of the latter he has both prepared and appeared on claims before local courts and ICC arbitral tribunals. Out of his skill in construction matters, Elie has participated in Public Private Partnership (PPP) schemes including BOT (Build Operate Transfer) and in the Lebanon advised the Public Sector on a number of such schemes.        

Credentials    

Acted for major construction assurance financial companies in the Middle East and Gulf Area.

Participated in the drafting and negotiation of BOT agreements and text of legislation for the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) namely for Beirut Sport City, Three Free Zones, Beirut Airport (Free Zone Car part and Hotel), the Highways project, Beirut Conference Center and the Regie Privatization Project, and advising on other local and international projects.

Acted as legal advisor and lawyer for a South Eastern European Supply and Procurement organisation in Kuwait

Acted as legal advisor to Kuwait Insurance Company, Lycée Français (Kuwait) Bull Computer – American Universal School (Kuwait) and Hamengs Holdings (multinational construction company).

Advised on the establishment of several commercial and construction companies in the Middle East and the Gulf Areas, preparing cases for and appearing in hearings on claims before the local courts and ICC arbitral tribunals.

Acted as legal advisor for Brown and Root, Fish-Back and Moore (US Companies) and Draggage et Travaux Publiques (French) on both construction and other issues in the Gulf Area.

Acted as legal advisor for South Eastern European Engineering organisation in Kuwait

Advised a Group of Companies (contracting and supply) in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon   

Legal Education        

            Masters in Law from Saint Joseph University (USJ) in Beirut      

Publications   

2010       Author of the legal study on the laws of Iraki prisons and correctional facilities in comparison to the United Nations Minima Standard Rules for the treatment of detainees and prisoners for (IDM and UNDP)   

Development  

Founding member of Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity (ACRLI),

Project Manager of the Commercial Law Strengthening (MENA CLS) Project. The   project aimed at raising awareness on key commercial legal issues and its effects on economic growth, as well as building capacity to increase efficient and effective utilization of commercial dispute resolution mechanisms for (ACRILI and MEPI).

Prepared firstly a study report for ACRLI and IFES (a US N.G.O) on the state of judiciary in Lebanon, and a comparative study on the state of judiciary in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco for a project on the state of judiciary, media and participation, and secondly a comparative study for the UNDP in a project on the state of judiciary, in ten Arab countries presented  as a paper in the Conference on  Good Governance in  Arab Countries held at the Dead Sea Jordan (February 2005

Revised and analyzed the legal and judiciary laws and regulations, and their impact on investment and business plans for the “one-stop-shop” for Port Cities Development Program in Aden (Yemen), and prepared legal framework for investors concerned with the “One-Stop-Shop”

Languages     

            Arabic, French and English

Abdulkader, as the founder of the eponymous law office, has over 25 years experience in business related law including Commercial Company Law, Banking Affairs, Finance, Bourse Trading, Islamic Waqf, Real Estate Investment, Intellectual Property Law, and Contract Law as well as in Family Law.

Abdulkader, as the founder of the eponymous law office, has over 25 years experience in business related law including Commercial Company Law, Banking Affairs, Finance, Bourse Trading, Islamic Waqf, Real Estate Investment, Intellectual Property Law, and Contract Law as well as in Family Law.

His experience, as with many of his TLL colleagues is national, regional and international with particular experience of addressing differences and similarities between Civil Law and Common Law jurisdictions the latter being primarily parts of the UK and parts of Australia and Geneva.

Credentials    

Advising, as a Legal Consultant, the Ministry of Information concerning the Law of Information.

Advising over a period of fifteen years as a Legal Consultant an Islamic Waqf (charitable trust) on issues such as its establishment and liquidation.

Advising on the Fundamentals of Islamic Finance including Islamic Principles in Financial Products, Regulatory Framework and Legal Issues, Accounting and Governance, Risk Management Process as well as Tax legislations and Issues.

Preparing, drafting, negotiating and reviewing Islamic Banking Products and Instruments such as ,Sale Based Financing

Lease Based and other Financing, Deposit Services and Sukuk: Structuring and Issuings such as Sukuk: Murabahah / Musharakah and other.

Preparing, drafting, negotiating and reviewing Islamic Fund and Investment Products and Securities such as Islamic Equity Market (Shares) & Unit Trusts, Islamic Private Equity Islamic Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Islamic Structured Products, Islamic Derivatives Instruments as well as Insurance Related Products such as

Islamic Commercial Contracts in Takaful Business, Family and General Takaful Products, Retakaful vs. Reinsurance Islamic Bancassurance and advising on Technical Aspects of Takaful Business

He worked for fifteen years as a Legal Consultant for Islamic Waqf. He advised on Islamic Waqf as concerns its establishment and liquidation.

Advising and supplying services to major clients in relation to the management of holding and offshore companies in the structuring of their international businesses such as in West Africa.

Advising on Corporate Governance and Financial Strategies.

Advising high wealth individuals on issues such as family companies, matrimonial distributions on separation and divorce.

Acting as representative of the Syndicate of Tripoli in the Workshop Organized by Booz Allen and Ministry of Commerce on Intellectual property.

Legal Education        

1980-1981       L.L.B from the Lebanese University (UL)       

Publications

1991    Published articles and studies in law (Banking)

            Published a pamphlet regarding the Lebanese Banking Law N° 110/9

Languages     

            Arabic and English

Iskandar Elias holds an LLM from the Lebanese University in Beirut. He joined the Beirut Bar Association (BBAL) in 1986. He is a reputable lawyer in the litigation field with confirmed competence for over 28 years in numerous high profile cases covering various areas of law. Iskandar is the sole representative of the Beirut Bar Association in  ...

Iskandar Elias holds an LLM from the Lebanese University in Beirut. He joined the Beirut Bar Association (BBAL) in 1986. He is a reputable lawyer in the litigation field with confirmed competence for over 28 years in numerous high profile cases covering various areas of law. Iskandar is the sole representative of the Beirut Bar Association in El-Metn district.

Credentials    

Iskandar represents local, regional and national clients’ and acquired a wide experience in dealing with commercial and corporate activities and relating disputes.

He advised a wide range of local and multinational companies on real estate investment and construction matters.

Iskandar has successfully assisted major companies as well as high profiled individuals in sorting out tax matters and problems through his dominant personality and large sphere of contacts.

He achieved remarkable results in cases relating to contracting, real estate, inheritance problems, wills, commercial representation, corporate matters and majority abuses, banking activities, multiple criminal and penal cases, inside tradings, competition, trademarks and patents, various companies financial and accounting offences. 

Iskandar supervises all legal matters relating to companies' strategy and management issues.

Handled for major companies important cases and issues relating to labor law, social security law, pension fund regulation, share option scheme, etc…

Legal Education        

1985    L.L.M. in Law from the Lebanese University

Languages     

 Arabic and English

Dany followed up his legal education in Lebanon (he holds a Masters in Computer Sciences Law) with a PhD from Panthéon – Assas (Paris) for his thesis on IPL (Intellectual Property Law). Whilst his career has continued his development as one of the leading IP lawyers in private practice he has lectured at the Lebanese University (UL)  ...

Dany followed up his legal education in Lebanon (he holds a Masters in Computer Sciences Law) with a PhD from Panthéon – Assas (Paris) for his thesis on IPL (Intellectual Property Law). Whilst his career has continued his development as one of the leading IP lawyers in private practice he has lectured at the Lebanese University (UL) as well as working on a wider range of commercial and corporate issues including banking, consumer protection and private international law.

Credentials    

Representing a major insurance company in relation to its maritime issues arising over a ten year period.

Delivering opinions as a recognised independent expert Jurist in proceedings pending before Judges and Arbitral Tribunals

Advising on matters relating to contractual as well as tortuous responsibility, contract termination and commercial representation.

Advising on, negotiating and settling documents relating to insolvency issues both pre and post corporate bankruptcy including possible liabilities arising.

Advising on the impact of managers’ and directors’ prerogatives in companies, the effects of changes in the legal structure of companies, contract interpretation and non-liability clauses.

Advising on intellectual property matters regarding copyrights, patents, trademarks and designs and models issues (litigation, prosecution and deposit) and their collective management as well as their related rights.

Preparing, drafting, negotiating and settling matters with regard to bankruptcy issues

Advising high profile and celebrity clients in relation to performers’ rights.

Advising on the exploitation of IP rights, strategic planning in relation to such rights and corporate structures in relation to them

Advising on the protection of plant varieties

Legal Education        

1999    Bachelor in Law from La Sagesse University

2000      Masters in Informatique Juridique ET Droit de L’Informatique (DEA), La Sagesse University

2007    PHD in Intellectual Property Law, Paris II Pantheon-Assas University

Publications   

2010    “Author’s Rights "Le Droit d'auteur… est-il un droit de l'homme?" published in the Beirut Bar Association for Lawyers’ (BBAL) « EL-Aadel » magazine.

1994-2010 Numerous articles and legal studies published in legal periodicals.

Developments

2008-2012 Lecturing at the Lebanese University (UL) major subjects include Public International Law, Civil Law, Human Rights, Intellectual Property and Commercial Law

Languages     

            Arabic, French and English

Lynn, in common with many of her TLL colleagues, has an international background and having completed her legal education in Paris and in Durham, North Carolina with work experience in the London office of a legal practice, started work with a Luxembourg law firm before moving back to The Lebanon. With her experience of international corporate  ...

Lynn, in common with many of her TLL colleagues, has an international background and having completed her legal education in Paris and in Durham, North Carolina with work experience in the London office of a legal practice, started work with a Luxembourg law firm before moving back to The Lebanon. With her experience of international corporate transactions as well as her knowledge of regional issues she brings a breadth of expertise to the corporate and commercial issues with which she primarily deal.

Credentials    

She has provided services for company activity including setting up company bylaws, dealing with all aspects of liquidations such as liaising with liquidator and accounting firm, drafting shareholders resolutions authorizing the transfer of the company’s server and the appointment and resignation of managers and directors of Limited Liability Companies (L.L.Cs) and Public Companies.

Developing and drafting corporate documents such as joint stock, holding, offshore and limited liability company statutes, minutes of general assembly meetings and all varieties of shareholders' agreements.

Advising on, negotiating and amending distribution, agency and franchise agreements, sales and purchase agreements.

Negotiating indemnities relating to a saline chemical company on freight and other maritime matters and. drafting memoranda and legal opinions on the indemnification of commercial agents in the UAE and Lebanon,.

Advising on issues arising on a joint venture agreement between a French company and a Russian entity for the purposes of establishing a commercial activity.

Advising on, negotiating and drafting aspects of consumer laws, rights, antitrust and competition issues in particular with regard to advantages of creating a consumer rights association

Both advising on and delivering seminars on credit and credit related agreements including Shari’a compliant arrangements

Legal Education        

2006    Bachelor in Private Law, Paris XI University,

2007    Masters in Private International Law, Paris XI University,

2008    Masters in Law (LLM), Duke University,

Languages     

            Arabic, French and English

Nayla has a wide experience in civil and commercial legal sectors in the Middle East region, especially in Lebanon and Qatar. She has worked on many real estate transactions and covered corporate issues among them incorporation of firms, drafting contracts and advising on legal issues. In addition, Nayla has handled several penal cases in Lebanon  ...

Nayla has a wide experience in civil and commercial legal sectors in the Middle East region, especially in Lebanon and Qatar. She has worked on many real estate transactions and covered corporate issues among them incorporation of firms, drafting contracts and advising on legal issues. In addition, Nayla has handled several penal cases in Lebanon and Qatar.

Credentials    

Experience in real estate, including negotiations of purchase contracts as well as drafting of ownership regulations.

Completion of real estate procedures, including mortgages and distribution of lots, in addition to handling registration and all other real estate issues before the relevant authorities in Lebanon.

Advised on tenders relating to construction

Advised major banks in Qatar in their internal business as well as their procedures with their clients.

Advised and handled litigation relating to corporate, commercial and penal issues in Lebanon and Qatar.

Legal translation from French and English to Arabic for Government Agencies in Qatar.

Experience in real estate, including negotiations of purchase contracts as well as drafting of ownership regulations.

Completion of real estate procedures, including mortgages and distribution of lots, in addition to handling registration and all other real estate issues before the relevant authorities in Lebanon.

Advised on tenders relating to construction

Legal Education        

1997    Law Degree from La Sagesse University

1999    Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism DESS, Saint Joseph University

Languages     

Arabic, French and English

Mohamad, has recently joined The Levant Lawyers (TLL) after graduating from the Lebanese University, Filière Francophone de Droit, a prestigious Lebanese university. His areas of interest are commercial and corporate law. Mohamad has recently joined the Committee of Energy and Water at the Beirut Bar Association. Previously to joining  ...

Mohamad, has recently joined The Levant Lawyers (TLL) after graduating from the Lebanese University, Filière Francophone de Droit, a prestigious Lebanese university. His areas of interest are commercial and corporate law. Mohamad has recently joined the Committee of Energy and Water at the Beirut Bar Association. Previously to joining TLL he was working with a family owned construction company and was in charge of all administrative matters such as obtaining construction permits, sorting taxes.

Credentials

He has aided the team with several researches in international law including companies' law, tax, and commercial law.

He has participated in drafting legal opinions and memoranda legal regime of the agent (power of attorney) in a sales agreement, and effects of the transformation of the status of a limited partnership to a Limited Liability company and its effects on third party rights(debtors, creditors and tenants).

Developing and drafting corporate documents such as, holding, offshore and limited liability company statutes, minutes of general assembly meetings.

Advising on, negotiating and amending distribution, agency and franchise agreements, sales and purchase agreements.

Negotiating indemnities relating to a saline chemical company on freight and other maritime matters and. drafting memoranda and legal opinions on the indemnification of commercial agents in the UAE and Lebanon.

Legal Education        

2009    Bachelor in Private Law, Lebanese University, Filière Francophone de Droit.

2014     Certificate in Oil and Gas training program at Idrac (Regulations, contracting, advanced knowledge)

Languages     

Arabic and French

Bassem holds a Masters in Law as well as a Master Degree in Canonical Law from La Sagesse University. The subject of his Masters’ thesis in Canonical law was"The Role of Lay people in the Church". Bassem has been member of the Maronite Archdioceses of Beirut since 1997. He joined the Beirut Bar Association in 2013.

  ...

Bassem holds a Masters in Law as well as a Master Degree in Canonical Law from La Sagesse University. The subject of his Masters’ thesis in Canonical law was"The Role of Lay people in the Church". Bassem has been member of the Maronite Archdioceses of Beirut since 1997. He joined the Beirut Bar Association in 2013.

Credentials

Advising and following up litigations relating to personal status matters before the Religious Courts including declaring the nullity of a marriage, custody, ban from travel and outlay.

Management of the Church properties including negotiating and drafting their related terms and contracts.

Advised in matters relating to inheritance.

Advised and handled litigation relating to real estate and acquisition of property.

Completing real estate procedures, handling registration and all other real estate issues before the relevant official authorities in Lebanon.

Handling litigation relating to Labour Law.

Legal Education:

2002      Masters in Canonical Law from La Sagesse University

1999      Masters in Law from La Sagesse University

2002 – 2004 Participated in the Conference held by the Middle East Council of Churches on Christian Muslim Dialogue

Languages:

Arabic, French and English

Whilst still a young lawyer in experience, Haissam has an impressive academic record holding a Bachelor Degree in Law which he followed up with legal studies in France achieving both a Masters in Economic Law and a PhD in Business Law for which his thesis was on the Micro-enterprises Comparative Law. Haissam has recently accepted an invitation to  ...

Whilst still a young lawyer in experience, Haissam has an impressive academic record holding a Bachelor Degree in Law which he followed up with legal studies in France achieving both a Masters in Economic Law and a PhD in Business Law for which his thesis was on the Micro-enterprises Comparative Law. Haissam has recently accepted an invitation to lecture at the renowned law university La Filière Francophone De Droit.

Legal Education

2013       PhD in Business Law from Aix-Marseille University

2009       Masters in Economic Law from Aix-Marseille University

2008       Bachelor in Law from La Filière Francophone de Droit

Publications

2013      « The pro-personal limited liabiliy company », published in AJIDA, January-June, n°1, 2013

2012      « The social protection of the Lebanese entrepreneurs», published in AJIDA, April-June, n°2, 2012

Legal Studies

2013      « The effective reception of foreign law »

2009      « The micro-enterprise governed by the LME law »

2009      « The impact of restructuring on collective bargaining agreements»

2008      « The conciliation process »

Languages

Arabic, French and English

Joseph achieved a rich academic background holding an LLM at Law followed by a MASTER and a PHD in International Law. He currently lectures International Law, Banking Law and Civil Law at well renowned Universities in Beirut.

He participated at several conferences and debates in International Law and International Arbitration as well  ...

Joseph achieved a rich academic background holding an LLM at Law followed by a MASTER and a PHD in International Law. He currently lectures International Law, Banking Law and Civil Law at well renowned Universities in Beirut.

He participated at several conferences and debates in International Law and International Arbitration as well as numerous arbitration processes in France.

Joseph is a junior associate with potential capabilities.

Legal Education

2007    LLM at Law- Lebanese University.

2009    MASTER in International Law at the University of Dijon – France

2013  PHD in International Law – International Arbitration at the University of Cergy-Pontoise – France.

Publications

2009    The witness in international arbitration

2013    Evidence in international arbitration

Languages

Arabic, French and English.

Raoul, with a background shared with most of his TLL colleagues, brings international expertise to any transaction together with an understanding of the imperatives on industry having been with an international bank headquartered in Paris. Whilst in France, he also worked with two international legal practices and during that time developed a  ...

Raoul, with a background shared with most of his TLL colleagues, brings international expertise to any transaction together with an understanding of the imperatives on industry having been with an international bank headquartered in Paris. Whilst in France, he also worked with two international legal practices and during that time developed a wide understanding of delivering legal services timely, to a high standard and in a cost effective manner. His experience of working out of both Paris (he is a member of the Paris Bar Association) and The Lebanon involves a wide range of legal disciplines, both contentious and non contentious, such as banking and asset finance, corporate mergers, acquisitions and finance, consumer law and antitrust issues.

Credentials

Advising on issues relating to Letters of Credit, fraud, project financing, buyer credits, credit-union, international guarantees and enforcement of securities abroad.

Assisting multinational clients on important ICC and other international arbitrations (BOT contracts, construction contracts including FIDIC) and mediation proceedings as well as drafting settlement and other dispute related agreements.

Advised government entities (including ministries) on antitrust issues and advised on the creation of associations for the protection of consumers’ rights in Lebanon and France.

Advised on the setting up of new companies (Offshore, Joint-stock, Holding, Joint Ventures), drafted BOD and General Assembly resolutions and advised on many corporate issues in respect of mergers and acquisitions.

Legal Education

2000       Law degree Saint Joseph University

2001   Master Degree in Arbitration, Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolutions (Filière Francophone de Droit de Beyrouth – In coorperation with the University of Paris II – Panthéon-Assas)

2001      Master degree in International Private Law and International Trade Law (University of Paris II – Panthéon-Assas)

2007    PhD Degree in International Private Law (University of Paris II – Panthéon-Assas)

Development

Training at the Paris and Beirut Courts of Appeal

Languages

Arabic, French, English and Spanish

Italian and German/ Elementary