Dr. Walid Hegazy
Managing Partner
whegazy@hegazylaw.com
   

Dr. Hegazy has over 15 years of legal experience with a focus on Islamic banking and finance, project financing, corporate restructuring and corporate governance. Dr. Hegazy has SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) and LLM degrees from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Before launching Hegazy & Associates, Dr. Hegazy was heading the Islamic Finance Practice Group at the international law firm of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.  The other international law firms at which Dr. Hegazy practiced law include: Fulbright & Jaworski (Houston, TX), Baker & McKenzie (Riyadh, KSA), White & Case (New York), Groupe Monassier (Paris), formerly known as "Monassier & Agassi", and Zaki Hashem (Cairo). 

Dr. Hegazy’s experience includes advising:

• One of the bidding consortiums in connection with the public schools project tendered by the Ministry of Finance and the General Authority of Educational Building.
• BNP Paribas on a €7.2bn facility providing for the financing of the acquisition by Lafarge, the world's biggest cement maker, of Orascom Building Material Holding, Egypt.
• Saudi Telecom Company (STC) on its US$3.05bn acquisition of a 25 per cent interest in the telecoms operator Maxis (Malaysia) and a 51 per cent interest in the telecoms operator NTS (Indonesia).
• Sorouh in connection with its US$1bn Mudaraba-based Sukuk issue in the UAE.
• A major Saudi real estate investment group in connection with a SR1.2bn Murabaha facility.
• A major Saudi real estate developer in connection with structuring and documentation of Shari`ah-compliant facilities for the financing of a mix use real estate project in Mecca.
• A major Saudi real estate developer in connection with structuring and documentation of Shari`ah-compliant facilities for the financing of a mix use real estate project in Mecca.
• Credit Suisse on a US$1.2bn lease-backed securitization based in Saudi Arabia, in which Walid developed an innovative Shari`ah-compliant structure based on the Islamic contract of Hawala (assignment of debt).
• STC on a US$950m Musharaka-based Sukuk issuance as part of the Maxis and NTS Project. 
• STC on a US$450m Murabaha-based structured commodity facility provided by Al Rajhi Bank for the financing of a major M&A Project.
• The Government of Saudi Arabia on developing Shari`ah-compliant structures for the financing of infrastructure projects.
• Saudi British Bank (SABB) on structuring its model Murabaha agreement. 
• Advising the University of Maryland Medical School in connection with a major tender by Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Bin Zayed Foundation.
• Advising BAE Systems in connection with a number of projects in Abu Dhabi.
• Advising Ingersoll Rand on legal issues relating to distributorship and agency laws in the UAE.
• Advising Aetna in connection with the legal structuring of its business activities in the UAE.
• Advising Prince Group on legal issues relating to UAE customs and import and export laws and regulations.

    
     

Ahmed Ibrahim
Of Counsel
aibrahim@hegazylaw.com

Ahmed founded his own law firm in UAE in 2010. Before that, he practiced law as a senior associate at Strohal Legal Group in U.A.E since 2005. He also practiced law in Cairo at Behery Law Firm and was trained at the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA).

Ahmed focuses on corporate and commercial areas as well as construction law and dispute resolution; he has an International Commercial Arbitration Certificate from the School of International Arbitration (SIA) Queen Mary University of London; a post- graduate Diploma in International Trade and Investment Law from Cairo University; a Professional Diploma in Contractual and Legal Aspects in Construction Industry from the American University in Cairo; and an LLB from Cairo University. Ahmed is currently pursuing his MSc in Construction Law & Dispute Resolution from King’s College London.

Ahmed's experience includes:     

• Representing a European company in a USD 30 million construction arbitration against a group of Omani investors involving terminating turn-key contract;   
• Acting as a co-arbitrator in a AED 37 million institutional arbitration in UAE, involving termination of real estate contracts;
• Acting as sole arbitrator in a DIAC arbitration case involving the breach of real estate development contract and SPA;
• Acting as sole arbitrator in an AED 4,5 million institutional arbitration involving the termination of a design-build contract for the construction of a five stars hotel in the UAE;
• Acting as sole arbitrator in the first arbitration case under the rules of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Arbitration Center. This case involved a dispute regarding the profit distribution among shareholders of a UAE engineering company;
• Acting as an of counsel in an AED 66 million DIAC arbitration case involving the breach of a shareholders’ agreement;
• Drafting contracts, MOAs and shareholders’ agreements for the purpose of the privatization of RAK sports club in UAE;
• Representing Salzburg AG, a Governmental Austrian energy company, in pre-tender negotiations and reviewing the legal documents for an energy project in Abu Dhabi;
• Advising the Royal Family of Ras Al Khaimah on legal issues regarding their personal investments in UAE and abroad;
• Advising RAK Investment Authority on the legal and contractual issues in respect of a USD 400 Million construction and development project;
• Advising Strabag, a leading European construction company, on legal and contractual issues in respect of constructing a shopping mall in UAE; 
• Advising Dredging International, a Belgian company, on contractual issues in respect of a high value dredging contract in UAE;
• Advising the Government of Afghanistan on contracts for building power plants and cement factors; and
• Providing legal advice for a number of foreign investors in UAE regarding corporate structuring and double taxation prevention, and establishing more than 500 legal entities within GCC.

  

Dina Abdel Moneim
Associate
dabdelmoneim@hegazylaw.com

Dina is an associate at Hegazy & Associates in association with Crowell & Moring LLP. Dina holds a LL.B. (Licence en Droit) in 2006 from University of Paris I, Panthéon, Sorbonne and Cairo University, Faculty of Law. Further, Dina earned her LL.M. degree in International and European Business Law in 2007 from University of Paris I, Panthéon, Sorbonne, and Cairo University with honors. Dina is currently enrolled in University of Montpellier I to prepare her PhD in Islamic Finance. 

Dina is a member of the Egyptian Bar Association, and is fluent in Arabic, English and French. Prior to joining H&A, Dina practiced law in international reputable law firms where she had exposure to major projects, and developed extensive interpersonal and negotiation skills. 

Dina’s areas of practice include general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions and project finance.  

Dina’s experience includes:

Advising on major international transactions and projects, e.g. mergers & acquisitions, project finance, cement construction projects, natural resources projects.

• Drafting and negotiating of a broad wide of commercial agreements, including the pledge agreements,  supply and distribution agreements, shareholders agreements, collateral warranty agreements, lease agreements.
• Reviewing and commenting of facility agreements, Turnkey (EPC) contracts, joint venture agreements, strategic alliance, sale and purchase contracts, saleform agreements, services agreements, consultancy agreements.
• Conducting due diligence for some multinational companies and participating in drafting of Due Diligence Report.
• Participating in Doing Business in Turkey, Doing Business in Libya and Doing Business in Egypt Guides.
• Advising on corporate compliance procedures and legal process for incorporation and registration of companies in Egypt.
• Drafting memoranda on some legal matters under Egyptian Law, as assignment of rights and debts, force majeure, enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, contractual and tort responsibility, construction contracts.
• Translating of some documents from Arabic to English and vice versa.

          

Adnan Gaafar
Associate
agaafar@hegazylaw.com

Adnan obtained his Bachelors of Law (L.L.B) from Cairo University in 2010 and he is currently working towards his Masters in Law (L.L.M.), in International & Comparative Law with an emphasis on Commercial and Business Law at Indiana University, Indianapolis, U.S.A.  In addition, Adnan obtained a career certificate in legal translation from the American University in Cairo in 2010. Prior to joining Hegazy & Associates, Adnan was trained at Soltan Law Firm and worked as an associate at El-Salakawy Law Firm.

Adnan has experience in various legal matters, including arbitration, litigation, legal translation, and several commercial matters, such as the incorporation and registration of companies and commercial agencies. Adnan also has two years of experience working in different commercial matters with GAFI (the Egyptian Investment Authority).

Adnan’s experience includes advising Norgine B.V, an international paramedic company, regarding the incorporation of its subsidiaries in Egypt, Norgine MENA & Norgine Egypt.  He has also advised the company on different commercial matters, such as increasing its share capital, making AGM, and amending the company's name in both its commercial register and tax card.



Hussein Azmy
Associate
hazmy@hegazylaw.com

Hussein is an Associate at Hegazy & Associates in association with Crowell & Moring LLP. Hussein obtained his dual Bachelor’s degree from the University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne and Cairo University at” L'Institut de Droit des Affaires Internationales.” Hussein has experience in advising national and foreign clients on the legal framework of investment, intellectual property matters and implementing investment in Egypt and the MENA region. Hussein is fluent in English, French and Arabic.

 Hussein’s professional experience includes advising:

• Several major international corporates on the legal framework of doing business and implementing investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

• Major international industrial company on the setting-up of business in several African countries.

• Renowned American university with regards to bid, worth several million dollars, launched by a renowned charity association in the UAE;

• Major industrial international corporation on the investment and public bid process in Algeria;

• Renowned international company on the legal regime of intellectual property in Egypt;

• International NGO on the privacy rights encompassed in Egyptian telecommunications law;

• International humanitarian NGO with regard to several regulatory matters under Egyptian law.

Hussein’s experience includes as well reviewing:

• Public contract, worth several million dollars, between an American company involved in the field of manufacture and sales of military equipment and the Saudi Ministry of Defense;

• Scientific cooperation contract between a renowned American University and a Saudi University.

 

Ibrahim El-Salamoni
Associate
ielsalamoni@hegazylaw.com

Ibrahim is a member of the Egyptian Bar Association - Court of Appeal, member of the International Arbitration Center in Dubai, and member of the Aladala Center for International Arbitration and Legal Advice in Egypt. He obtained his J.D. in Business Law and LL.M from Temple University in Philadelphia and a L.L.B. from Alexandria Law School in Egypt and he has been practicing law for 20 years in Egypt and the U.S.

Ibrahim advises clients on various aspects of real estate, construction and commercial litigation in Egypt. He provides legal advice to private companies on business acquisitions, to vendors and purchasers in commercial real estate transactions including, but not limited to, sale and lease transactions, to landlords and tenants in commercial leasing transactions utilities agencies and public authorities with respect to the acquisition and interpretation of statutory rights of way, easements, restrictive covenants and real estate issues.

As a qualified Arbitrator, he provides mediation between clients and government officials of Egypt. Ibrahim is deeply involved in community related public interest cases before the Egyptian Counsil D'etat.