Al-Jadaan & Partners has three main practice areas:
Banking and Finance
(including all areas of Islamic finance, project and asset finance, structured finance, securitizations and banking/finance regulatory). The Firm’s Banking and Finance Team is managed and led by one of the partners, Abdulaziz Al-Abduljabbar who provides seasoned input on Saudi law matters. The Banking and Finance Team is under the oversight of one of the founding partners, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, one of Saudi Arabia’s pre-eminent banking and finance lawyers. The team is further strengthened by the presence of other experienced Saudi and seconded lawyers from Clifford Chance, including Philip Yip, Sherroy Ong, Sirajul Islam and Mohamed Yousef (the “Finance Team”).
The UK Chambers and Partners commented recently about Al-Jadaan & Partner Law Firm stating that "This outstanding firm continues to feature on some of the country’s most prominent deals: “It has a piece of the action on almost every large financing in the Kingdom,” note peers. The team is highly rated for its client service, and interviewees say these lawyers are “never too busy to speak to you - they always make themselves available.”" “Peers admire the firm’s impressive profile in Saudi’s growing projects market. Noting that Clifford Chance ‘really knows how to choose its Saudi partners,’ interviewees commend the ‘international standards of professionalism’ displayed on behalf of international and local lenders in both conventional and Islamic transactions. The Clifford Chance link has also brought in quality secondees, making this ‘a very complete firm,’ according to commentators.” The UK Chambers and Partners also commented: “Mohammed Al-Jadaan wins plaudits for his ‘analytical yet hands-on’ approach. Clients rave about his ‘local insight and prodigious work rate,’ adding that he ‘delivers from start to finish.’” " Hailed as “one of the foremost practitioners” in the Saudi finance market, Mohammed Al-Jadaan commands considerable respect amongst his peers. He impresses sources with his “practical and commercial outlook,” and clients say “he works hard to find the solution to a problem .”"
The Finance Team provides comprehensive advice on all manner of Banking and Finance transactions to lenders, project owners and investors on loans (including credit and investment agreements, term loans, revolving credit facilities and guarantee facilities), project development agreements, collateral security agreements (including personal and corporate guarantees, pledges of assets and assignments), security arrangements including letters of credit and escrow arrangements and structuring, drafting, negotiating and settling complex documentation on behalf of clients in these and other areas. The Finance Team has had extensive experience in advising international finance institutions on offering and dealing with securities (including derivatives) in Saudi Arabia and are considered the leading Saudi Arabian advisors on the newly enacted Capital Markets Law. Jointly with another firm, Al-Jadaan is ranked number one in projects, banking and finance and corporate in Saudi Arabia for 2003/2004/2005/2006/2007/2008 by UK Legal 500 commenting that the Firm "is without doubt a leader in this field.". Al-Jadaan was ranked with another law firm as number one in banking and finance by Chambers and Partners. Al-Jadaan has also been awarded the “Saudi Law Firm of the Year” award by IFLR for the years 2006 and 2007. UK Legal 500 recently commented that Al-Jadaan Law Firm’s “outstanding…finance team is fronted by partner Mohammed Al-Jadaan, referred to by one client as 'the best Saudi lawyer in the market.’”
Islamic Finance
Al-Jadaan’s Islamic Finance Team is widely regarded as the leading Islamic law and finance practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Managing Partner Mohammed Al-Jadaan was the lead Saudi counsel in the Etisalat transaction (the largest Islamic financing transaction ever consummated which transaction was awarded the Islamic finance deal of the year award by Euromoney in February 2005). The Islamic Finance team structured cutting-edge and novel Islamic financing structures for mega projects like the $ 8.5 billion Rabigh petrochemicals project (for which Al-Jadaan received the “Deal of the Year” award from IFLR in September 2006) that fit within the context of larger project conventional financings. Additionally, The Islamic Finance team have been the market leader in devising novel Islamic financing structures including for the SAR 3 billion first sukuk offering by SABIC in the Kingdom, the Al-Waha Petrochemical project which is the first project finance transaction to be financed by Islamic facilities without any commercial lending (for which Al-Jadaan received the “Deal of the Year” award from IFLR in 2007) and has devised and developed novel Islamically considerate Ijara and Musharakah structures, Islamic financing products and re-financings of conventional financings into Islamic financings. The Islamic Finance practice of the firm is developing strongly with two partners and a mix of senior and junior attorneys that are capable of handling structuring, documentation and negotiation of Islamic finance transactions.
The Firm’s Islamic Finance Team has broad experience in Islamic financing including, asset finance (aircraft, ships etc.), the preparation of novel and innovative, yet considered, ijara, murabaha, mudarabah, musharaka, takaful, tawarruq and sukuk transactional structures. Al-Jadaan will often advise in the alignment of such arrangements within complex structured financings in a manner that would be considered Islamically compliant under the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Corporate Capital Markets and General Commercial Law (including all aspects of mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, equity capital market, debt capital market, Islamic instruments such as Sukuk, general corporate advice including corporate regulatory matters, government regulation, privatization, joint ventures, intellectual property and foreign investment law). The Firm’s Corporate, Capital Markets and General Commercial Law practice is led by partner, Abdullah Al-Hashim and supported by partner, Khalid Al-Abdulkareem a very experienced Saudi qualified lawyers, with over all supervision by Mohammed Al-Jadaan, listed in Chambers 2004/2005/2006/2007/2008 as a leading lawyer in Saudi Arabia in Corporate/Commercial and Banking/Finance practice areas. The Legal 500 named Al-Jadaan co-number one with another firm noting that the Firm’s Corporate, Capital Markets and General Commercial Law practice is "market-leading", "demonstrates equal strength on both the international and domestic fronts." and “has an excellent corporate presence" the Legal 500 quoted one client stating that the Firm’s Corporate, Capital Markets and General Commercial Law practice is "not only good lawyers, but are orientated to finding, wherever at all possible, a solution to their client's issues.”
The Corporate Team provides comprehensive advice on all manner of corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, corporate governance and compliance, agency, insurance regulatory matters, capital markets and private placements, international law and privatization. The Firm is recognized as the market leader in Saudi Arabia for providing legal counsel regarding privatization including recent advice to IFC in connection with the privatization of the King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah Hajj terminal complex and advice to the Saudi government regarding the privatization of Saudi Arabian Airlines including the substantial minority sale in the Catering Unit and Cargo Unit, Saudi Telecommunications Company, and certain assets of the Ministry of Water and Electricity. The Firm was ranked first in Saudi Arabia in Privatizations by Legal 500 in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Corporate Team also advises on all types of commercial contracts including commercial agency relationships, franchise arrangements, hybrids of investment arrangements, labor relationships, foreign investment and related regulatory advice and intellectual property (including structuring, documenting and preparation of licensing agreements).
The UK Chambers and Partners recently commented that "This group demonstrates a “real zeal and passion” for its work, and sources say that the sizeable team is able to provide an “unrivalled depth of support” to its clients, which allows it to maintain an edge over its competitors." "It also played a significant role in the development of the book building process in relation to the Saudi equity capital market" it also commented that this group "is “professional, obliging and gives accurate advice,”" it also commented on Mohammed Al-Jadaan as “[a] brilliant and outstanding lawyer,” who “brings an impressive combination of Saudi and Western legal knowledge to the table. Peers rate him as a ‘formidable competitor,’ while clients appreciate his ‘top-quality work product.’” "Considered a “market leader,” Mohammed Al-Jadaan is “enthusiastic, forthright and reliable.” Clients appreciate how he “sets aside time to talk to us about concepts and ideas ,” and applaud his “sound commercial and legal acumen .”"
The Firm’s privatisation practice is the leader in the market. The UK legal 500 noted that Al-Jadaan’s privatisation practice "remains the country's leading privatisation practice.". it also recently commented that Firm’s privatisation practice is “unarguably the finest privatisation practice in Saudi Arabia.”
The Firm has a leading practice in capital markets, both debt and equity. The practice involves advising on IPOs, private placements and exempt offering of equity, advising on debt instruments, Sukuk and securitisation. Al-Jadaan has an excellent relationship with the Capital Market Authority which enables its lawyers to be at the edge of all developments in this fast growing area of law.
Dispute Resolution including commercial litigation representing clients before courts and judicial committees, as well as representing clients in arbitrations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. The Firm has had an excellent track record of successful representation of clients in banking, commercial, civil and intellectual property in matters before the General Courts, Grievances Board, the Banking Dispute Settlement Committee and the Commercial Notes Dispute Settlement Office. The dispute resolution practice is headed and managed by partners Yousef Al-Jadaan, Abdulaziz Al-Abduljabbar and Abdullah Al-Hashim and staffed by leading Saudi Arabian attorneys.
The UK Chambers and Partners recently commented that "Yousef Al-Jadaan… is singled out by market observers as a “very impressive litigator, who puts his heart and soul into what he does .” He is a Saudi Arabian qualified lawyer with more than 14 years' experience in banking and litigation matters.""