El-Aref International Law Office

Managing Partner: Aref El-Aref

Partners: 3

Lawyers: 8

Languages: English, French, Arabic

Firm Overview

Founded in 1942, El-Aref International Law Office advises on cross-border corporate and finance matters across the Middle East and Africa. The firm acts on multinational M&A transactions, minority investments, syndicated financings and energy and infrastructure projects involving development finance institutions, export credit agencies and regional and international banks. It regularly serves as Lebanese and regional counsel alongside US and UK law firms on transactions requiring coordinated multi-jurisdictional execution, including regulatory interface, governance structuring and sovereign-facing mandates.

Core Capabilities

Corporate & M&A

Advising on cross-border acquisitions, minority investments and corporate restructurings involving regional and international sponsors, including governance structuring and shareholder protection frameworks.

Banking & Finance

Representation of regional and international banks, development finance institutions and export credit agencies on syndicated lending, project financings and structured facilities, including security architecture, intercreditor arrangements and cross-border enforcement considerations.

Energy & Infrastructure

Advising sponsors, contractors and financiers on the structuring and financing of large-scale power and infrastructure projects across the Middle East and Africa, including EPC with supplier credit and ECA frameworks, concession arrangements and sovereign-facing project documentation.

Dispute Resolution

Commercial and investment disputes with cross-border dimensions, including enforcement strategy and jurisdictional coordination.

Selected Transactions

• Advised a Qatari bank on a QAR 1.8 billion syndicated financing.
• Represented a Middle Eastern family office in a minority investment in a US operating company structured through a pass-through Delaware LLC, including governance arrangements and negotiated minority protections.
• Advised Rotana Music in connection with the acquisition of a minority stake by Warner Music Group.
• Advised a large EPC contractor on the EPC structuring and financing of a 100 MW power project in West Africa.

Contact

Aref El-Aref

Managing Partner

[email protected]