Newton Legal

Founding Partner: Joseph Huse
Managing Partner: Aamal Al Abbasi
Partner: Ahmed Al Fardan
Number of lawyers: 18
Languages: Arabic and English

Firm Overview:
Newton Legal (NLG) is a Bahrain-based international law firm established in 2012 by Joseph Huse, former Regional Managing Partner of MENA for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. The firm was established with the objective of providing world-class legal services throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC region. NLG has grown to become one of the most prominent and leading law firms in Bahrain with a team of the brightest lawyers specializing across a number of practice areas. NLG works closely with a number of key clients including H.R.H. the Prime Minister’s Office, the Office of H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Jawad Al Arrayed, the Economic Development Board, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and its subsidiaries, Ahli United Bank, Bahrain Islamic Bank, Ithmaar Bank along with the Oil and Gas Holding Company (nogaholding) and its subsidiaries including the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco). The Law Office of Aamal Al Abbasi (LOAA) is the local arm of NLG. LOAA has advised numerous leading companies in Bahrain and abroad including Mumtalakat Holding Company and its subsidiaries, Bapco, The Oil and Gas Holding Company, Garmco, Bahrain Islamic Bank, Ithmaar Bank, Savills on the Laws of Bahrain.

Main Areas of Practice:
Corporate & Commercial
Dispute Resolution
Employment
Energy
Public Law
Real Estate
Banking & Finance

Corporate & Commercial:
3 partners, 12 fee earners

• NLG is advising nogaholding and Bapco on Neste’s exit from the joint venture between the parties relating to the Bahrain Lube Base Oil Plant, which produces Group III base oil, with an annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes.
• NLG is regularly engaged to develop standard transaction documents including supply, distribution and consultancy agreements. Furthermore, our corporate governance team regularly advises public and private companies on the implementation of governance rules and regulations and rights and responsibilities of stakeholders, board members and executive management.
• The Government of Bahrain exclusively appointed NLG to act as counsel on the agreements signed in relation to the supply of Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines), plus other drug purchase and supply agreements.

Key Clients: HRH the Prime Minister’s Office, nogaholding, Bapco, BAFCO, BAC Jet Fuel, Mumtalakat, Ahli United Bank, Ithmaar Bank, Danat, Bahrain Flour Mills, National Communication Centre, Ahmed Mansoor Al Aali Real Estate Co., Zomato, Savills, Ooredoo, Enoc Marketing, Imerys Al Zayani Fused Minerals and LPA CGR.
Contact: Ahmed Alfardan
Tel: +97317006571
Email: [email protected]

Dispute Resolution:
3 partners, 10 fee earners

• NLG (alongside Brick Court Chambers) represented Bapco and nogaholding in their international arbitration dispute with Neste over the marketing of their joint venture Group III base oil plant in Sitra, Bahrain. 
• Aamal Al Abbasi led the team responsible for the first and one of the largest cases in Bahrain under the Bankruptcy and Reorganization Law. Aamal represented Garmco in its $268 million court led reorganization, including before the Court of Cassation, where Aamal successfully challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal to reject Garmco’s request to commence court-led reorganization proceedings. This marked the first decision by the Court of Cassation in a case raised under the Reorganization and Bankruptcy Law. The court ratified the reorganization plan on 31 October 2021. 
• LOAA in association with NLG has been appointed by several banks and real estate companies to represent them in real estate disputes before the courts of Bahrain related to large commercial properties, including the Lagoon commercial complex, Danat Al Madina, Segaya Plaza and Enma Mall.

Key Clients: nogaholding, Bapco, Ministry of Oil, Garmco, Bahrain Islamic Bank, LS Real Estate, Abdulla Al Wardi Holding, Eskan Bank, Bahrain Defense Force, Hadef and Partners, Pom'Alliance, AlDawaa Medical and Middle Region Development Company.
Contact: Aamal Al Abbasi
Tel: +97317006571
Email: [email protected]

Energy: 

• With Bahrain’s recent commitment to bring carbon emissions to net zero by 2060 and considerable increase in use of solar energy, NLG Energy Team regularly advises public and private entities on renewable energy projects and have recently advised on the MWac solar carport project in the Bahrain International Circuit, the Ministry of Education’s initiative to install solar systems in eight public schools, and a solar energy project between a leading Bahraini manufacturing company and a regional energy company.
• NLG advised Bapco Retail Company, a fuel service station operator with a network of 19 stations in Bahrain, on multiple operation and management agreements including the agreement signed by the company in relation to Old Palace Service Station.
• NLG has advised on the suite of documents entered into following MDC Oil & Gas and Occidental’s exit from Tatweer and termination of the Development and Production Sharing Agreement (DPSA) signed by nogaholding, National Oil and Gas Authority, Occidental and MDC Oil & Gas.

Key Clients: nogaholding, Bapco, HRH the Prime Minister’s Office, Imerys Al Zayani and Bapco Retail.
Contacts: Joseph Huse
Tel: +97317006571
Email: [email protected]

Public Law:
2 partners, 8 fee earners

• Aamal Al Abbasi was appointed as a member to the committee responsible for the enhancement and development of the judicial sector in Bahrain. The NLG team regularly advises H.R.H. the Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of H.E. the Deputy Prime Minister Jawad Al Arrayed on new legislation enacted in Bahrain. Furthermore, the team has advised the Government of Bahrain on international treaties including the Singapore Convention on Mediation.
• NLG is considered the leading firm in advising on public procurement in Bahrain and has regularly advised ministries, public authorities and state-owned companies on tenders and questions arising under Public Procurement Laws.
• NLG has acted as sole counsel for the Government of Bahrain from the outset of Covid-19 pandemic on a number of legal matters including the regulations and decisions issued in response to the pandemic, and the vaccine supply agreements (including Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines) and other drug purchase agreements.

Key Clients: H.R.H. the Prime Minister’s Office, Office of H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Jawad Al Arrayed, The Sustainable Energy Authority, The Council for Regulating the Practice of Engineering Professions, The National Communication Center, nogaholding and Bapco.
Contacts: Aamal Al Abbasi
Tel: +97317006571
Email: [email protected]

Real Estate:
2 Partners, 5 fee earners

• NLG advised Inovest on $660 million real estate development project with Sumou Holding to develop a 1 million sqm land in the Half Moon Bay in the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia. The project aims to develop a gated waterfront resort that will include residential and commercial properties.
• NLG developed the standard real estate transaction documents for the operator of Park Janabiya, a 3,808 m² commercial complex of 44 units located in Bahrain.
• LOAA in association with NLG has been appointed by several banks and real estate companies to represent them in real estate disputes before the courts of Bahrain related to large commercial properties, including the Lagoon commercial complex, Danat Al Madina, Segaya Plaza and Enma Mall.

Key Clients: Inovest, Bapco Retail Company, Bapco, nogaholding, Bahrain Islamic Bank, LS Real Estate Middle Region Development Company and Eskan Bank and Janabiya Park Development Company.
Contacts: Aamal Al Abbasi
Tel: +97317006571
Email: [email protected]

Banking & Finance 

• NLG and LOAA advised nogaholding and Bapco for both the construction and financing phases of the BMP (deal value in excess of US$6 billion). Joseph Huse led the team.
• LOAA in association with NLG acted as local counsel to nogaholding for the expansion of its existing Murabaha Facility from $1,400 million to $1,600 million.
• NLG was engaged by a group of creditors to advise on the $800m voluntary restructuring of JBF Industries, an international manufacturer with presence in Bahrain.

Key Clients: nogaholding, Bapco, creditors committee of JBF Rak (including Mashreqbank and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank) and Garmco.