Commercial. Corporate.
Residency. Financial Legal Compliance.

Commercial Contracts

Drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, including English-law governed agreements where appropriate.

Design, Construction and Engineering

FIDIC and bespoke contracts, as used in Iraq and the Emirates.

• FIDIC Red, Yellow and Silver Books and their particular conditions
• EPC, design-and-build and construction management
• Payment security: letters of credit, guarantees, retention, escrow
• Claims, variations and termination; under the arbitration rules of the SIAC, ICC, DIAC and LCIA

Hospitality & Hotel Management

Advice to hotel owners and investors on operator and brand relationships.

• Hotel management and technical services agreements; operator appointments
• Performance tests, commercial fee structures and owner protections
• Termination, renewal and contractual remedies

International Franchising & Brand Licensing

Master franchise and development agreements, international market entry, territorial exclusivity, royalties, brand licensing and franchise compliance.

Intellectual Property & Brand Protection

Trademark searches, registration strategy, domestic and international filing coordination through authorised practitioners where required, renewals, licensing and protection of intellectual property rights.

Corporate and Iraqi Company Law

Companies formed, maintained and reorganised.

International Transactions

Cross-border structures and transactions, coordinating jurisdiction-specific advice with appropriately qualified local counsel.

• Holding structures, subsidiaries and special purpose vehicles
• Cross-border acquisitions, investments and joint ventures
• Due diligence on counterparties; supervision of foreign counsel

Offshore and Free Zones

• Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, UAE free zones and offshore
• DIFC and ADGM companies and foundations

Governance

Governance frameworks, board processes and legal-function design, informed by senior in-house leadership experience.

• Board charters, delegations of authority, signatory and approvals matrices
• Directors' duties, board papers and minutes
• Group policies; intra-group contracts and shared services
• In-house legal functions: approval workflows, registers, board reporting

Compliance

• Anti-money-laundering: policies, risk assessments, registration and reporting
• Know-your-client and sanctions screening
• Beneficial ownership registers and regulatory filings
• Data protection advice within relevant jurisdictions, with specialist local counsel where required

Visas and Residency

• KRI visa and residency
• UAE residency
• Corporate immigration: establishment cards, quotas and workforce programmes in KRI and UAE

International Citizenship

• Citizenship and residence by investment: programme selection against the client's objectives
• Eligibility, due diligence and source-of-funds files
• Licensed agents, government units and post-approval formalities

International Banking

Banking documentation, account-opening support and ongoing compliance.

• KYC documentation and due diligence support for international banking applications
• Legal and documentation support for personal and corporate account-opening applications
• Preparation and review of source-of-wealth and source-of-funds documentation
• Bank enquiries, periodic reviews, restrictions and closures
• Banking compliance support for operating companies, including multi-currency and merchant account applications

Governance and Regulatory Support

Formation, governance, contracts and regulatory compliance for non-profit organisations, subject to the scope of our local practice.