Meysan

Firm Overview:

Managing Partner: Bader El-Jeaan

Number of partners: 11

Number of lawyers: 65

Languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian

Contacts

Corporate: Bader El-Jeaan

Capital Markets: Tarek Yehya

Projects: Abdulaziz Al Yaqout / Tarek Yehya

Litigation and Arbitration: Waleed Al Tattan

Competition & Antitrust: Dr. Abdulwahab Sadeq / Tarek Badawy / John Reynolds

Firm Summary

Launched in 2015, Meysan is an innovative and ambitious international law firm, comprising leading legal experts from the Middle East and the UK, serving those territories and beyond.

With a team of over 60 lawyers covering all key areas of corporate and finance law, the firm has advised on more mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions by value than any other law firm in Kuwait, completing over 30 deals exceeding US$30 billion in total value over the past seven years. Meysan is a top adviser on corporate financings and capital markets transactions in Kuwait, working across the full spectrum of equity, debt, and hybrid instruments, including numerous market-first innovations. Its boutique approach, limiting the number and type of matters handled, ensures a focus on high-value work, while a lower partner-to-associate ratio guarantees hands-on partner attention. The firm's clients include some of the largest Kuwaiti and Middle Eastern blue-chip companies and family groups.

Main Areas of Practice

Corporate

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A):

In the last seven years the firm's lawyers have advised on more than 40 multimillion-dollar M&A deals, exceeding $40 billion in total value. This accumulated deal value makes Meysan the undisputed leader and the number one law firm in Kuwait in M&A practice, and one of the leaders in the region. As a testament to its strength in M&A, in the first half of 2021, Meysan was ranked 16 on the Mergermarket Middle East and Africa League Table (By Value) with combined transaction value of $4.1 billion for deals executed, surpassing or on par with significantly larger competitors in the region such as Linklaters and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom. Meysan was the only regional firm ranked on the league table.

Some of our representative matters include:

• Handled the largest private M&A deal in the region: DSV’s $4.1 billion acquisition of Agility’s logistics business.
• Involved as legal advisor to Zain on its proposed $1.2 billion sale of its Sudan business which was recently announced.
• Advised Kalaam Telecommunications in connection with its acquisition of Zajil Telecom.

Capital Markets:

Our firm is recognized as one of the top advisers on corporate financings and capital markets transactions. Its experience encompasses the complete spectrum of equity, debt, and hybrid instruments. No firm in Kuwait matches us for the depth of our capital markets experience.

Some of our representative matters include:

• Acted as legal advisor to Agility on its direct listing of shares in subsidiary, Agility Global PLC, on the main market of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), a groundbreaking $4.5 billion transaction.
• Advised Ahli Bank of Kuwait on its $600m issuance of AT1 sukuk.
• Advised the underwriters on the $250 million Tier 2 capital issuance by Warba Bank.

Banking & Finance

Our lawyers represent lenders and borrowers in some of the largest and most complicated financing transactions in the region.Our clients include many of the region’s largest commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, and other institutional lenders and investors, as well as private equity sponsors, strategic buyers, borrowers and issuers of securities.

Some of our representative matters include:

• Acted as legal counsel to Warba Bank K.S.C.P. in updating the USD 2 billion Trust Certificate Programme of Warba Sukuk Limited.
• Represented Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait KSCP in a $326 million rights issue.
• Represented Warba Bank in connection with a sukuk, which was issued via private placement with a three-year tenor.

Competition & Regulatory

With a profound understanding of competition laws, our lawyers adeptly navigate the regulatory landscape, ensuring compliance while facilitating these transformative deals.

Some of our representative matters include successfully representing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) before the COMESA Competition Commission and Appeals Board, securing key victories, including the closure of investigations into high-value contracts, the elimination of significant financial penalties, and establishing landmark precedents in African competition law.

Dispute Resolution

Our dispute resolution team combines extensive experience with a client-focused approach to deliver successful outcomes in litigation and arbitration. In the Middle East, our unique blend of linguistic capability and deep understanding of local laws, along with rights of audience before regional courts, makes us a leading firm for high-stakes disputes. Internationally, our London team specialises in complex commercial disputes, while our arbitration practice, recognised in both the Middle East and London, has a strong track record in Investor-State and international arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions.

Some of our representative matters include:

• Represented Iraq Telecom limited in a number of matters worth more up to AED 6 billion.
• Advising Agility in a landmark victory in its expropriation claim against the State of Iraq, leading to the annulment of a prior ICSID tribunal award.
• Secured a landmark judgment for Alcazar Capital against the Kurdistan Regional Government, overcoming jurisdictional complexities to win the full claim amount, legal interest, and fees.

Our Offices

Egypt: North Tower, Floor 17, 2005C Corniche El Nil, Cairo, 11221

Kuwait: Al Hamra Tower, 59th Floor, Al Shuhada Street, Sharq, P.O. Box 298, Safat, 13003

Lebanon: 109 Marfaa Building, 2nd Floor, Allenby Street, P.O. Box 116-2496, Downtown, Beirut

Saudi Arabia: Al Olaya Tower B, 20th Floor, Office 1, P.O. Box 12213, Riyadh

United Arab Emirates (Dubai): Al Fattan Currency House, Office 2501, 25th Floor, DIFC

United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi): Unit 8, 3rd Floor, Al Maryah Tower, Abu Dhabi Global Market Suqare, Al Maryah Island

United Kingdom: The International Dispute Resolution Centre, 100 St. Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8BU