Rabah & Sharaiha

Rabah & Sharaiha Legal Consultants - formerly Rabah & Associates (R&S), established in 1986 is a broad-based legal practice. Since its establishment, the firm has gained extensive experience in providing legal services and consultations in the fields of business, commerce, and civil transactions of all kinds in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. R&S has represented and provided legal services to several local and international companies and institutions, including diplomatic missions and financial institutions and banks; and has participated in numerous projects of various types, encompassing both the private and public sectors, both within and outside the Kingdom, in a wide range of legal matters. R&S consists of qualified lawyers, graduates of UK and Jordanian universities, all members of the Jordanian Bar Association, Nabil Rabah being the founder and Managing Partner. Its practice includes a substantial international component covering, inter alia inbound investment by foreign entities and outbound investment by Jordanian companies.

In addition to general legal practice, R&S handles a vast diversity of legal work. R&S's areas of expertise include:

• Litigation and dispute resolution before all courts in Amman and the Kingdom, as well as participation in domestic and international arbitration
• Companies Law
• Commercial Law
• Banking and financing
• Construction
• Projects and agreements of all types.

Areas of Practice:

Banking/Finance:
The firm has long rendered consultancy services and legal representation to a number of national and foreign banks, advising on all aspects of banking laws, central bank regulations and directives, instructions, governance, compliance, project and corporate financing, underwriting and syndication loans, commercial loans, financial instruments, guarantees, and letters of credit.

R&S has been providing continuous legal counsel and support to a Jordanian bank for over thirty years on an annual contractual basis, whereby it has represented the bank in various financing projects, including joint loan agreements and project financing, in various sectors such as energy, construction, industry, and tourism.

Recently, R&S successfully negotiated several development contracts granted for the purpose of providing loans to specific groups, such as women entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises, and those affected by the COVID-19. These contracts had a total value of around 200 million USD and were granted by international lending institutions such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO).

Corporate/Commercial:
R&S provides general legal advice covering day-to-day legal advice, corporate disputes and litigation, drafting and negotiating agreements, rendering legal assessments and opinions, compulsory company filings and disclosures, advice on government/quasi-governmental policies and directives, agency and distribution, licensing, leasing, franchising, procurement and services, insurance, taxation, intellectual property and transfer of knowledge arrangements, and services related to labor law.

R&S has also expanded in the past decade to cover re-organizations (including family business restructurings, transformations, mergers and IPOs) acquisitions, joint ventures, privatization and undertaking legal due diligence on a number of targets engaged in various fields. The firm offers its clients ongoing legal advice by continuously drafting and negotiating legal documents and agreements in all industry sectors to cater for our clients’ needs and their new ventures.

Joint ventures/Acquisitions/Privatization:
R&S has a well-rounded extensive experience in advising on matters relating to joint ventures and start-ups, acquisitions and privatization, representing both buyers and sellers. It has been retained in the past and completed due diligence reports in relation to acquisitions and mergers and has drafted legal documents related thereto, negotiated and supervised the execution thereof.

Such work was previously carried out in the following sectors:integrated logistics, real estate, paper manufacturing, banking, energy, power plants, tourism, telecommunications, transportation, industry and services sector.

Employment:
R&S specialises in a wide-range of employment legal issues, and advices on all aspects of labor laws, including those pertaining to the development of internal employment bylaws, addendums and their submission to the Ministry of Labour, guiding clients through the necessary procedures until final approval is obtained. R&S thoroughly reviews employment contracts and prepares all employees-related documentation. Furthermore, R&S's experience extends to formulating employment-related legal structures such as benefit schemes, grant of rights, vesting schemes, and the setting up of financing and lending arrangement between the employer and employee. We also handle and represent our clients in labour disputes and court cases before all levels of Jordanian courts.

Non-Profit Associations, Institutions, and Companies:
R&S provides consultations related to the registration and ongoing affairs of non-profit associations, institutions, and companies. This includes offering daily legal advice, advising on staff and projects in light of the regulations and guidelines governing these entities, liaising with relevant authorities for the issuance and monitoring of necessary approvals and licenses (for registration, project establishment, fundraising, accepting foreign funding and donations), drafting contracts and agreements tailored to the nature of their work, preparing and amending internal regulations, including fundraising guidelines. R&S acts as an agent for several non-profit associations, institutions, and companies, both locally and internationally, including some projects under the sponsorship of USAID.

Dispute Resolution:
R&S's commercial dispute team handles court cases and proceedings throughout their stages before Jordanian Courts. The team handles commercial contracts litigation, shareholders disputes, property disputes, insurance claims, financial claims, employment claims, trade disputes and construction claims. R&S also represents claimants and defendants in different domestic and international arbitration proceedings.

Energy and Construction Projects:
R&S is specialised in energy projects, having advised on USD 3 billion worth of energy projects, as it represented clients on numerous multimillion-dollar equipment purchase agreements, long term supply and services contracts, power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements and other documents relevant to the energy sector.

R&S also rendered legal advice relating to the construction and ongoing operations of three power plants projects (on a B.O.O basis) with a total generation capacity of MW 4,500 in Kurdistan, Iraq.

We have also participated in 2014 on behalf of a client in negotiations of a Power Purchase Contract for a new MW 3,000 combined cycle power plant and have also represented such client in negotiating other agreements relating to the construction of the project.

Additionally, R&S has represented clients who has participated in an energy-related including renewable solar energy tenders in Jordan, and has concluded a due diligence exercise and provided legal advice to a purchaser of an oil share fired facility and extraction mine.

In the realm of construction, R&S offers advice on diverse projects, spanning cement, steel, bitumen, and refining plants. R&S provides comprehensive legal services in construction law, including tender document advice, contract drafting, dispute resolution strategies, and claims preparation.