Practices

Our lawyers are leaders in their fields and are considered experts in their respective areas of specialization. Through a blend of experience and expertise, our lawyers provide top quality legal services to our clients.

Mergers and Acquisitions
Shalakany prides itself on being a leader in the field of mergers and acquisitions and has acted on many of the most high-profile transactions in Egypt that have taken place over the past few decades. We represent both buy side and sell side clients, whether strategic or financial investors, across various industries.

» Mergers and Acquisitions deals and cases

Finance & Projects

The Finance and Projects Group has developed extensive expertise in providing the full suite of legal support required with managing these complex and often challenging transactions.

Banking

Shalakany acts on behalf of financial institutions and corporations, representing both lenders and borrowers in matters involving international and local credit transactions, trade finance, structured products, financial restructuring operations, loan syndications, letters of credit, letters of guarantee, mortgages, pledges and other types of security.

Project Development and Finance

Shalakany is a leading law firm on BOO/BOT/BOOT, Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects and similar projects in Egypt, having acted on almost all pathfinder projects undertaken in Egypt over the past few decades and gaining considerable experience in the infrastructure, electricity, renewable-energy, roads, transportation, aviation, oil and gas, water and petrochemicals sectors. The Firm has acted for all major stakeholders involved in these projects, including the government, developers and lenders.

Debt Capital Markets

Shalakany has developed extensive expertise in the field of debt securities offerings, including bonds, convertible bonds, medium term note programs and global share investment programs. The Firm has a long standing relationship with the regulators and has advised the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority on the development of the capital markets and new capital market laws and relevant regulations. As a result, two of EFSA’s former chairmen are Shalakany alumni.

» Finance & Projects deals and cases

Capital Markets
Equity Capital Markets

Shalakany has gained substantial experience in the field of initial public offerings and equity capital markets work by acting as legal counsel for underwriters, issuers, sell side and buy side equity investors across various transactions. Listed below are few examples of various transitions the firm is currently working on, in addition to some others which have been successfully completed:

  • Shalakany is acting for Al Ahly Capital, ECHEM, the IDA and the National Investment Bank as selling shareholders in a secondary public offer of Abu Qir for Fertilizers and Chemical Industries for over EGP 5 billion.

  • Shalakany recently acted for Global Telecom Holding with regards to a share-buy back transaction and cancellation of their GDR program.

  • Shalakany recently assisted VEON in its mandatory tender offer for up to 43% of the shares of Global Telecom Holding for approximately USD 600 million, the largest mandatory tender offer in Egyptian history.

  • The Firm recently advised EBRD in respect of the Ibn Sina (a leading pharmaceutical products distributor and EBRD’s first equity investment in Egypt) capital increase public offering of EGP 2 billion.

  • The Firm recently acted for one of the largest global automobile manufacturers in advising and providing full transactional support for its capital increase of EGP 1.75 billion.

  • The Firm has previously acted for the underwriters in connection with a planned IPO for a large regional conglomerate (based in a GCC country) with substantive Egyptian operations.

Debt Capital Markets

  • Shalakany has developed extensive expertise in the field of debt securities offerings, including bonds, convertible bonds, medium term note programs and global share investment programs. Here are some recent transactions we have worked on:

  • The Firm recently acted as the Egyptian legal advisors for the dealers and the Trustee in connection with the update of the USD 5,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme for the African Export-Import Bank as well as several issuances of notes under the Programme.

  • The Firm recently acted for Global Telecom Holding on the issuance of a corporate bond with a value of over USD 1 billion.

Derivatives and Structured Products

Shalakany has advised on a range of structured products and derivative transactions. These include various forms of International Swaps and Derivatives Association Agreements, Global Master Repurchase Agreements and Global Master Securities Lending Agreements. Shalakany recently advised a leading oil and gas company on cross-border provision of derivatives products and investment services in Egypt and advised a major bank on entering into derivative transactions with Egyptian counterparties and the validity and enforceability of the ISDA Master Agreement and ISDA Credit Support Annex (UK) under Egyptian law.

The firm is advising several leading international banks and drafting the local sections and reviewing the prospectuses for structures allowing such banks to issue offshore notes backed by Egyptian T-Bonds and T-Bills (which are, in some cases, listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange).

» Capital Markets deals and cases

Arbitration and Litigation
Shalakany has acted on almost all major arbitration and litigation cases in Egypt over the past few decades, ranging a number of sectors, including: construction, oil & gas, power, infrastructure, aviation, insurance, employment and tax disputes.

Shalakany Law Office prides itself on being one of the first law firms in Egypt to develop specialized expertise in commercial arbitration. Since the early 1970s, the Firm has been involved in many of the major arbitration cases in Egypt, which include the Pyramids Plateau arbitrations, the Cairo Metro arbitrations, the Ahmad Hamdy Suez Canal Tunnel arbitration and the Isna Barrage arbitration.

The Firm handles, on average, about ten new arbitration cases annually. For this purpose, the Firm has established a specialized Arbitration Group. Apart from arbitration procedures and advocacy and other skills required, members of the Arbitration Group, following the introduction of the Egyptian Arbitration Law No. 27 of 1994, have also, through the Group’s specialized arbitration practice, become leading experts in the negotiation of settlement agreements as well as enforcement procedures through attachments, injunctions, and all other court procedures related to arbitration, including resisting nullity challenges.

» Arbitration and Litigation deals and cases

General Corporate and Commercial

A pioneer in the field of corporate and commercial practice in Egypt, the Firm offers its clients a wide range of legal services, ranging from participating in and advising on pre-contract negotiations, drafting and reviewing joint venture agreements and agreements for commercial agency, distribution and franchises, and advising on documents for establishing companies, branches, subsidiaries or international corporate structures, to giving corporate advice on day to day matters, organizing and attending Board and Shareholders meetings and drafting and certifying minutes of meetings, and obtaining official authorizations and licenses.

» General Corporate and Commercial deals and cases

Competition and Consumer Protection 

Shalakany advised many clients on competition and antitrust matters across various sectors. The Firm was one of the leading firms that represented the Cement producing and manufacturing companies in the landmark competition investigation and prosecution of 2008. Our antitrust practice includes regulatory, litigation and investigations work.


Merger Clearance

We handle regulatory clearance for some of the largest transactions in Egypt. We work closely with clients to develop a well-rounded understanding of their business, placing us not only to provide the solution, but also to assist our clients in finding the right and workable business model. Additionally, the Firm has acted for a number of clients in relation to merger-control filings in Egypt and COMESA.


Below are a few of the high level matters we have worked on in this space:

  • The Firm recently submitted a number of merger-control filings on behalf of a Saudi Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals giant for several acquisitions and unions in several jurisdictions.

  • We have recently submitted notifications in relation to M&As in the manufacturing, construction, auto manufacturers and logistics and outsourcing sectors.

Litigation and Investigations
Shalakany is staffed with a deep bench of experienced trial lawyers and litigators, our Antitrust Litigation practice represents clients in all types of litigation, including administrative litigation, and parallel civil and criminal court litigation. Our cases involve novel innovative legal arguments with a development of complex factual records.

Shalakany handles a variety of public and non public antitrust related governmental investigations in Egypt, including investigations related to transactions and allegations of price fixing, output coordination, monopolization and attempted monopolization, and industry wide conspiracy.

Most notably, Shalakany represented beIN, one of the leading global sports and entertainment broadcasters, on a criminal investigation by the Egyptian Competition Authority and the Attorney General.

Consumer Protection 

Shalakany developed expertise in consumer rights and protection law and advised and represented clients on consumer protection investigations and disputes.  

» Competition and Consumer Protection  deals and cases

Public International Law

Our attorneys represent sovereign clients, international organizations, and regional organizations in public international law disputes. Our public international law practice includes litigation before various fora, including arbitration under the auspices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and in other international venues, Investor-State Arbitration before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the other major arbitral fora around the world, and in litigation before the national courts of Egypt. Our attorneys successfully proffer public international law arguments and defenses before Egyptian courts in matters related to foreign sovereign immunities, treaty protection, and sovereign and diplomatic protections and immunities. Apart from representation in adversarial proceedings, our attorneys assist States and investors in the mediation and conciliation of disputes, and in negotiation of agreements with other States and with foreign investors.


Shalakany’s International Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group includes more than 15 highly experienced international litigators. The firm’s lawyers are trained in both the common and civil law jurisdictions, fluent in many languages, and highly regarded for their skills in written and oral advocacy.


Investor/State Arbitrations
Shalakany has a distinguished record representing investors, in international arbitrations involving claims brought against Sovereign States under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, investment contracts and national investment laws. Our lawyers have extensive experience in arbitrations before all major investor/State arbitral fora, including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID); ICSID's Additional Facility; tribunals established under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules; and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

» Public International Law deals and cases

Hotels and Tourism
Shalakany prides itself on being the leading firm when it comes to hotels and tourism; but also real estate. With a dedicated team working on both interconnected sectors, this team has developed a wealth of experience on a plethora of sub-practices that makes it one of the most highly regarded teams in this sector with an outstanding track record, of which we highlight the following deals and matters:

Drafting, Reviewing and Negotiating Agreements

  • The Firm participated in drafting and/or reviewing, amending and negotiating numerous hotel management and related agreements in Egypt, whether acting on behalf of owners, or management companies such as the Mena House Oberoi Hotel, the Cairo Marriott Hotel, the Hurghada Marriott Hotel, the Taba Heights Sheraton Hotel & Resort, the Taba Heights Marriott Hotel and Resort, the Sharm El Sheikh Ritz Carlton Hotel & Resort, the Marriott Sahl Hasheesh Resort, the Hilton and Sheraton Dreamland Hotel at 6th of October City, the Grand Hyatt and Park Hyatt, the Fairmont Nile City Hotel, the Fairmont Heliopolis and Towers, El Gezirah Sofitel Hotel, the Hilton Marsa Alam Hotel & Resort, the Hilton Sana’a in Yemen and the Hilton Algiers Hotel in Algeria.

  • The Firm has concluded agreements related to floating hotels, boats, restaurants, cafes and other similar touristic projects, among which we can cite the Franchise Agreement of Tivoli Dome Restaurants Complex, and the Franchise Agreement of Barcelos Restaurants in Egypt.

  • The Firm successfully assisted in the signing of a Management Agreement for the Marriott – Marsa Alam Hotel and Resort, concluded between our client, Concord for Touristic Development Company and Marriott Hotels International.

  • The Firm has also successfully closed one of the biggest deals of the year concluded between Wings for Tourism Investment, an Egyptian company and member in the Wings Group specialized in the field of tourism and hotel development and investment in Egypt, and the Atlantica Leisure Group, an international group of companies specialized in the field of tourism, hotels and tour-operating businesses. The deal aimed mainly at combining the parties’ strengths and resources in the activities of four joint venture companies, so as to maximize their operating efficiencies, purchasing power and commercial influence as well as to identify and plan potential investments, to build, acquire, develop, manage, market and commercially exploit hotels in Egypt. Concluding the deal successfully entailed the drafting and negotiation of all agreements and exhibits related to the said deal, which were executed by the parties (JV Agreement, Management Agreements, Usufruct Agreements, Lease Agreements, Loan Agreements and Consultancy Agreements).

In addition to the recent deals mentioned above, the Firm has also successfully executed the following projects, which entailed the complex, difficult and lengthy drafting and negotiation of all agreements, contracts, exhibits and other relevant documents which were executed by the parties:


  • MGM Mirage Sharm El-Sheikh Hotel Management Agreement: Concluded between Almontazah for Tourism & Investment Co., S.A.E. and MGM Mirage Hospitality International Holdings, LTD.

  • Ramada Plaza Hotel & Resort at Sharm El Sheikh: Concluded between CHI Hotels & Resorts LTD and El Salam Co. for Tourism Development.

  • Al Kasr Hotel & Resort, by Resta at (Eden-Yemen): Concluded between Arabyl Company for Real Estate and Arab International Co. for Tourism & Hotels Management (Resta Hotels & Resorts).

  • Iberotel Borg El Arab (North Coast): Concluded between Rowad Misr for Touristic Investment and Jaz Hotels and Resorts.

Real Estate
The Firm is also a leader to the sale, lease, usufruct and management agreements related to real estate projects in general, and in particular residential touristic units and condominiums, such as the Sharm Dreams Touristic Units Complex managed by Hilton and the MGM Mirage Residential Units Project managed by MGM Grand (Bellagio).

Specialized Contracts
The Firm was involved in drafting and/or reviewing, amending and negotiating specialized contracts related to casino gambling projects, such as Sofitel El Gezirah Casino and the Hilton Sharm Dreams Casino.

Legal Services
The firm is a leader in providing legal services for time-share projects, such as Sharm Dreams Time Share Project.

Settling Disputes
The Firm has a vast amount of expertise in settling disputes arising out of hotels and tourism related agreements, whether by amicable settlement or legal proceedings. In terms of legal proceedings, the Tourism Group has actively represented tourism related clients before the courts, arbitration tribunals and other alternative dispute resolution forums. The services rendered by the Tourism Group also extend to enforcement of arbitral awards.

» Hotels and Tourism deals and cases