BANKING

The transactional nature of banking and finance practice involves us in a wide range of debt and equity transactions. We regularly advise local and foreign banks on secured and unsecured financial transactions, including local and cross border syndications, multi-currency facilities and financial products and bond issues. We also represent clients in all forms of project finance and structured finance. We regularly act for local banks on syndicated and bilateral transactions.

We regularly advise on:

• Asset finance
• Acquisition finance
• Project finance
• Structured finance
• Telecom finance
• Aviation finance
• Leasing finance
• Securitization
• Derivatives

ISLAMIC FINANCE

We pride ourselves in not only being the law firm that drafted the standard Islamic finance documents currently being used by the State Bank of Pakistan, but also being the only firm that has been fully involved in the incorporation and setting up of Islamic banks in Pakistan. Additionally, we have also prepared the standard documents for various Islamic banks, duly approved by the Shariah Boards of such banks.

Expertise in Islamic finance is not possible unless the legal team works in close cooperation with the Shariah scholars and advisors for the Islamic banks. We have worked with several Shariah Supervising Boards of both local, as well as foreign banks and have established a niche for ourselves as being a law firm that can satisfy both the commercial as well as the Shariah requirements of a transaction.

M&Z’s expertise in Mergers and Acquisition has established it as the market leader. We have acted for local and foreign clients, in the acquisitions and mergers of various banks, financial institutions and insurance companies. We advise on the full range of deal structures from public takeovers/tender offers through to divestments, auctions and demergers.

Our scope of work in such transactions includes, the due diligence of the target entity, advising on the structure, negotiating the terms of the transaction and advising clients on  the  pre  and  post  transaction  compliance requirements. Our sector teams work closely across our network of offices to provide clients with an unrivalled, seamless service.

Mandviwalla & Zafar has been involved in all acquisitions and mergers of financial institutions in Pakistan. We have also acted for consortium of buyers who successfully acquired two of the largest nationalised banks through privatization. We have also acted for the Initial Public Offering by large  commercial  banks  in  Pakistan.

We have significant experience in the area of power and energy which extends to both Pakistani and overseas companies whose business involves energy generation, distribution  and  transmission,  oil,  gas  and  mineral exploration as well as development projects.

Our work involves negotiations with other consortium member companies, consideration of relevant statutory regimes, restructuring of interests and dealing with government authorities and relevant state-owned companies and financing institutions.

We advise not only the state run oil company of Pakistan on various regulatory and legal issues and disputes arising out of laws pertaining to oil and gas but have also regularly acted for international clients with regard to issues pertaining to legal and regulatory framework of oil and gas laws in Pakistan including investment policies.  We regularly advise clients on the licensing process in the oil and gas sector.

In the Energy sector we act as counsels for the sponsors as well as the project company and have been fully involved in all aspects of setting up power projects, including negotiations with the regulators with various means  of  alternate  energy  becoming  popular internationally, our expertise also extends to the same. We  have  been  advising  clients  on  setting  up  wind generated power projects in Pakistan, including the corporate, regulatory and financial aspects of the same. Our work involves negotiation with other consortium member companies, consideration of relevant statutory regimes, restructuring of interests and dealing with government authorities  and  relevant  state-owned companies and financing institutions.

Mandviwalla & Zafar also has significant experience in acting for suppliers and contractors in power projects and all issues related to the import of equipment and provision of services by foreign companies in Pakistan.

The firm acts on a diverse range of real property transactions on a regular basis, ranging from
divestiture and acquisition of property for property developers and corporate clients to acting on
commercial property projects.

The firm also has the distinction of being one of the pioneers of housing finance documentation and
opinions in Pakistan.

Our clients include leading institutional investors, banks and privately and publicly-owned developers.
We handle the entire property ‘life-cycle’ from the initial acquisition, development, leasing, joint
venturing and financing through to the final exit.

We also advise on construction activity, in the fields of process plant, civil engineering or building
including contractual framework for project financing, and relationships between employers,
designers, certifiers, contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers.

We have particular expertise in acting for companies that are developing five star hotels and high end high rise residential and commercial buildings.