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“Afridi delivers international quality advice on local law matters. The team meets deadlines and bring a commercial understanding to their work product. They are also responsive and personable in their dealings.” - Legal 500 EMEA

Bashir Ahmed labour lawyer & legal advisor in uae

Bashir Ahmed

Partner

Areas of Expertise

  • Aviation
  • Banking and Finance
  • Capital Markets
  • Competition and Antitrust
  • Construction
  • Corporate and Commercial
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Dubai International Financial Centre
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Funds
  • Healthcare
  • Hospitality and Leisure
  • Industrial and Manufacturing
  • Infrastructure and Projects
  • Insurance
  • Islamic Finance
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Mining and Metals
  • Private Client
  • Private Equity
  • Real Estate
  • Restructuring
  • Retail
  • Shipping and Maritime
  • Transport

Qualifications

  • Professional
  • New York State Bar
  • Lahore High Court Bar Association
  • International Bar Association
  • Languages
  • English
  • Academic
  • LL.M., Punjab University Law College, Lahore, Pakistan, 1986
  • B.A., Jurisprudence, Oxford University, 1983
Publications
    inBriefs
      Notable Matters
      • Advising Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Investment Corporation of Dubai with respect to Dubal’s merger with the aluminium interests of Mubadala to form Emirates Global Aluminium, the 5th largest global aluminium company

       

      • Advising the vendors on the sale of an eighty percent stake in a Dubai-based school to a GCC private equity firm for AED 200 million

       

      • Advising Amazon, after its acquisition of Souq.com in March 2017, on regulatory restrictions and on compliance with cultural nuances with respect to products that will be displayed and sold online

       

      • Acting as UAE counsel to Damac Real Estate Development plc on its IPO of depositary receipts on the London Stock Exchange, raising US$348 million. Prepared the due diligence report and advised on the IPO structuring. This deal won ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL’s Deals of the Year 2014 award

       

      • Representing the seller in a US$100+ million divestment of a majority stake in a wholesale and retail pharmaceutical distribution business in West Africa

       

      • Representing a client in restructuring loans with lenders and in the sale by the client of their majority stake in a company listed on the Nasdaq Dubai. This was one of the largest non-governmental restructurings in the region

       

      • Advising four Malabar Gold group companies in connection with an AED 500 million multicurrency (AED and USD) dual-tranche conventional and Islamic (based on the Master Murabaha structure) facilities from a syndicate of seven banks led by the National Bank of Fujairah PJSC
      Awards and Testimonials

      Recognized as one of Thomson Reuters ALB’s Super 50 MENA Lawyers in 2022 and 2023

       

      “Responsive and good value.”

      Chambers Global 2020 

       

      “A well-rounded lawyer with thorough knowledge of the maritime industry.”

      Legal 500 EMEA 2019

       

      “A good corporate lawyer with depth.”

      Legal 500 EMEA 2015

       

      Consistently recommended as a practitioner in banking and finance, corporate and M&A and in shipping

      Legal 500 EMEA

       

      Led the team awarded the ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL’s Deals of the Year 2014 award, for the Damac IPO of depositary receipts on the London Stock Exchange

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      About

      Bashir is the managing partner of Afridi & Angell. He joined the firm in 1988 and became a partner in 1993. He advises clients on cross-border acquisitions and divestments, general corporate and commercial, private equity, banking, licensing and maritime matters.

       

      Bashir has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border acquisitions where he advises buyers and sellers on the due diligence process, the deal structuring, and drafting of agreements in connections with acquiring and divesting of share interest in the UAE. Bashir is one of the top labour lawyer in UAE. He also advises international and domestic banks on a wide range of matters including loan and credit facilities, syndications and regulatory matters. He was seconded to the regional office of an international bank for a period of 18 months, and acted as counsel for the Middle East and South Asia operations.

       

      Bashir has also advised on a number of mining, refinery and smelter projects as well as infrastructure projects. His maritime practice involves advising ship owners and P&I Clubs, dry docks and a number of ship repair companies on shipbuilding contracts, arrest of vessels, cargo claims, as well as advising on disputes. He represents a number of banks on ship financing transactions.