Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm is a prominent full-service firm in Lebanon, and leverages its ‘knowledge of local law and regulations as well as international practice‘ to advise European and U.S-based lenders on all Lebanese banking and capital markets matters. Souraya Machnouk has ‘in-depth knowledge in the field of regulation and compliance‘, and assisted Credit Suisse Lebanon with its de-registration and liquidation pursuant to its decision to exit the Lebanese market. Managing partner Carlos Abou Jaoude is a highly regarded practitioner.

Mohamed Alem and Maya Tabet Chidiac co-head the practice at Alem & Associates, which continues to advise on large financial restructurings, IPOs and Sharia-law compliant transactions. Other key areas of strength for the team include foreign exchange matters, public and private securities work and Sukuk mandates. The firm maintains close ties with French and UK-based banks and borrowers.

Chedid Law Offices in association with Dentons 'goes to extra lengths to provide consistent, appropriate and timely services to clients'. The group's broad workload includes transactions, regulatory issues and capital markets matters. Managing director and practice head Elias Chedid is 'logical, analytical, and a deep thinker, and also displays a great deal of creativity in his problem-solving'. He is supported by senior associate Georgette Salamé.

At El-Aref International Law Office, the 'attentive' team has a solid track record in representing Lebanese and international lenders, sponsors and borrowers in debt finance matters, especially mezzanine and subordinate debt and Murabaha asset-backed loans. Aref El-Aref, who heads up the practice,has extensive experience in advising on auction rate securities, interest rate swaps, and project finance matters. Katia Daou is well known for advising Saudi Arabian and Qatari banks on capital markets and regulatory securities matters.

Chadia El Meouchi and Carine Farran jointly head up the practice at Badri and Salim El Meouchi LLP, which has a solid track record in advising on a broad range of work in the banking and capital markets space, including corporate and project finance, regulatory issues and lending matters. The firm is well known for representing Lebanese and Qatari clients in mandates. Firm chairman and senior partner Salim El Meouchi is a highly regarded practitioner.