SPOTLIGHT ON…
The Iraq Desk
DLA Piper, as one of the largest legal
service providers in the Middle East, has
local staff and operations in Baghdad with
a thorough understanding of the
geographic, commercial and geopolitical
factors that shape and impact business in
Iraq.
OVERVIEW
Through our worldwide network of lawyers, we
have access to key contacts, sponsors and decisionmakers in Iraq, including significant connections to
the Iraq Government and its ministries, including
the National Investment Commission, the Ministry
of Electricity, the Ministry of Oil and the Ministry
of Finance.
Our lawyers regularly advise private clients as well
as Iraqi government entities on a variety of
investments. With unsurpassed experience in Iraq,
the team is the first port-of-call for all major
organisations looking to conduct business or
establish themselves in the Iraq jurisdiction.
We offer you highly skilled and experienced, dual
qualified (civil and common law), bi-lingual
lawyers who have access to and a solid
understanding of, all legal frameworks necessary to
assist you.
AREAS OF SERVICE
Our expertise includes advising on:
Legal advice on various matters including
explanations of various aspects of local law
(corporate, taxation, employment).
Due diligence on local partners, contractors
and employees.
Instructing and overseeing Iraqi lawyers in
filings with the Companies Registry
Department of the Iraq Ministry of Trade.
Ensuring any joint venture arrangements
comply with Iraqi corporate law, especially the
Companies Law of 1997, as amended.
Structuring transactions from an Iraqi taxation
perspective and assisting with annual taxation
filings.
Drafting an Iraqi company’s Memorandum and
Articles of Association.
Facilitating introductions to requisite local
Iraqi lawyers and accountants to act as official
company lawyers and accountants (required
under Iraqi law).
The practice is particularly unique in terms of:
having an active presence on the ground in
Baghdad;
having participated in the drafting of many
laws now in effect and working closely with
the government on new initiatives; and
being close to a number of key decisionmakers.
WORKING WITH YOU
We place the highest importance on building close
working relationships with our clients. To
accomplish this, we offer lawyers who are
culturally attuned to the business demands of Iraq
and totally committed to our internationally
recognised client service ethic.
Assisting with obtaining appropriate visa and
residency requirements for foreign corporate
officials.
Drafting employment contracts and other
employee arrangements.
Support in ensuring compliance with local
Iraqi corruption laws.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
As the only international law firm with a practice
area specifically devoted to understanding the
particular challenges faced by companies operating
in conflict and post-conflict environments, DLA
Piper is uniquely qualified to represent contractors
operating in the battlespace and other austere
environments. This group, led by litigation partner
Tara Lee, is comprised of lawyers with experience
in:
government investigations;
battlefield torts;
employment litigation;
international law;
defense contractor disputes;
military justice;
procurement disputes; and
the law of armed conflict.
Specifically, this team is exceptionally well suited
to handle disputes arising out of activities in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Africa and other conflict and postconflict regions. Its core lawyers include a former
U.S. Military JAG Corps Outstanding Trial Lawyer
of the Year, an Iraqi native Arabic speaker, the
former senior attorney in Iraq’s criminal justice
system, a Pakistani native Pashto and Urdo
speaker, a former Senate staffer, and a former
military acquisitions officer.
The team has recent experience traveling to and
collecting evidence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan
and the Horn of Africa in support of their current
caseload. They also have current and recent
experience defending clients before Special
Inspector Generals for Reconstruction, DoD IG,
Army CID investigations, US federal court
criminal and civil cases, and various Congressional
committee investigations.
EXPERIENCE
We have a wealth of experience advising clients
doing business in Iraq. We also represent several
government entities, and are the exclusive counsel
to the National Investment Commission in Iraq.
OUR RECENT EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:
Corporate and Regulatory Advisory
Advising the National Investment Commission
on several large real estate and investment
matters, including the establishment of a
program to build 1,000,000 low income
housing units.
Representing the Ministry of Electricity in
connection with its Public Private Partnership
program.
Acting on a number of matters for the Iraqi
Ministry of Electricity in connection with its
negotiations for the acquisition of electricity
generation equipment and advising the
Ministry in connection with the rendering
processes for Public Private Partnerships in the
power generation sector.
Representing the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity
in connection with negotiating engineering
procurement and construction contracts, and
securing water and fuel supplies.
Assisting the Ministry of Water Resources in
negotiating with contractors on the Mosul Dam
Project.
Representing Irag’s largest international
financial institution, in connection with
establishing the first private equity fund
focused on investments in Iraq and on
establishing a mortgage program.
Assisting several oil services companies in
connection with projects and joint ventures in
Iraq.
Assisting the Kurdistan Regional Government
with respect to several regulatory matters.
Representing a number of international
corporations and contractors in conducting
their activities in Iraq, including negotiating
joint ventures on their behalf.
Representative Cases and Investigations
TEAM
The following is a list of representative cases and
internal investigations undertaken by the team each
of which centered on specific issues that companies
operating in conflict and post-conflict
environments will face:
Our team can provide real assistance to you in the
Middle East. Please contact us for further
information.
Defending defense contractor dealing with
extensive FCPA government investigation.
Defending multiple clients facing various
Congressional committee investigations and
subpoenas.
Providing contracting and risk mitigation
advice to numerous defense contractors and
nonprofit organisations regarding sending
employees to unstable post-conflict
environments.
Pre-litigation and internal investigation
representation of defense contractor owner of a
compound in Iraq where a shooting incident
resulting in multiple fatalities occurred.
Advising client facing extensive government
investigation based on alleged ATF and ITAR
violations.
Litigation counsel for private security
contractor in wrongful death action filed in
federal court regarding a shooting incident in
Iraq.
Litigation counsel for defense contractor in
contract dispute action filed in federal court
against subcontractor regarding a research and
development contract with the Air Force
Research Lab.
Lead counsel in DC Circuit amici curiae
representation of defense industry trade
organizations in Alien Tort Claims Act and
wrongful death cases brought against defense
contractors, based on allegations of torture and
violations of international law at Abu Ghraib
prison in Iraq.
Lead US attorney of the DLA Piper
international team that represented a UK
contractor in pre-litigation phase of claims
raised by a disabled employee based on
injuries sustained in an IED attack in Iraq.
Litigation counsel representing UK defense
contractor sued for incident involving injury to
civilians in Kirkuk, Iraq.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
Salem Chalabi
Legal Director
T +971 4 438 6337
[email protected]
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