AZAR and Associates has a wide experience in complex cross-border and local corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, across some of Lebanon’s main industries and their related financing and regulatory matters.

Our practice spans the acquisition of local companies by multinationals, the setup of local companies to develop business projects and the structuring of local trusts to channel investments and deliver financing. Given the legal framework offered by Lebanon to foreign investors, our team can help in evaluating the different options available and in choosing the most tax/cost-efficient structure. Onwards, we can help set up businesses, with a watchful understanding of regulations, timelines and applicable permits.

The firm has also a vast experience in negotiating and structuring contracts, from simple commercial agreements, to complex structures including financing trusts, debt-equity swaps, share purchase agreements and project finance arrangements.

Our services in this field include:

• Mergers and acquisitions advisory, due diligence and structuring
• Drafting and negotiation of corporate contracts
• Company agreements, shareholders agreements
• Structuring of trusts
• Company incorporation, locally and in offshore jurisdictions
• Set-up of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) for targeted investments
• Joint ventures among companies, local and cross-border
• Loans, mortgages and pledges
• Leasing of assets
• Permits and regulations for business set-up
• Tax advisory
• General corporate law advice

AZAR and Associates real estate practice include both property conveyance and real estate development activities.

With its leading real estate acquisition advisory team, the firm assists local and foreign nationals and companies in properly structuring property purchases, conducting title searches, due diligence on the target properties, and ultimately ensuring the obtaining of a clean title. As the firm is fully aware of the real estate laws, tax implications, and ownership options for a foreign buyer to acquire real estate in Lebanon, it will assist its clients to solve all related issues so as to ensure that their ownership goals are met.

AZAR and Associates is also a leading advisor to both local and international real estate developers,as our partners have full expertise in setting up investment structures to develop major commercial and residential projects.

Our services in this field include:

• Title search
• Title opinions for insurance
• Mortgages
• Pledges
• Tax advice on ownership options
• Estate and inheritance laws advice according to ownership options
• Construction and development agreements
• Lease agreements
• National and municipal permits
• Zoning regulations
• Environmental regulations

AZAR and Associates offers its clients deep knowledge of commercial structures and contracts. The firm regularly helps setting up franchise and distribution agreements on behalf of global companies, giving counsel to engage local companies and adapting standard international contracts to local regulation.The firm advises as well on compliance with Lebanon’s consumer protection laws across many industries and services.

In international trade aspects, our team assist exporters with finance and transportation issues. Our Commercial Law unit and Litigation partners work closely to provide clients smooth and swift advice when facing breaches of contracts, wrongful terminations or unfair business practices.

Our services in this field include:

• Franchise agreements
• Distribution agreements
• Hotel operation agreements
• International shipment of goods
• Import/export documentation and financing
• Supplier agreements
• Construction and outsourcing contracts
• Storage and warehousing contracts
• Services contracts of different scope

AZAR and Associates Incorporation department undertakes the incorporation of local and foreign entities, for both local and foreign clients. Depending on their needs, whether a corporation is needed to purchase an asset in Lebanon, develop a business activity in the country or hold assets offshore, our team will incorporate a customized plan or provide a readily-formed one.

Foreign and local companies can both act in Lebanon doing business and owning assets, as one may present tax advantages over the other, depending on the purpose and the activity of the company. Our firm assists clients in making the decision on the selected scheme, and proceeds to incorporate it. Our firm’s staff includes tax experts and accountants, who while assisting clients in setting up a company, provide the necessary and ongoing counsel on maintenance of records, book-keeping and tax filing methods.

Lebanon is known as a reputable offshore jurisdiction, and thus, offshore companies are popular instruments to hold foreign assets or conduct overseas business. In addition, the country presents many tax-free trade zones that are located in geographic areas with zero taxation on the services provided and goods sold from within such areas.

Hundreds of global and regional corporations have set up operations in Lebanon’s tax-free zones, to take advantage of this beneficial tax system and the Lebanese qualified workforce. Our firm helps incorporate companies to operate in tax-free-zones, and provides the ongoing tax, accounting and regulatory filing advice.

Our services in this field include:

• Local company incorporation
• Tax-Free Trade Zone company incorporation
• Offshore company incorporation and local registration
• Permanent tax, accounting and bookkeeping
• Comprehensive tax advice including double-taxation advice
• Local and non-local labor hiring
• Banking advice for operations

AZAR and Associates is well-known for being actively involved in legal consulting services to the shipping industry, with a particular emphasis on commercial and project finance as well as banking.

The firm has been engaged in structuring many finance agreements, encompassing the acquisition or refinancing of new and second-hand ships. Our maritime lawyers hold an extensive experience of financing from banks in syndicated lending, capital market products (both bond and equity) and in acting in shipping workouts and insolvencies.

In addition, the firm can render services in many European and African countries,leveraging its knowledge of foreign maritime laws and its network of collaborating foreign maritime law firms.

AZAR and Associates Labor department advises labor-intensive clients in many fields,from standard industrial concerns to construction companies undertaking complex challenges. Our team remains current with up-to-date labor and social security regulations in Lebanon, and will assist clients in complying with such regulations, as well as in subcontracting, outsourcing, determining payroll taxes and benefits and in performing labor due diligence in company acquisitions.

The firm’s experience interacting with clients employing large numbers of employees provides insightful support in union matters, assisting in negotiations with unions, drafting of collective agreements and determining applicable rules in union matters and disputes. Another key area in large companies is the drafting of internal rules and codes for employees, as our firm is eminent in providing such services.

In addition, our partners have also been regularly engaged in international projects, advising on and overseeing multi-country employee contracting for multinationals, and standardizing cross-border full solutions for clients.

Our services in this field include:

• Labor contracts
• Employee registration
• Outsourcing
• Social security registration and payments
• Labor litigation
• Union matters, negotiations
• Internal company rules and codes
• Payroll

AZAR and Associates has a large immigration and relocation practice, as the firm’s dedicated immigration practice handles hundreds of permanent and temporary residents permits every year on behalf of corporate and individual applicants moving to Lebanon.

The residency application process involves properly proving the applicant’s sources of income and a clean police record. We assist in preparing the documentation, translating it, verifying that the required formalities are met and timely submitted. Our team personally escorts the client in instances where the applicant’s presence is required. As well, our team assists with practical aspects of relocating, such as importing personal belongings and opening local & international bank accounts.

The firm’s residency and immigration department can also assist in obtaining foreign workers’work permits in accordance with related regulations as issued by the General Security Directorate of Lebanon.

Our services in this field include:

• Residency permit filings
• Temporary residency
• Permanent residency
• Reentry permits
• Citizenship application
• Second passport
• Employment contracts
• Banking related issues
• Foreign workers’work permits

AZAR and Associates Litigation’s department has an extensive experience in handling large, complex business disputes. With counsel from academically renowned experts, the firm handles litigation, both in Lebanon and off-shore, in commercial, contractual, bankruptcy, civil, anti-trust and tax matters.

In arbitration, our team has acted in some of Lebanon’s most important cases– involving infrastructure projects. Our main litigators have past and current millions of dollar engagements in arbitration processes, both locally and in foreign venues, providing support in cross-border arbitration.

The local litigation experience also includes comprehensive commercial and labor-related litigation, in pre-trial and trial stages. Being an advisor to large companies with hundreds of employees, AZAR and Associates understands the complexities, recurrence and defense necessities in courts across the whole country.

Our services in this field include:

• Pre-trial and trial litigation
• Criminal litigation
• Commercial litigation
• Labor litigation
• Anti-competitive practices litigation
• Torts
• Cross-border litigation
• International law: execution of measures adopted in a foreign jurisdiction
• Arbitration