Finance, Corporate & Litigation Law Firm in Bangladesh

Law Firm Overview

Doulah & Doulah is a leading law firm in Bangladesh which was established in 1965. The firm has top-ranked transactional capabilities complemented by a strong litigation practice with a large client-base including over fifty of the Fortune 500 companies. Although the firm started as a general civil law firm, it expanded with specialization in the areas of shipping, banking, investment and commercial and general civil law practice. In addition, at present, the firm renders wide range of legal services, including confidential intelligence reports and lobbying.

Our philosophy is to provide our clients with high quality, value added and comprehensive legal services. We strive for objectivity, flexibility, responsiveness and commercial realism in advising and meeting clients' needs at least possible time. Our lawyers are committed and attuned to understanding each of our clients' business, industry and individual objectives. We recognize that the needs of the clients' cannot always be met solely by traditional legal responses; instead they require innovative and responsive solutions, which advance the clients' business as well as their legal objectives.

Our practice has been built up on care and concern for our clients, on sound office systems and on adherence to proven office procedures and professional ethics. We keep and maintain a large and sophisticated database of all previously done assignments which enables us to analyze and research on new matters thoroughly at the least possible time.

Areas of Law

Areas of Law Description

Our practice includes:

- Regulatory Framework

Since long international organizations like USAID, World Bank, European Commission etc. are assisting the Government by way of funding in such regulatory framework analysis on Bangladesh laws and regulations. In such cases it is very much important that such analysis is done by competent and experienced analysts. Doulah & Doulah being a leading and experienced law firm in Bangladesh has been engaged in a number of such regulatory framework analyses with for formulating necessary guidelines and recommendations. The reputation and goodwill enjoyed by Doulah & Doulah in this field is tremendous.

- Admiralty Maritime & Shipping

Doulah & Doulah has been has been practicing maritime law since the establishment of the firm; today we have a worldwide reputation as specialists in this area. Our partners regularly appear as recommended shipping specialists. We provide a comprehensive service in both contentious and non-contentious aspects of shipping law, advising on matters ranging from cargo claims to marine casualties, and from ship finance to ship purchase or sale.

- Antitrust & Competition

Doulah & Doulah offers a unique mix of legal, economic and regulatory expertise to the benefit of international clients from a range of industry sectors. The firm offers services to local market players to address adverse barriers in promoting their products including non-tariff barriers. Antitrust issues are increasingly complex and critical to the success of business. Doulah & Doulah offers clear, strategic and commercially aware advice on a broad-range of local and multi-jurisdictional antitrust matters.

- Aviation & Aircraft

Doulah & Doulah is undoubtedly leading the aviation practice sector in Bangladesh. Starting from the regulatory frameworks the firm has wide experience in this sector with respect to advisory work and drafting of documents on a wide range of aviation matters, including protecting, perfecting, and enforcing ownership or security interests in aircrafts, cross border aircraft purchase, mortgage of aircrafts and aircraft parts, wet and dry leasing of aircrafts as well as financing of the full range of aircraft related transactions.

- Bankruptcy & Restructure

The firm specializes in complex restructurings and insolvencies with dedicated resources. The depth of the firm’s talent in this sector is second to no firm in Bangladesh. The firm provides restructuring and finance expertise across a full spectrum of products and structures. The firm also offers practical and commercial advice on a full range of contentious and non-contentious issues encountered in insolvencies.

- Capital Market

Doulah & Doulah is one of the few law firms in Bangladesh that possesses complete expertise in capital market. The firm stands as the leading firm providing legal services in the areas of capital market / securities. The firm assists participants in the securitization market including asset originators, lead managers, credit enhancers, trustees and rating agencies to develop securitization techniques and find new ways to solve problems in securitization to enable innovative transactions to be successfully completed.

- Dispute Resolution

Alternative dispute resolution may be in form of Arbitration, Conciliation, Mediation or forced negotiation on administrative pressure. Now days, because of high cost involvements and time requirements for resolving matters by way of litigation in Courts, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has gained in popularity as it offers a variety of ways to resolve disputes without resorting to traditional litigation. At Doulah & Doulah, we take an imaginative and constructive approach, which involves consideration of all forms of dispute resolution. We can help with the prevention of disputes or dispute resolution like Arbitration, Conciliation, Negotiation mediation etc.

- Banking & Finance

Our Banking and Finance Practice represents clients in many aspects of financing transactions, from origination and negotiation, to documentation and closing, and when necessary, to enforcement of remedies or procedures and agreements for workout and reorganization. Commercial and investment banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions appoint us to represent them in their various capacities in financing transactions. At Doulah & Doulah we have expertise in banking litigations and dispute resolution. We work with banks and other financial institutions, combining extensive industry sector knowledge with specialist litigation and dispute resolution skills. We have acted for and in opposition of many Banks in this relation.

- Secured Transactions

Our practice provides advice in relation to the full spectrum of financial products including lending & acquisition finance, asset finance, derivative products, project finance, financial regulatory, insolvency & restructuring and structured finance. Finance operates as a truly global, integrated practice. Our practice has an enviable track-record in acting on complex, innovative multi-jurisdictional deals. We also act on many of the largest domestic transactions in the country. We advise on syndicated lending (both secured and unsecured), asset sales and debt trading private banking, corporate financing and refinancing, local authority and public sector financing. We assist participants in the securitization market (including asset originators, lead managers, credit enhancers, trustees and rating agencies) to develop securitization techniques and find new ways to solve problems in securitization to enable innovative transactions to be successfully completed. We provide specialist advice to providers and end-users of all categories of derivative products including interest rate, currency, equity, bond, commodity and energy as well as credit derivatives, repos and securities lending.

- Investment & Private Equity

The firm frequently advises on straightforward registrations, contractual matters and uncomplicated ventures. It also advises and acts on complex investment projects, mergers & acquisitions and corporate restructurings. Work covers both industry sectors and service sectors. The firm aims to work imaginatively and constructively to ensure that clients' commercial objectives are met within the relevant legal context. It believes that its commitment to the clients does not stop at the conclusion of a transaction - we regularly advise clients on post-investment operations.

- Franchises & Franchising

Doulah & Doulah has leading practice with respect of franchises and franchising in Bangladesh. It has been involved in franchising in most of the major franchises in Bangladesh especially in the sector of retail food chains. It has wide experience in conducting due diligence and in this connection it has conducted a number of due diligence assignments with respect to potential franchisees for franchisors in Bangladesh.

- Natural Resources (Oil/Gas/Mining)

Doulah & Doulah is one of the leading firms to advise on both up-stream and down-stream aspects of the energy sector especially in exploration of oil, gas and coal. It has worked on various gas transmission and distribution projects. Besides it advises clients in petroleum and furnace oil importation, storage and transportation related issues. The firm advises both foreign and local companies considering entry into the Bangladesh energy market. The firm is specialized with respect to compliance requirements in drilling / rigging projects especially in gas exploration ventures.

- Litigation

Our litigation practice has a track record of dealing with disputes of different categories. As businesses pursue strategies, their enforcement and litigation concerns likewise expand. Many of our clients see enforcement and litigation as a form of risk management. We work to help our clients resolve disputes efficiently and effectively, whether through arbitration, litigation or other techniques, in a manner that promotes their business objectives. We also work with clients to develop compliance programs and other techniques to minimize future litigation risks. We have particular expertise in managing complex, multi-faceted cases involving multiple claims and parties. We represent clients in some of the largest and significant matters, particularly in the areas of intellectual property, construction, banking and energy.

- Corporate Matters

The corporate section is the single largest practice in the firm. Besides advising on general day to day issues our firm involves in most complex corporate matters. We advise on straightforward registrations, contractual matters and uncomplicated ventures through to complex investment projects, mergers & acquisitions and corporate restructurings. In addition to its mainstream mergers & acquisitions capability the department's expertise encompasses Intellectual Property and Information Technology matters.

- Commercial Matters

We act for various foreign and domestic producers, distributors, service suppliers, trade associations in a broad range of international trade and services matters, from technology to heavy industry, to telecommunications. We have experienced trade lawyers, and provides comprehensive advice and assistance on all trade policy matters. Our trade law practice at Doulah & Doulah has always been a standard in its scope, as we have helped companies around the world to meet their trade policy and dispute resolution needs in Bangladesh.

- Mergers & Acquisitions

The mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and Corporate Restructure practice is one of the fastest-growing in the firm. In this connection we have significant experience in representing different parties in such transactions such as, the acquiring party, the party going to be acquired, the corporate guarantors, the financiers, the merging parties etc. Also nowadays corporates are going to restructure themselves faster due to emerging scopes of asset finance, bankruptcy etc.

- Power, Energy & Mining

With the rapid liberalization and integration facing the world energy markets, this has become an invaluable service area. We have an integrated team focusing on a wide range of areas including corporate, finance, environmental, competition, regulatory, project finance and energy trading experts in the power, oil and gas sectors. We have worked in power projects for financing and procurement structure, acting for project sponsors, funders, contractors and other industry participants. We strive to improve our own performance constantly - as a business in our own right, we understand the need to provide demonstrable value in return for the cost of our services. Our firm has been involved in most of the country's Electricity producing power plants. Besides we are providing advice and assistances to global mining and gas companies like Saipem, Baker & Hughes etc.

- Construction & Real Estate

Doulah & Doulah advises project sponsors, funders, contractors and other industry players in large scale construction and Infrastructure projects. The firm applies specialist non-contentious services to domestic and international projects, covering every combination of industry sector, location, procurement and financing structure.

- Due Diligence

The firm is able to provide in depth analysis on corporate structure and underlying regulatory requirements and license validities. The firm has also established it as the leading M&A law firm in Bangladesh and in this respect it maintains a very strong due diligence team to address complex due diligence issues especially in M&A transactions.

- Foreign Direct Investment

We advise on straightforward registrations, contractual matters and uncomplicated ventures. We also advise and act on complex investment projects, mergers & acquisitions and corporate restructurings. Our work covers industry sectors and service sectors. Our aim is to work imaginatively and constructively to ensure that our clients' commercial objectives are met within the relevant legal context. Our commitment to our clients does not stop at the conclusion of a transaction - we regularly advise clients on post-investment operations. We advise and act in Joint Venture matters. Our work includes reviewing JV and operating arrangements; advising on the consents governing the granting; advising on behalf of banks; and negotiating on suitable funding arrangements. We have extensive experience of advising on the creation of joint ventures and strategic alliances. Over the years the firm has advised on a range of global joint ventures in fast developing sectors. We also advise on smaller joint ventures usually as start-up enterprises.

- Corporate Taxation

Organizations need to maximize tax benefits in corporate and financial restructurings and navigate complex labor, employment and pensions regulations worldwide. Our clients turn to us for innovative and professional advice often spanning multiple jurisdictions comprising bilateral taxation issues. In all the key finance and business centers we have extremely strong domestic tax capability. This underpins the practice's ability to provide clients with relevant, specific and pragmatic advice on a truly international basis. We advise on international and domestic tax, covering a wide range of financing, corporate and commercial issues together with advice on tax litigation, disputes and transfer pricing matters. In addition to advising on pure VAT technicalities we also provide commercial and practical advice on all forms of corporate, e-commerce, financial and real estate transactions

- Employment & Labour

The firm has established itself as one of the leading HR consultants on legal perspective with a view to helping employers become more proactive in employment law-related matters to prevent legal issues before they arise towards benefit to all employees and employers as a whole. Some of the areas for which the firm provides counseling include developing and drafting affirmative action plans, employee hanoks, executive termination agreements, employee benefits plans, personnel policies, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, early retirement programs, restrictive covenants and employment contracts.

- Telecom, Media & Technology

Doulah & Doulah has one of the Bangladesh’s leading telecommunications practices. Since the deregulation of the telecommunications industry in 1995 the firm has been advising new entrants and incumbent telecommunications operators, regulators, equipment suppliers, service providers and users on a wide range of legal and regulatory issues.

- Intellectual Property

We are one of the leading and experienced Intellectual Property Law Firms in Bangladesh having a wide range of Intellectual Property Practice. Our lawyers are specialized in varied Intellectual Property Litigation having a large number of representative international and national Clients. Some of the firm’s lawyers have attained position of recognition as experts in Intellectual Property Litigations.

More Information on ABM Doulah & Doulah

Chittagong, Bangladesh Project Finance Lawyers
Corporate Law Firm in Chittagong, Bangladesh
Chittagong, Bangladesh Litigation Lawyers
Banking Law Firm in Chittagong, Bangladesh
Chittagong, Bangladesh Commercial Law Firm
Chittagong, Bangladesh Intellectual Property Lawyer
Construction Law Firm in Chittagong, Bangladesh
ABM Doulah & Doulah News and Publications

Office Locations

• Bangladesh - Dhaka - Main Office