Faresa Jafarey Ahsan
Corporate Partner
Direct Line: +92 21 3583 5016
Email: [email protected]
Juris PK, 4-C, 9th Zamzama Commercial Lane,
Phase V Defence Housing Authority, Karachi,
Pakistan
Tel : +92 21 3583 5101 – 04
Fax: +92 21 3583 5109 / 10
Website: www.liaquatmerchant.com
Individual Profile
Faresa is a Barrister-at-Law and joined Liaquat Merchant Associates (LMA) in 1984. Since then she has played a major role in developing corporate work at LMA. She currently heads the eight-member corporate department which advises extensively on all matters pertaining to banking, finance and corporate matters.
Since the introduction of Islamic banking in Pakistan in 2003, LMA has structured, designed and drafted Islamic banking documents in consultation with Shariah advisors and bankers, both within and outside Pakistan. The documents prepared by LMA are used by the corporate, commercial and consumer departments of banks and pertain to a wide variety of products. These documents are now used as standard base documents on a recurring basis, for transactions worth billions of Pakistani rupees. LMA has structured and advised on Islamic treasury documents, such as Mudarabah placement and Commodity Mudarabah finance. LMA has also drafted Islamic security documents covering a wide range of collateral.
Faresa has been instrumental in the development of the Islamic banking law practice at LMA due to her knowledge, insight and sound understanding of the issues involved when structuring Islamic banking transactions. She has worked closely with bank officers, as well as Shariah advisors, in coming up with the best course of action, keeping in mind that the civil and commercial laws of Pakistan are in the process of being adapted to Shariah principles applicable to banking.
The firm is headed by managing partner Liaquat H. Merchant who has been the driving force behind the practice. LMA enjoys an excellent working relationship with Kennedys, and also with Habib Al Mulla & Company. With 15 Barristers-at-Law and Advocates, the firm also enjoys a relationship with Lane & Partners and during the past few years has developed a structured relationship with DLA Piper in the UK. This has resulted in the two firms working together on a number of projects for Pakistan.
Areas of Expertise:
• Islamic Finance
• Microfinance
• Consumer Finance
• SME Finance
• Banking & Finance
• Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Capital Markets & Derivatives
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Clinical Negligence
• Power Projects
• Corporate / Commercial
• Privatization
• Real Estate & Construction
• Cross-Border Joint Ventures & Cross-Border Litigation
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Information Technology
• Shipping & Admiralty
• Structured & Project Finance
• Takaful
Associate offices:
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Islamabad, Lahore, London
Clients:
American Express Bank, Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Chartered Bank, National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank, United Bank, Allied Bank, MCB Bank, Habib Metropolitan Bank, Emirates Bank, Bank Al Habib