IFN Law Awards Submission Guidelines 2021
INTRODUCTION
Launched in 2008, the global IFN Law Awards are the most prestigious Islamic finance legal accolades recognized for their impartiality, independence and inclusivity. Rewarding the best legal firms with Islamic finance capabilities and services, the IFN Law Awards take into consideration various metrics beyond the sheer size of a firm but more significantly, a firm’s inventive and progressive spirit in terms of expansion, innovation, impact and development.
Differentiated by over a decade of trusted relationships across the industry and deep expertise covering the global Islamic finance landscape, IFN is the world’s leading multichannel Islamic finance media outlet.
The IFN Law Awards are open to all legal firms with Shariah finance capabilities — international and domestic, full service and boutique.
The 2021 edition covers all Islamic finance activities from the 1st July 2020 to the 30th June 2021.
Submissions will be accepted between the 13th July and the 1st September 2021 with the judging process — executed by an independent Awards Advisory Board — taking place subsequently.
IFN will announce the winner and one runner-up for each category on the 23rd September 2021. The results will be featured again in the IFN Special Awards issue together with the winners of Deals of the Year, Service Providers Poll, Best Banks Poll and Non-Banking Financial Institutions Poll.
METHODOLOGY
Law firms are invited to participate in the nomination process which will be reviewed by an independent external judging panel made up of impartial industry experts. Winning law firms will be selected based on their collective industry experience over the last year as well as the information provided in individual submissions. Consideration is given to visibility, range of activity and complexity of work undertaken; nonetheless, equal consideration is given to all achievements based on a relative scale and no law firm is at a disadvantage due to size or location.
A shortlist will first be drawn up by the Awards Advisory Board. Any queries by the Awards Advisory Board regarding any of the nominations will be reviewed and fact-checked by the IFN Editorial team employing multiple methods including direct communication (where possible) with the participants/issuers in the stated lead transactions of each nomination.
The reviewed shortlist will then be further deliberated by the board to determine the final winners and runners-up.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
A single firm can be nominated across several categories.
To be considered, nominations must, at the very least, have the mandatory fields completed — it is the responsibility of the nominee to ensure forms are completed with sufficient information.
A category will only be valid if a minimum of three nominations are received.
Each submission must contain:
- Firm name, address
- Contact name, designation, telephone number and email address
- Date of submission
- Category being nominated (new form is to be completed for each category)
- Head of the department and the number of lawyers working in this field
- List of notable transactions in this category during the 12-month period from the 1st July 2020 to the 30thJune 2021 (provide closing dates)
- Nominators have to justify the significance and uniqueness of the transactions chosen for this category (max 500 words)
- Summary of the activities for the past 12 months (1stJuly 2020– 30th June 2021) in this category (max 500 words),
- Any further information you feel may assist in your case (max 200 words).
PLEASE NOTE that for reasons of transparency, all submissions must clearly state their role in the transaction, including which side they acted for and any other law firms involved in the transaction. Any transactions cited without this information will be disqualified and will not count toward the final decision.
PLEASE NOTE that for a transaction to be considered, the following information must be suitable for public release by the announcement date of the awards: transaction name, issuer, structure of deal, size of deal (including US dollar conversion), country/jurisdiction of origination and closing date.
Categories
| 1 | Arbitration | Recognizing a legal firm’s capabilities in resolving Islamic finance disputes outside of the courts |
| 2 | Asset Management & Islamic Funds | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in structuring Islamic funds and asset management products |
| 3 | Banking | Recognizing a law firm’s excellence in structuring Shariah compliant banking transactions |
| 4 | Capital Markets | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in structuring Islamic capital market transactions |
| 5 | Energy & Natural Resources | Recognizing a law firm’s leadership in engineering Shariah compliant transactions in the energy and natural resources sector |
| 6 | ESG/Green/SRI | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in structuring Shariah compliant financial transactions which deliver social impact such as those meeting environmental, social and governance factors, green projects and socially responsible investments |
| 7 | Fintech | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in structuring Shariah compliant transactions involving financial technology firms |
| 8 | Insolvency & Restructuring | Recognizing a law firm’s outstanding capabilities in corporate restructuring and insolvency |
| 9 | Mergers & Acquisitions | Recognizing a legal firm’s capabilities in coordinating and closing mergers and acquisitions |
| 10 | Offshore Finance | Recognizing a legal firm’s excellence in arranging and structuring Islamic financial deals using structures in offshore financial centers |
| 11 | Private Equity | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in conducting pre-acquisition due diligence, fund structuring, documentation, financing rounds, exits and divestments and post-closing implementation |
| 12 | Project & Infrastructure Finance | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in arranging and structuring funding of long-term infrastructure projects and public services in a Shariah compliant manner |
| 13 | Real Estate | Recognizing a law firm’s expertise in coordinating and structuring real estate projects |
| 14 | Takaful & re-Takaful | Recognizing a law firm’s capabilities in Islamic (re)insurance deals |
| 15 | Trade Finance | Recognizing a law firm’s excellence in financing for domestic and/or international trade transactions |
| 16 | Law Firm of the Year | Awarded to the most outstanding law firm which has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in Islamic dealmaking for the year |