The banking line has historically been one of the Firm's important areas of legal services. The Firm advises and assists banks and financial institutions on their legal issues, which include sophisticated lending structures, syndications, project finance, devising policies and procedures in light of the Prudential Regulations, due diligence, takeovers, mergers and amalgamation of banks, commercial credit documentation and other financial transactions, in addition to day-to-day advisory services and filing and conducting recovery suits.
Selected Transactions
- Assisted Middle Eastern Banks having Pakistan operations in formulation of polices and documents on Islamic Banking, in consultation with the Islamic Banking Committee set up by the State Bank in the year 1984-85, when Islamic banking was first introduced in Pakistan.
- Advisory to local banks in negotiation and finalization of agreements related to launch of credit cards in Pakistan in collaboration with foreign branding partners.
- Provided services on merger of Pakistan operations of a Kenyan Bank with and into a local commercial bank.
- Legal ground work and documentation on the proposed formation of a commercial bank in Azad Jammu & Kashmir by a local bank.
- Drafting and finalization of a policy for account opening forms, locker licence agreements for usage and operation of lockers, Policy for Outsourcing Arrangements, Agreements relating to credit cards and debit cards, for some major commercial banks
- Negotiation and finalization of agreements to enable clients of service providers to pay bills, dues and other charges through various electronic and automated banking channels.
- Structuring and documentation for creation of an online automated platform which would enable customers of a bank (which is a clearing custodian member of NCCPL) to place orders for trading in securities through a broker while maintaining cash and custody balance with the bank, and the settlement obligations of such customer trades would rest with the banking company.