LEBANON · UAE · SAUDI ARABIA · KUWAIT · OMAN · QATAR
The law at the service of businesses, institutions and individuals
Employment and Labor Law
Intellectual Property
Real Estate and Lease Law
Dispute Resolution
Family, Personal Status and Succession Law
Public, Institutional and NGO Advisory
Corporate & Commercial
Full-spectrum corporate, licensing, and regulatory legal support for businesses operating across Lebanon and the GCC.
Karameh & Partners advises regional and international businesses at every stage of their commercial lifecycle - from initial market entry and corporate structuring through to licensing, regulatory compliance, complex cross-border transactions, and ongoing commercial advisory.
The Firm provides integrated legal support tailored to the regulatory requirements of Lebanon and the various GCC jurisdictions, ensuring that businesses operating across borders receive coordinated and commercially practical counsel rather than fragmented jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction advice.
Operating across GCC markets requires continuous interaction with licensing authorities, regulatory bodies, and evolving compliance frameworks that differ significantly from one jurisdiction to another. Karameh & Partners assists businesses in obtaining the approvals required to operate, maintaining ongoing compliance, and navigating regulatory developments across the region.
Corporate structuring & formation
- Company formation across Lebanon, UAE mainland and free zones, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar
- Corporate structuring and holding company architecture for cross-border operations
- Corporate amendments, including trade name changes, management restructuring, business activities, shareholding modifications, and capital increases
- Liquidation and dissolution procedures
- Ongoing corporate maintenance, including license renewals, establishment cards, and commercial registrations
Licensing, Regulatory & Compliance
- Identification of required licenses and regulatory approvals for market entry
- Obtaining specialized licenses, including import/export, Ministry of Health, tourism, and sector-specific approvals
- Ongoing compliance advisory and regulatory monitoring
- Foreign investment regulations and market entry compliance
- Regulatory coordination before relevant governmental and administrative authorities
- Commercial and tax-related legal advisory connected to ongoing business operations
Commercial agreements
- Drafting and reviewing all commercial agreements: MOUs, joint ventures, distribution agreements, supply agreements, service agreements, terms and conditions, settlement agreements, share purchase agreements, shareholders agreements, employment contracts, termination letters, and powers of attorney, board and shareholders' resolutions
- Contract negotiation and enforcement
- Legal opinion
- Legal advisory and transaction support
- Legal research and structuring studies
Employment and Labor Law
Advising businesses and employees on employment structures, HR compliance, and labor authority proceedings across Lebanon and the GCC.
Employment law across Lebanon and the GCC presents businesses with a distinct set of obligations, from the structuring of employment agreements that comply with local labor codes, to the management of disciplinary procedures, terminations, and regulatory filings with Ministry of Labor authorities. The Firm advises employers, HR teams, and individuals on the full range of employment and labor matters, combining knowledge of Lebanese labor law with active familiarity with the employment frameworks of the GCC.
We advise at every stage of the employment relationship, from onboarding documentation and policy frameworks through termination structuring, risk assessment, and representation in labor disputes. For businesses operating across multiple GCC jurisdictions simultaneously, we provide coordinated employment advice that accounts for the differing requirements of each labor authority.
What we advise on:
- Drafting and reviewing employment agreements as per the applicable regulations
- HR policies, employee handbooks, and compliance frameworks
- Employee misconduct notices, disciplinary letters, and performance management documentation
- Termination structuring, exit agreements, and risk assessment
- Ministry of Labor procedures, residency permits, Emirates IDs, and staff transfers
- End-of-service entitlements and gratuity calculations
- Non-compete and confidentiality agreements
- Representation in labor disputes and employment proceedings
Intellectual Property
Protecting and enforcing the intellectual property rights of businesses and individuals across Lebanon, the GCC, and internationally through WIPO.
Intellectual property is among the most commercially significant assets a business holds, and among the most frequently under-protected. The Firm advises businesses, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals on the registration, protection, and enforcement of their intellectual property rights across Lebanon and GCC jurisdictions, ensuring that brands, inventions, and creative works are legally secured in every market where they operate or intend to expand.
We handle the full lifecycle of intellectual property advisory from initial classification and filing strategy through to active enforcement against infringement. For clients requiring international protection, we advise on and manage filings through the World Intellectual Property Organization, including trademark applications under the WIPO Madrid System and patent filings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, giving clients a single point of contact for IP matters that span multiple jurisdictions and legal systems.
What we advise on:
- Trademark registration, classification, filing, and registration across Lebanon, GCC jurisdictions, and international filings under the WIPO Madrid System
- Patent registration and protection
- Copyright registration and enforcement
- IP portfolio management and strategic advisory
- Monitoring and surveillance for infringement
- International patent filings under the WIPO Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
- Cease and desist proceedings and infringement action
- IP enforcement before courts and relevant authorities
- Alignment of IP strategy with business expansion and market entry plans
- IP clauses in commercial agreements; licensing, assignments, and NDAs
Real Estate and Lease Law
Transactional and advisory legal services for real estate investment, development, leasing, and finance.
Real estate is one of the most active and legally complex sectors across the markets we serve. The Firm advises developers, investors, financial institutions, and businesses on the full range of real estate legal matters from acquisition due diligence and title verification through to development structures, leasing arrangements, and enforcement proceedings.
In Lebanon, we bring deep knowledge of the Lebanese real estate registry system, property ownership restrictions applicable to foreign nationals and corporate entities, expropriation law, and the legal framework governing leasing and development.
Lease law
- Commercial and institutional lease drafting and negotiation
- Lease renewals and addendums
- Dispute advisory under Lebanese lease law
- Lease and real estate dispute resolution
Real estate transactions
- Property acquisition and disposal; due diligence and title verification
- Property ownership verification and land registry follow-up
- Real estate risk assessments
- Off-plan purchase agreements and escrow structuring
- Real estate finance and mortgage arrangements
- Development structures and joint development agreements
- Construction contracts and project advisory
- Expropriation matters
Dispute Resolution - Litigation, Arbitration & Administrative Law
Representing businesses and institutions before courts, international arbitral tribunals, and public authorities.
The Firm has built its reputation over nearly three decades on the quality of its dispute resolution practice. The Firm represents clients across the full spectrum of commercial disputes from proceedings before Lebanese civil, commercial, and criminal courts to complex multi-party international arbitrations and administrative proceedings before ministries and public authorities.
Our litigation partners bring authoritative knowledge of Lebanese procedural law and decades of advocacy experience at every level of the Lebanese judicial system. Our arbitration practice, led by a partner holding a doctorate in civil procedure and a master's degree in international arbitration, handles cross-border disputes involving parties from Lebanon, the GCC, Europe, and beyond.
Civil & commercial litigation
- Civil and commercial litigation
- Lease and real estate disputes especially the 160/1992 exceptional law and related disputes.
- Contractual disputes and breach of contract claims
- Enforcement proceedings and judgment execution
- Criminal complaints and defense coordination
- Representation before courts and public prosecutors
- Case strategy and risk exposure analysis
International arbitration
- International arbitration under ICC, LCIA, DIAC, BCDR-AAA, and ADGM rules
- Emergency arbitration and interim relief applications
- Enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in Lebanon and GCC jurisdictions
- Pre-dispute advisory and risk assessment
- Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
Administrative & regulatory law
- Interaction with ministries and public authorities
- Administrative appeals and regulatory proceedings
- Government compliance advisory
- Public sector legal opinions and institutional legal reporting
Family, Personal Status and Succession Law
Advising families and individuals on personal status matters, succession planning, and the preservation of family wealth across generations.
Succession and family law matters are governed by a complex intersection of religious law, civil law, and for cross-border families, the private international law rules of multiple jurisdictions.
The Firm advises families and individuals on navigating this complexity with discretion, clarity, and long-term strategic thinking.
Personal status & family law
- Marriage and divorce proceedings under civil and religious frameworks
- Civil registration matters
- Inheritance and succession under Lebanese personal status law
- Name and data amendments before relevant authorities
- Nationality related matters
Family Business & Succession Planning
- Succession structuring and multi-generational estate planning
- Probate and inheritance file management in both civil and religious succession frameworks
- Asset structuring for family wealth preservation
- Family holding structures across Lebanon and GCC jurisdictions
- Powers of attorney: drafting, authentication, legalization, and registration
- Release, waiver, settlement, and indemnity documentation
- Inheritance dispute advisory and resolution before civil and religious authorities and courts
- Cross-border succession involving assets, companies, and real estate holdings
- Wills and succession instruments effective across relevant jurisdictions and legal systems
- Transfer and registration of inherited assets before the relevant authorities and land registries
- Management of inheritance-related tax payments and transfer formalities
- Strategic advisory on the division, transfer, and preservation of family assets
- Coordination with ministries, municipalities, cadastral departments, religious authorities, and regulatory bodies in connection with succession procedures
- Advisory on complex family-owned real estate and corporate asset transfers
Public, Institutional and NGO Advisory
Legal counsel for public entities, institutions, and non-governmental organizations operating in Lebanon and the region.
Public institutions, NGOs, and government-related entities face a distinct set of legal challenges; governance requirements, regulatory compliance, public procurement frameworks, and the legal structures that govern cooperation between public and private actors. The Firm advises a range of institutional clients on these matters, combining legal precision with an understanding of the operational realities of public and civil society organizations.
NGO & civil society
- NGO structuring, registration, and compliance
- Governance advisory for non-governmental organizations
- Municipal agreements and institutional frameworks
- NGO context MOUs and contracting strategies
- Public-private cooperation frameworks
Public sector & institutional advisory
- Public procurement advisory
- Government entity legal advisory and institutional legal reporting
- Administrative law and regulatory proceedings
- Public-private partnership structures
- Interaction with ministries, municipalities, and public authorities