.:: Practice Areas:
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.:: BANKING .:: |
A bank is an officially chartered institution empowered to receive deposits, make loans and provide checking and savings account services, all at a profit. The Lebanese banking system is endowed with several characteristics that promote the role of Beirut as a regional financial center, in terms of ensuring protection for foreign capital and earnings. The A & A Law Firm is proficient and follows closely the laws and characteristics of the Lebanese Banking system. The A & A Law Firm also offers services and counsels on the international banking system to ensure the protection of Lebanese investors’ earnings overseas.
Banks and bank accounts are regulated by a national statutory law. Bank accounts may be established by national chartered banks and savings associations. All are regulated by the law under which they were established. The practice of law in the area of “banking law” involves a variety of disciplines. As with many sectors and enterprises, the banking sector is growing in size and sophistication on an international level.
In Lebanon as in countries around the world, this industry faces significant issues including increased competition from foreign banks and the various financial institutions.
A & A Law Firm provides legal counsels for complete legal structuring for acquisitions, finance loans, tender offers, leveraged buyouts, recapitalization and refinancing. We offer recommendation for negotiation of financial service transactions, banking regulatory issues, payment systems, capital and debt structuring and restructuring transaction.
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.:: CORPORATE LAW .:: |
Corporate law involves business and business can be undertaken in various forms.
The A & A Law Firm ensures that all its clients have followed the proper channels to establish their corporations.
A corporation is an organization formed with state governmental approval to act as an artificial person to carry on businesses (or other activities), which can sue or be sued, and (unless it is non-profit) can issue shares of stock to raise funds with which to start a business or increase its capital. One benefit is that a corporation's liability for damages or debts is limited to its assets, so the shareholders and officers are protected from personal claims, unless they commit fraud.
Corporation shareholders elect a board of directors, which in return adopt bylaws, choose the officers and hires top management (which in smaller corporations are often the directors and/or shareholders). Annual meetings are required for both the shareholders and the board, and major policy decisions must be made by resolution of the board (which often delegates much authority to officers and committees).
There are also non-profit (or not for profit) corporations organized for religious, educational, charitable or public service purposes. Public corporations are those formed by a municipal, state or federal government for public purposes such as operating a dam and utility project.
A close corporation is made up of a handful of shareholders with a working or familial connection which is permitted to operate informally without resolutions and regular board meetings. A de jure corporation is one that is formally operated under the law, while a de facto corporation is one which operates as if it is legal, but without the articles of incorporation being valid.
In many instances, ways of doing business are governed by law. In others, they are determined by the preferences of the parties involved, based upon a large number of business, tax and personal considerations. These legal entities are also known as company or corporation, and they govern the prevalent legal models for firms.
The A & A Law Firm provides the opportunity to their clients to grow and develop their business according to their under the applicable law.
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.:: INSURANCE LAW .:: |
Insurance is a contract (insurance policy) signed by two parties, the insurer and the insured. This contract involves a policy whereby the insurer agrees to pay fully or in part the insured party in the instance where there has been loss suffered due to accident or death. Insurance companies must compete among one another; therefore the focus is aimed towards the management of their costs rather than the quality of their services. Insurance not only covers property but also human life.
The losses covered by the policy may include property damage or loss from accident, fire, theft or intentional harm; medical costs and/or lost earnings due to physical injury; long-term or permanent loss of physical capacity; claims by others due to the insured's alleged negligence (e.g. public liability auto insurance); loss of a ship and/or a cargo; finding a defect in title to real property; dishonest employees; or the loss of someone's life. Life insurance may be on the life of a spouse, a child, one of several business partners or an especially important manager ("key man" insurance), all of which is intended to provide for survivors or to ease the burden created by the loss of a financial contributor. So-called "mortgage" insurance is life insurance which will pay off the remaining amount due on a home loan on the death of the husband or wife. Life insurance proceeds are usually not included in the probate of a dead person's estate.
Insurance companies may refuse to pay a claim by a third party against an insured, but at the same time may be required to assume the legal defense (pay attorney's fees or provide an attorney) under the doctrine of "reservation of rights."
At A & A Law Firm we offer such advice to help our clients attain the best legal coverage. We resolve insurance claims. We also advise on retail and wholesale insurance contracts, with strategic approaches to litigation when necessary. Through our experienced lawyers, we are able to represent our clients in the legal dispute and offer them the best representation we can offer.
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.:: TAXATION .:: |
Tax exists in every country and it is a governmental assessment (charge) upon property value, transactions (transfers and sales), and licenses granting a right and/or income. These include income taxes, city taxes on real property, state and/or local sales tax based on a percentage of each retail transaction, duties on imports from foreign countries, business licenses, tax on the estates of persons who have died, taxes on large gifts and a state "use" tax in lieu of sales tax imposed on certain goods bought outside of the state. In conclusion it is the process whereby charges are imposed on individuals or property by a state in order to raise funds for public purposes.
At A & A Law Firm we deal in tax assessment and tax appeals, keeping the individuals and corporations' best interest always at heart.
The A & A Law Firm represents individuals, business organizations, and other entities before municipal, state, and administrative agencies. This work includes seeking permits and licenses, defending enforcement and disciplinary proceedings, contesting tax decisions and pursuing governmental approvals.
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.:: REAL ESTATE .:: |
Real Estate is a land, improvements and buildings thereon, including attached items and growing things. It is virtually the same as "real property," except real property includes interests which are not physical such as a right to acquire the property in the future. Real property sometimes called “Real cot ate” refers to ownerships of land and things attached to it.
As for the Lebanese citizens, each citizen has the right to own as much as land property as he wants. But the case is different for foreigners. Thus A & A Law Firm lawyers work on finding legal solutions for foreigners who would like to own a property in Lebanon, and prepare all necessary documents to obtain this property.
Our relevant expertise in this area includes:
- Advising on all aspects of landlord and tenant law, particularly rent reviews and property management;
- Designing and undertaking required due diligence investigations to identify and assess commercial risks associated with real estate transactions;
- Coordinating and advising on major development and construction projects including site acquisition, funding, letting and disposal;
- Drafting and negotiating different types of FIDIC Agreements (cost-plus, lump sum, re-measured, dredging, reclamation, etc..).
The real estate law covers more than just buying and selling a home. It also involves dealing with your neighbors and disputes; it deals with contractors and any home improvement done to your property, the tenants rights (when is your landlord allowed to evict you, how long you have, rent…). Finally, real estate law also protects landlords when they are leasing their property.
A & A Law Firm lawyers counsel clients on investments and developments of a broad range of real estate types. We advise and represente clients on a broad range of construction related legal subjects, among others, contracting, subcontracting, architecture and engineering works.
The A & A Law Firm lawyers are well aware with the real estate laws and the difficulties that people face when leasing, renting, buying or selling their home
. A & A Law Firm lawyers offer a comprehensive range of legal services for developers, investors and non-nationals. Our lawyers & counselors include an investigative department that performs a background check on the buyer and seller. Our team also draws experience of the wider areas of Lebanese laws among which restrictions are imposed on the property ownership for non-nationals.
For that reason, A & A Law Firm take particular care and pay close attention to the real estate market and upcoming and new laws, in order to keep their clients safe and protected from any illegal activity.
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.:: CRIMINAL LAW .:: |
Criminal law, also known as penal law involves the prosecution of an individual by the government for an act that has been classified as a crime. Criminal laws are those statutes dealing with crimes against the public and members of the public, with penalties and all the procedures connected with charging, trying, sentencing and imprisoning defendants convicted of crimes.
Criminal law is divided in two parts:
- Criminal procedure regulates the process for addressing violations of criminal law
- Substantive criminal law details the definition of, and punishments for, various crimes.
There are also different degrees of crime:
- Felony is when a crime is serious enough to be punishable by a term in prison. Usually tried in the high courts.
- Misdemeanor is a lesser crime punishable by a fine or jail time for up to a year.
Misdemeanors are tried in the lowest local court such as municipal, police or justice courts.
Typical misdemeanors include: petty theft, disturbing the peace, simple assault and battery and public nuisances.
All statutes describing criminal behavior can be broken down into their various elements. Most crimes consist of two elements: an act, or "actus reus," and a mental state, or "mens rea". Prosecutors have to prove each and every element of the crime to yield a conviction. Furthermore, the prosecutor must persuade the jury or judge "beyond a reasonable doubt" of every fact necessary to constitute the crime charged. In civil cases, the plaintiff needs to show a defendant is liable only by a "preponderance of the evidence," or more than 50%.
The A & A Law Firm is proficient in the area of criminal law. It has a selected number of lawyers who specialize in criminal law. They can represent clients subject to either crime categorized as a felony and a misdemeanor with the same proficiency. |