Alerts

• France changes its Civil Code to attract Islamic FinanceAn amendment to article 2011 of the French Civil Code was passed on 17 September 2009 by the French National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) to help promote the development of Islamic finance in France.
• The UK Budget 2009 and Islamic financeThe UK Government announced plans to further promote the City of London as a centre for global Islamic finance and level the playing field between conventional and Islamic products.
• Islamic finance libraryThis practical guide to Islamic finance is an essential resource for anyone interested in conducting their business in a Shariah-compliant manner.

Islamic finance

With over 50 partners and associates across the world advising on Islamic finance matters, we continue to be at the forefront of Islamic finance and Islamic ‘thought leadership’. Norton Rose Group is a recognised market leader in this area, with legal directories such as Chambers Global (2009) describing our practice as “the broadest Islamic finance offering on the market” and “a perennially excellent firm (who) continues to be one of the leaders in its field”.

Our clients include Islamic financial institutions and conventional banks, as well as major corporates and governments. Our Islamic finance group includes specialists in aviation, shipping, projects, acquisition finance, banking and structured finance, international securities and collective investments.

We are innovators in this sector and posses unrivalled technical and commercial knowledge. We did groundbreaking work with the first Islamic retail bank to open in the West and we now advise the UK government on Islamic financing. We assisted on a landmark Sukuk issue for the Bahrain Financial Harbour, we worked on the first shipping transaction to use an Ijara Sukuk arrangement and we helped launch Scotland’s first Islamic mortgage product.

We can

• help you to finance projects through Istisna’a and Ijara Mawsufah fi al Dhimmah tranches;
• advise you on credit facilities and real estate acquisitions involving a Musharakah partnership arrangement, with conventional debt providers and Islamic investors;
• guide you through the introduction of Islamic mortgage products and Takaful insurance policies, making sure that all terms and conditions are Shari’ah compliant.

Any business transaction can be conducted in a Sharia’ah compliant manner. We can show you how.

Our clients

Our clients include the Al-Amin Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Kuwait Finance House, Shamil Bank, Islamic Bank of Britain, European Islamic Investment Bank, ABN Amro, Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas, Calyon, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Arab Bank International, Gulf International Bank, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and UBS.

Recognition

• Outstanding Contribution by a Law Firm to Islamic Financial Services, London Sukuk Summit Islamic Finance Industry Awards 2009
• Best Islamic Finance Law Firm, The Asset Triple A Awards 2009
• Best Islamic Trade Finance Law Firm (EMEA) 2009, Trade Finance magazine
• Outstanding Contribution to Islamic Finance in the UK - Neil D. Miller, Partner, Norton Rose Group, London Sukuk Summit Islamic Finance Industry Awards 2009
• Best Islamic Finance Law Firm, CPI Islamic business and Finance Awards 2008 and 2007
• Islamic Finance Law Firm of the Year, Islamic Finance News Awards 2008 and 2007
• Best Takaful Law Firm, Middle East Business Forum 2008
• Best Takaful Law Firm, International Takaful Summit Awards 2008
• Best Law firm, Islamic Business and Finance 2008
• Best Law Firm, Middle East, The IREF ME 2008 Award of Excellence

Global key contacts

Jurisdiction	Contact
Africa	Davide Barzilai, Farmida Bi, Neil D Miller, Anthony Pallett
Asia Pacific	Jeff Smith
Europe	Davide Barzilai, Farmida Bi, Neil D Miller, Anthony Pallett
Middle East	Andrew Abernethy, Davide Barzilai, Farmida Bi, Emma Giddings, Neil D Miller