First Post-Sanctions Alliance Between U.S. and Libyan Law Firms Opens America-Middle East Business Opportunities

4/23/2004

From: Fiona Bell, 202-347-6875, or Leanne Cowen, 0207-654-3000 (London), both of Butera & Andrews

WASHINGTON, April 23 -- Butera & Andrews, a well-known Washington-based law firm, and Abdulaziz & Khalifa, a prestigious Tripoli-based legal firm have agreed to establish a strategic alliance to help U.S. corporations gain quick footholds in Libyan redevelopment as that nation ends years of isolation.

This is the first such alliance between well-connected American and Libyan law firms and follows the withdrawal of European sanctions against Libya, and the easing of U.S. sanctions after positive moves by the Ghaddafi government on both weapons issues and the Pan AM 103 bombing case.

As U.S. commercial interests are now looking to deal with Libya on its readmission to the international community, this new working relationship between the two law firms will provide crucial expertise and relationships in helping American firms gain swift entree in oil and gas, banking, tourism and infrastructure development.

Butera & Andrews, which also has offices in London, specializes in financial services, energy, commercial and financial negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, government relations and litigation matters. It has a list of blue-chip clients including major domestic and foreign corporations, international law firms, and governmental entities, and has done work for Libyan interests.

Abdulaziz & Khalifa, one of Libya's most influential legal firms, offers unrivaled Libyan commercial and business expertise. It provides legal services in Tripoli for domestic and foreign firms on oil and gas, transnational investments, air transportation, construction contracts and engineering and services contracts.

Ahmed Mohamed Abdulaziz, a highly respected Libyan lawyer who was senior legal advisor and head of the negotiating team in the Libyan National Oil Corporation (LYNOC), was key to securing major agreements between LYNOC and foreign companies on oil and gas contracts and project financing. He also headed OPEC's Legal Office in Vienna, which was in charge of all OPEC secretarial affairs, providing legal advice to the Ministerial Council, the Board of Governors and the Secretary General. Ahmed was educated at the Gharynouis University, Benghazi and the University of Vienna in Austria (LLM).

Mohamed Ali Khalifa, a multilingual alumnus of Gharynounis University, Benghazi, Libya, brought international prestige to their firm due to his pivotal role in the United Nation's negotiations dealing with the Lockerbie trial which was subsequently held in the Netherlands. Khalifa is instrumental in drafting law governing the Libyan Free Economic Zone and is on the Board of the Institute of Legal Studies of the Tripoli Bar Association. He has carried out research at the University of Dijon in France and received his LLM from the University of Glasgow in Scotland.