Strategic Legal Counsel

for High Value & Complex

Assignments, Transactions, Projects & Disputes

MJLA|LEGAL

MJLA started in 2003 as a full-service corporate law practice, and its first office was situated at Fane Road, Lahore. The areas of practice covered
corporate and commercial, banking and finance, employment and labour, intellectual and real property, environment, and dispute resolution.

Clients trusted us with their legal mattes which had sensitive business implications. We strived hard to live up to their expectations. The team, work and
clients expanded fast, and soon MJLA gained reputation for delivering legal solutions which make positive business sense and give practical advantage
to the clients.

Clients were particularly pleased with the innovative approach, commitment to excellence, service standards, professionalism and integrity of MJLA
team. We worked with businesses of all sizes (start-ups, SMEs, multinationals, listed companies, business groups, large family-owned enterprises), mostly
as their retained legal counsel offering advice on a wide range of legal issues from routine and elementary queries to high-value, complex and challenging
assignments. We represented clients in diverse forums (Payment of Wages Authority, Labour Courts, Appellate Tribunals, Regulatory Authorities, Civil
Courts, District Courts and High Courts).

We worked very closely with several multinational enterprises and international law firms on Pakistan law related matters, and within a year of our
existence were picked-up by international legal directories for the quality of our work and dedication to serve the best interests of our clients. In 2003-04,
MJLA was ranked among the leading corporate and commercial law firms of Pakistan by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. In 2006, Chambers Global Guide,
London, recognised us as one of the leading law practices of Pakistan, and so did Chambers Asia Pacific from 2009 onwards.

We at MJLA take tremendous pride in benchmarking our capabilities against international standards, and keenly observe developments in the legal
services at the global level. By 2010, it was obvious that legal services across the globe were undergoing a fundamental transformation. The value chain,
business model and client relationships in legal services are being redefined, requiring corporate and commercial law firms to reinvent themselves by
aligning with the changing marketplace.

In keeping with our proactive approach, in 2012 MJLA decided to become a specialist business law firm, focusing on selected areas of practice to deliver
world-class value to its clients through innovation and thought leadership.

MJLA|LEGAL

Our History

Our representative clients include Fortune 500 corporations, multinational enterprises, and local business groups. We are preferred local
counsel of many leading international law firms in Pakistan.

MJLA|LEGAL

MJLA|LEGAL

“They focus on their clients' long-term benefit.” CHAMBERS ASIA PACIFIC, 2013

“They provide high-quality advice.” CHAMBERS ASIA PACIFIC, 2013

“A good, intelligent team that focuses on the issues and doesn't just provide quick fixes.” CHAMBERS ASIA
PACIFIC, 2012

“This firm is often instructed on significant transactional and advisory work…” CHAMBERS ASIA PACIFIC, 2012

“The firm’s client base is evenly divided between major local businesses …and international names.” CHAMBERS
ASIA PACIFIC, 2011

“[E]xcellent reputation for its “flexibility” and “willingness” to innovate.” THE ASIA PACIFIC LEGAL 500, 2009-
2010

“Clients appreciate that this firm’s service is “responsive and to the point” ... “the quality and integrity of advice is
good, and issues are diligently followed up and deadlines are met.” CHAMBERS GLOBAL GUIDE (2008)

Our Reputation

MJLA LEGAL enjoys a pre-eminent reputation for providing insightful, integrated and innovative legal advice and solutions to
senior leadership of corporations, institutions, regulatory bodies and Governments, for the most challenging and pressing legal issues
faced by them.

We help our clients to make intelligent legal choices for continuing long-term success. We act as trusted legal counsel to senior
leadership on a wide range of strategic legal issues, may that be legislative, regulatory or policy reforms, devising legal strategies to
support new business models, structuring suitable business vehicles or transactions, negotiating and finalizing key commercial
contracts, formulating and implementing good corporate governance practices, divesting or acquiring assets and businesses, carrying
out corporate restructuring, mitigating key-risks, or implementing succession planning of owners or senior leadership.

We regularly act as legal advisors and consultants to foreign businesses operating or interested in doing business in
Pakistan, and assist them on legal aspects of foreign investment, structuring transactions, project documentation,
corporate governance, acquisition of companies or business assets, joint ventures, mergers and takeovers, private
equity transactions, risk management, and amicably resolving business and commercial disputes. We also act as legal
value partner to Pakistan subsidiaries of foreign companies for regular advice on high-value legal matters.

Strategic Legal Counsel

Expert Legal Solutions

Cross-Border Transactions

Our Services

MJLA|LEGAL

High-Stakes Disputes

We advise and represent local and international businesses about/in high-value and complex disputes, and specialise in
designing and executing intelligent legal strategies for achieving business and commercial objevtives in legal arenas.

• IPOs
• Capital Management
• Capital Restructuring
• Convertible and Exchangeable Securities
• Regulatory Affairs

Capital Markets

Areas of Practice

• Contracts
• Products
• Structures
• Transactions
• Projects
• Loans
• Regulatory Affairs

Banking & Islamic Finance

• Advised one of the leading business groups of Pakistan on the equity investment in their new venture
  by an institutional investor.
• Assisted a large family-owned business in setting-up a governance framework to align business success
  and family interests.
• Advised a multinational listed company on effects of regulatory changes on its business model and
  commercial practices.
• Advised a multinational listed company on corporate governance and investments in associated
  companies.
• Advised a major power sector statutory body on various aspects of the Shareholders’ Agreement and
  the Investors Agreement entered into between the statutory body, and an international power company
  in respect of an independent Pakistani power producing company.

• Advised a Fortune 500 company to establish a tax efficient presence in Pakistan through a special
  purpose vehicle.
• Advised a group of companies on incorporation of a special purpose vehicle (a joint venture company)
  for the role of Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Contractor in a multi-billion Rupees project.
• Advised a Fortune 500 company on efficient tax planning model in relation to the applicable double
  taxation treaty.
• Advised a global company having a subsidiary company in Pakistan on transfer pricing arrangements
  and documentation.
• Advised a blue-chip listed company on various aspects of de-merger including corporate governance,
  listing and taxation.
• Policy legal opinion to a large manufacturing company successfully addressing legal objections by a
  financial institution, enabling the company to avail working capital facility.
• Assisted one of the leading business groups’ of Pakistan with due diligence of a major sugar plant for
  acquisition of the same.
• Assisted an international company in the due diligence of a Pakistan subsidiary of a foreign entity for
  acquisition purposes.
• Successfully structured a commercial transaction whereby a defunct joint venture project, mortgaged
  with a financial institution, was resuscitated by the new management.
• Advised a public-private partnership company established by the Government of Pakistan on the
  policy framework to lease out space for industrial purposes.
• Successfully represented a food company before Lahore High Court in a writ proceedings in which the
  quality of its products were challenged without evidence.
• Successfully represented a fertilizer company before the Competition Commission of Pakistan in a
  show cause proceedings in which commercial practices of the company were scrutinized for alleged
  violation of the competition law.

• Advised an international group of companies about acquisition of a major chemical company in
  Pakistan including the transaction structure and also conducted due diligence exercise for the
  acquisition.
• Advised a major international company that provides consultancy, design, engineering, and
  management services for infrastructure development on the acquisition of the company in Pakistan
  which was a subsidiary of a leading international construction consultancy firm.
• Advised a Fortune 500 US company on equity investment in a listed company in Pakistan, and acted as
  its external legal counsel to conclude the transaction.
• Worked with a Fortune 500 company to identify applicable regulatory framework in Pakistan,
  establish a business vehicle, start business operations and build regulatory compliance capabilities.
• Advised an international commercial bank, on regulatory framework in Pakistan for starting banking
  business, and requirements for obtaining license from the State Bank of Pakistan.
• Advised one the leading international telecommunication services company based in Europe on
  Pakistani law aspects of the transfer of assets in Pakistan, as part of a global agreement between the two
  international telecommunicationservices companies.
• Advised a UAE based company on entering into a joint venture arrangement with a Pakistani company
  in connection with bidding for work related to a major infrastructure development project in Pakistan.
• Instructed by subsidiary of an international company to represent the subsidiary before the Securities
  and Exchange Commission of Pakistan in connection with the dispute relating to the issued share
  capital of the subsidiary.
• Advised a leading international company with group companies throughout the Asia-Pacific on the
  business continuity plan of its subsidiary based in Pakistan.
• Represented one of the major business groups of Pakistan in negotiations of the business group with the
  foreign consultants for feasibility study and design contract of a power plant.
• Advised a leading milk processing company in a commercial dispute with a foreign supplier of cattle
  which was amicably settled by the parties.

• Advised an engineering company (operating at international level), to develop contract management
  processes and legal risk mitigation system for project work.
• Advised a joint venture company about setting-up a provident fund trust, its governance framework and
  legal policies, as part of good corporate governance.
• Advised a listed company about regulatory compliance requirements for launch of its new products in a
  highly-regulated market segment.
• Advised the management of a newly acquired financial institution about managing a large portfolio of
  pending litigation.

Representative Work

MJLA|LEGAL

Strategic Legal Counsel

Expert Legal Solutions

Cross-border Transactions and Disputes

Legal Value Partner

• Cisco. Inc.
• Verizon Communications, USA
• ICI Pakistan Limited
• General Cable Corporation, USA
• Engro Foods Limited
• Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan Ltd.
• British Airways
• Engro Fertilizers Limited
• Veon/VimpleCom
• Asian Development Bank
• Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)
• Nokia Siemens Networks, Finland
• Nestlé Pakistan Limited
• Kerry Logistics
• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB)
• Unilever PLC
• Aon Singapore Pte. Ltd.
• Trafigura Pte. Ltd.
• Millat Tractors Limited
• Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
• Wateen Telecommunications
• Reckitt Benckiser (Pakistan) Limited
• ​General Electric, USA
• Palladium International
• ActionAid International
• Barclays Bank
• ​Shakarganj Mills Ltd.

Representative Clients

MJLA|LEGAL

Mr. Mujtaba Jamal has extensive experience of advising and handling complex, challenging and
high-value corporate, commercial and financial transactions, projects and disputes; his areas of
expertise include private equity, foreign investment, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions,
takeovers, conventional banking & finance, Islamic finance, corporate governance, commercial
contracts, public private partnership (PPP) projects, competition, regulation, and dispute
resolution.

Mr. Jamal has been recommended by the Chambers Global Guide and Chambers Asia for his
expertise in corporate and commercial laws for more than two decades. Chambers Asia Pacific
2011 ranked Mr. Jamal as one of the leading corporate lawyers of Pakistan and reported him as a
"brilliant lawyer, with a highly thorough approach." The Asia Pacific Legal 500 2012 reported him
as an “experienced attorney with sound business acumen.” Chambers Global 2012 reported him as
a "real business person's attorney who gives sound legal advice.”

Mr. Jamal is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Barrister-at-Law of the Lincoln's Inn,
London, and a law graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
He has also completed EMBA degree course from Lahore University of Management Sciences
(LUMS). He holds post-graduate professional diploma in law from the Inns of Court School of
Law, London. He has attended Harvard Business School, USA, for executive education.

Mr. Jamal has worked with a leading international law firm as Legal Director in Dubai and
Riyadh, and also served as independent non-executive Director on the Board of a commercial
bank.

Team Lead

MJLA|LEGAL

We are a teams-based organization and practice one firm-one culture philosophy. Our legal team is selected, trained, well-versed and committed to help
clients with sophisticated legal solutions for high-value, complex, challenging and novel transactions and disputes. We form a dedicated team of lawyers
for each assignment in view of the nature and scope of work and the knowledge, skills and resources required to accomplish it.

Mr. Mujtaba Jamal

Advocate Supreme Court

Email: m.jamal@mjlalegal.com

MJLA LEGAL is a talent-powered learning organization which is committed to stand out as a great place to work and produce
sustainable performance excellence. People who thrive on converting a challenge into solution, and are constantly driven to build
personal mastery as a bedrock of their achievements, find us an exciting place to work. We are a teams-based organization in
which high-performance is a collaborative act.

We firmly believe that well-defined roles and responsibilities, positive work environment, enabling resources and infrastructure,
performance-based incentives, collaborative teamwork, training and development, coaching and mentoring, work/life balance,
and long-term career growth, are essential features of a great place to work.

Our small size and specialized focus provides our lawyers with unique opportunities to work, right from the start, on challenging
and high-value transactions and disputes, and interact with prominent clients on matters of strategic significance to their business.
MJLA LEGAL provides an atmosphere of unparalleled opportunities and responsibilities, encouraging hands-on training and
professional development.

MJLA lawyers stand out for their intellectual rigour, proactive approach, innovative work, dedication to service, teamwork,
insatiable desire to learn and improve, and impeccable integrity. Our lawyers work on complex and high-value legal transactions
and disputes, which require them to look beyond tasks to understand why solutions need to be crafted and how our clients’ needs
can best be served.

If you are interested to join our legal team, please send your CV with a covering letter explaining your reasons for applying to us
at: careers@mjlalegal.com

Careers

MJLA|LEGAL

MJLA|LEGAL

57-P, Gulberg II, Lahore, Pakistan

00 92 (0) 3018778701

legal@mjlalegal.com