A specialised law firm delivering senior-level legal counsel in banking and finance, corporate governance, and dispute resolution across Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar.
Zekry & Co. is a specialised law firm headquartered in Egypt, advising clients across the full spectrum of banking, finance, and corporate law. The firm was founded on the conviction that clients operating in complex financial markets deserve counsel with genuine in-house depth — lawyers who have sat on both sides of the table and understand how institutions think, how regulators operate, and how transactions are made to work.
Our practice is built around dedicated teams organised by discipline, enabling us to bring focused, sector-specific expertise to each mandate. Whether the matter involves a cross-border financing transaction, a regulatory compliance programme, or a complex commercial dispute, clients are served by a team whose core practice is precisely that area of law.
The firm operates across Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar, drawing on decades of accumulated in-house experience at leading regional banks and financial institutions. Our counsel is commercially grounded, jurisdictionally precise, and delivered with the directness and urgency that sophisticated clients require.
Senior-level legal advice across the areas that matter most to banks, financial institutions, and businesses operating in the MENA region.
Advisory on lending transactions, credit facility agreements, syndicated loans, security documentation, structured finance, real estate finance, and acquisition finance. Deep knowledge of Egyptian, UAE, and Qatari banking regulations and central bank requirements.
Explore →Specialist advisory on Sharia-compliant financing structures including Murabaha, Ijara, Musharaka, and Sukuk. Coordination with Sharia Boards, preparation of full Islamic finance documentation, and ISDA agreements tailored to GCC regulatory requirements.
Explore →Corporate governance advisory, board secretarial services, shareholder and joint venture agreements, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, company incorporations, restructuring, and investment agreements across multiple jurisdictions.
Explore →Sophisticated resolution of banking, commercial, and financial disputes through CEDR accredited mediation, LCIA arbitration, and litigation strategy. Our disputes team advises across UAE, Egyptian, and Qatari proceedings, with particular depth in banking and finance-related disputes.
Explore →AML/CFT programme development, KYC framework design, regulatory reporting, central bank compliance audits, compliance training, and liaison with regulators including CBE, CBUAE, and QCB. Board-level compliance advisory for regulated institutions.
Explore →Drafting and negotiating commercial contracts including brokerage agreements, service agreements, franchise and distribution agreements, powers of attorney, escrow arrangements, ISDA documentation, and regulatory licensing applications.
Explore →Drawing on senior in-house roles at leading regional banks, Zekry & Co. brings deep transactional and regulatory experience to every instruction.
Documentation and negotiation of multi-party syndicated credit facilities for major corporate clients across maritime, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and hospitality sectors, involving lenders from multiple jurisdictions.
Structuring and documentation of Murabaha, Ijara, and Musharaka facilities for corporate and retail banking clients, coordinating with Sharia Supervisory Boards and obtaining required approvals in the UAE and Qatar.
Developed and implemented a full compliance framework for a UAE development bank, covering AML/CFT policies, KYC procedures, regulatory reporting protocols, and internal training programmes aligned with CBUAE requirements.
Acted as Board Secretary for a UAE government-linked development bank, managing board logistics, preparing resolutions, recording minutes, and ensuring compliance with governance standards and regulatory requirements.
Legal and corporate support for a Qatari brokerage subsidiary, covering licensing, regulatory approvals, brokerage agreements, board secretarial functions, and ongoing compliance with Qatar Financial Markets Authority requirements.
Advised on legal matters across UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait branches of a major regional bank, monitoring regulatory developments and advising on their impact on cross-border banking operations and credit documentation.
We tailor every engagement to the nature and complexity of the matter. Whether you require a single considered opinion or a long-term strategic counsel relationship, we structure our involvement around your objectives. Fee arrangements are discussed and agreed in advance of any instruction.
For clients requiring focused legal advice on a specific transaction, contract, or regulatory question — handled with the same rigour as any complex mandate.
An ongoing counsel relationship providing consistent, senior-level legal support for businesses that require regular advice across banking, corporate, and compliance matters.
A structured counsel relationship for banks, financial institutions, and regulated entities requiring comprehensive legal support across all aspects of their operations.
Bespoke engagement for multinational enterprises, sovereign entities, and clients with complex, cross-border mandates requiring dedicated senior legal resource and full-spectrum coverage.
Our practice is concentrated in sectors where the intersection of law, finance, and regulation is most complex and where the stakes are highest.
Retail and corporate banking institutions across Egypt, UAE, and Qatar navigating regulatory reform, credit documentation, and governance requirements.
Sharia-compliant institutions and conventional banks operating Islamic windows requiring specialist documentation and Sharia Board coordination.
Property finance, mortgage documentation, real estate acquisition finance, and legal support for major construction and infrastructure transactions.
Brokerage firms, investment companies, and capital market participants requiring legal support on transactions, licensing, and regulatory compliance.
Legal advisory on financing structures, joint ventures, and corporate documentation for energy sector transactions in Egypt and the MENA region.
Banking documentation and financing arrangements for maritime companies, including loan agreements and security structures for vessel financing.
Corporate and financing support for pharmaceutical companies seeking credit facilities and investment arrangements in the Egyptian market.
Legal support for hotel financing, investment structures, and corporate documentation for hospitality businesses in Egypt and the Gulf.
Our firm is structured around dedicated practice teams, each led by senior counsel with deep sector experience. This structure ensures that every client instruction is handled by lawyers whose primary focus is exactly the area of law the matter requires — not generalists filling a brief.
Ahmed Zekry founded the firm following a career spanning over two decades at the most senior levels of in-house legal practice across Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar. He has served as SVP and Head of Legal at Banque Misr UAE, and as Head of Legal, Compliance and Board Secretary at Emirates Development Bank — roles that shaped a uniquely commercial and regulatory understanding of banking law across the MENA region. He brings that accumulated institutional knowledge directly to bear on every client mandate.
Advising on the full spectrum of banking and finance transactions — from syndicated lending and structured finance to Islamic finance instruments and capital markets documentation. The team brings deep in-house bank experience to every instruction.
Handling corporate transactions, M&A, board governance, and compliance frameworks for financial institutions and corporates operating across the MENA region. The team brings deep regulatory and transactional experience to every instruction.
Managing complex commercial and banking disputes through CEDR accredited mediation, LCIA arbitration, and litigation across Egyptian, UAE, and Qatari jurisdictions, with particular depth in banking and finance-related disputes.
Recognised consistently by leading regional and international legal bodies for excellence in banking law, in-house legal practice, and contribution to the Egyptian legal community.
Excellence Across Borders category. Disputes Summit and Awards 2026, Dubai, UAE. Recognising outstanding contribution to international banking and finance law practice.
Nominated. Legalcommunity MENA Awards 2025. Recognising exceptional performance and leadership as in-house counsel in the banking and financial services sector.
Nominated. Legalcommunity MENA Awards 2024. Third consecutive nomination reflecting sustained excellence in banking legal practice across the MENA region.
Nominated. Legalcommunity MENA Awards 2023. Recognised for leading the legal function at Banque Misr UAE with distinction across a complex regulatory environment.
Nominated. Legalcommunity MENA Awards 2022. Recognised for exceptional in-house legal leadership across UAE banking and financial services.
Five consecutive years of nominations and awards from leading MENA legal institutions — a testament to sustained excellence at the highest level of regional practice.
We monitor legal and regulatory developments across Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar and share insights relevant to banking, finance, and corporate clients operating in these markets.
An overview of Egypt's entry into the sovereign Sukuk market and implications for banks, investors, and corporate issuers seeking Sharia-compliant funding structures under Egyptian law.
Key compliance obligations for UAE-licensed banks and financial institutions following the CBUAE's updated AML/CFT framework and enhanced supervisory focus on correspondent banking.
A review of evolving corporate governance requirements for banking institutions in the UAE and Qatar, including board committee structures, director independence, and disclosure obligations.
Zekry & Co. is based in Egypt and provides full legal services to clients in the Egyptian market. We also provide advisory services to clients with interests in the UAE and Qatar, drawing on over 15 years of in-house experience across those jurisdictions.
Full legal services. Licensed with the Egyptian Bar Association and registered with the Egyptian Lawyers Syndicate. Covering Cairo and all major commercial centres.
Advisory in banking, finance, corporate governance, and compliance. Extensive in-house experience at Banque Misr UAE and Emirates Development Bank across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Advisory in banking, capital markets, and corporate matters. Six years of in-house legal experience at Ahli Bank and Ahli Brokerage in Doha, covering QCB regulatory matters.
Strategic legal advisory spanning three of the most dynamic financial markets in the Middle East and North Africa. Deep knowledge of local regulatory frameworks, court systems, and business environments built through years of in-house practice at the highest levels.
Whether you have a complex financing transaction, a regulatory challenge, a governance matter, or a dispute to resolve, we are ready to advise. All enquiries are handled directly and in strict confidence.