It was established in 2006 with the vision to provide specialist professional services keeping in mind the 21st Century needs of the local and international clients. Law Matrix understands the need to offer an efficient, practical service tailored to the individual requirements of each client. Our Barristers & Advocates offer specialist advocacy and advisory services in core practice areas. Law Ma
trix provides legal services to its clients in a very modern, innovative and practical approach which sets it apart from the others. We ensure that legal services are available to our clients in an easier and affordable way.
2. Background
Law Matrix was established by Barrister Mizan Sayeed in 2006. We deal with a wide variety of legal matters including banking, business and corporate finance. Since 2006 by dint of hard labour we have been able to develop a good client base, which inspired us to spread our services in a wide spectrum of areas. The number of associated lawyers including Consultants has reached the number of 14 in the mean time and we have a plan to expand our services further by opening regional offices in big cities like Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi. We have already opened two temporary regional offices in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar headed by two local consultant lawyers. Law Matrix also has developed working relationship with a number of international law firms viz. Gide Loyrette Nouel ("GLN") (France), Fox Mandol (India) and Linklaters (Singapore). Law Matrix combines its formidable strengths with a team of dedicated lawyers in commercial and banking law with state of the art facilities and a friendly and open approach to client service. Since inception, the firm’s origin is firmly rooted in banking, commercial law and Company law. Our standing has grown as Chambers has become instrumental in the development of Civil and Criminal litigation. We have maintained our position in arbitration, shipping and admiralty and property law. The nature of our practice has thus evolved and become increasingly multi-jurisdictional in nature, designed to meet the needs of legal market in the 21st century. The entire team (consisting of 14 lawyers) has diverse expertise in Banking, company matters, finance, investment and in litigation. The professional exposure and experience of all lawyers including head of Chambers are described under the sub-head “Profiles of the members of the firm”. Apart from the head of Chambers the firm consists of three consultant lawyers, six Associate lawyers, two International Consultants based in India and UK, two regional Consultant lawyers based in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, two support Staffs, one law Clerk/Practice Manager and two Stenographer-cum-Computer Operators. The firm has adopted a strict recruitment policy to ensure the maximum standard and quality of the associate lawyers and other support staffs.
3. Members of the Firm
The followings are the members of the firm:
Lawyers:
1. Mizan Sayeed : Head of Chambers
Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn)
LL.B(Hons.), LL.M (Dhaka)
LL.B(Hons.) Mohammed Manjur Hasan : Consultant Lawyer
M.Com, LL.B
Advocate
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
3. Abbas Uddin : Consultant Lawyer
Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn)
LL.B(Hons.) (UK)
Advocate
4. Margub Kabir : Consultant Lawyer
Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn)
Attorney-at-Law (New York)
LL.M (Int’l and Comparative Law) Washington DC
LL.B (Hons.), LL.M, PgDL (Newcastle, UK)
Advocate
5. Alam : Associate Lawyer
MSS, LL.B
Advocate
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
6. Ms. Ishrat Parvin : Associate Lawyer
LL.B (Hons.), LL.M (Dhaka)
Advocate
7. Shamima Ferdous Mili : Associate Lawyer
LL.B (Hons.), LL.M (Dhaka)
Advocate
8. Mashiur Rahman : Associate Lawyer
BSS (Hon’s) MSS (DU), LL.B
Advocate
9. Shihab Uddin : Associate Lawyer
LL.B (Hons.), LL.M (IU)
Advocate
10. Anjarul Hasan : Associate Lawyer
LL.B (Hons.), LL.M (Ist Class)
Advocate
11. K.A. Najmi, Advocate : Int’l Consultant
India
12. M. A. Hay, Barrister-at-Law : Int’l Consultant
London, U.K.
13. A.K.M. Showkat Hossain : Consultant Lawyer
Advocate (Chittagong)
14. Sayeed Ramzanul Alam : Consultant Lawyer
Advocate (Cox’s Bazar)
14. Farzana Rashid, Barrister-at-Law
Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
15. Homayun Kabir Ahsan
Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
16. Sabbir Ibne Azam, Barrister-at-Law
Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
17. Mohammad Shajahan
Advocate
Stenographer- cum- computer operator
Mr. Abdul Latif
Mr. Sayful Islam Khan (Plato)
Support staff:
Mr. Oli Ullah
4. Our Motto
The Motto of the Firm is the client care and client satisfaction. We want to maximize our efforts in providing quality legal services by adopting innovative, practical and pragmatic approach.
5. Client Care Policy and Quality Assurance
In order to ensure quality legal services to the satisfaction of our clients, the firm has taken the policy of attaining client satisfaction through professional excellence. We are committed for pursuit of technical excellence and committed to develop excellent quality and skill in our chosen fields of practice. We are always keen to uphold the spirit of fairness and professional integrity. We sincerely attempt to provide our legal advisory services in an innovative, resourceful, constructive and professional manner. We also pursue both internally and externally for the long-term reputation of the firm through investing individual as well as collective capability and by way of building a supportive environment, which encourages openness and comfort to the clients. Quality of service provided is regularly monitored by the Head of Chambers and we will strive to follow a policy of continual improvement in our services. Progress in achieving this will be reviewed at the annual Chambers Meeting and regularly by the members.
6. Integrated services and hi-tech professional facilities
The firm is established with the aim of providing high quality professional legal services, which includes access to the online case management profile, online legal advise, central case database, etc. which is in progress.
7. Commitment for Change
The firm is also aimed at bringing changes in the traditional/conventional client handling and case management method. We continue to experiment and invest our effort to improve the existing archaic client care and case management method. We are also committed to adopt innovative approach in creating a congenial, easy and comfortable working environment with a view to maximize the quality of the legal services to our clients. We are also committed to ensure that our lawyers strictly follow the canons of professional conduct and etiquette.
8. Profile of Head of Chambers
Mr. Mizan Sayeed was enrolled with the Bangladesh Bar Council as an Advocate on 1st of April 1995 and became a member of Dhaka Bar in the same year. He undertook pupilage under the auspices of Barrister M. Amirul Islam from March 1995 to February 1996. Subsequently he joined M/S. Huq and Company, Barristers & Advocates headed by Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, former Attorney general of Bangladesh in 1996. He has been practicing in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh since 1996. He became a member of the Hon'ble Society of Lincoln's Inn, London since 2001. Sayeed used to work as a Senior Associate lawyer of HUQ & COMPANY since 1996 to 2004. He worked in the Central Bank Strengthening Project (CBSP) of Bangladesh Bank financed by World Bank as “Resident Legal Adviser” since October 2004 to October 2006 as part of a team consisting of two international law firms viz. Gide Loyrette Nouel ("GLN"), (France), Fox Mondol (India) and one local law firm namely, A. Hossain and Associates. While working in the said Project he –
-advised Bangladesh Bank on regulatory and various contemporary banking issues;
-was involved in reviewing and revamping three basic Banking legislations namely, Banking Companies Act, 1991("BCA"), Bangladesh Bank Order 1972 ("BBO") and Financial Institutions Act 1993 ("FIA");
-was involved in compilation, rationalization and indexing of Circulars issued by various departments of BB and edited three volumes of circulars.
-was involved in the drafting of the "Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act" in collaboration with the Money Laundering Department of BB.
-advised Bangladesh Bank on the corporatisation of Nationalized Commercial Banks (NCBs).
-delivered lectures on various Training Sessions/Legal Awareness Programme arranged by Legal Counsel for the high officials of Bangladesh Bank. Apart from the above he also -
-worked for a number of corporate and individual clients on the issues and disputes related to various procurement contracts, tender disputes etc.
-worked for a number of local and foreign Companies, Multi-national Corporations including AES Corporation, USA;
-conducting cases both in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and lower Court on various issues including procurement contracts and related disputes;
-conducting local and international arbitrations, drafting documents, preparing case briefs;
-negotiating for joint ventures;
-giving opinion on various legal matters, doing advisory works like property verification, drafting and verifying various deeds, agreements etc. including the security/financing documents of different local and foreign financial institutions etc. Career Achievements:
-A number of cases are reported in the local law reports e.g. DLR, MLR, BLD (where I appeared as advocate along with Senior Counsel Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, former Attorney General of Bangladesh.) Areas of practice:
Banking, Corporate/Company law, Anti-corruption and Money Laundering Laws, Civil and Criminal litigation, International Trade, Energy, Leasing, VAT, Islamic finance, Procurement/tender, Contract, Shipping & Admiralty, Customs, Taxation, Constitutional law, local and international Arbitration, Merger and Acquisition, Bankruptcy, land/property law, Copyright, Trade mark and patent etc. Advisory activities include:
-Worked for AES Corporation Singapore- a regional branch of AES Corporation, USA (a Global Power Company) and one of the biggest foreign investors in Bangladesh as the Junior Legal Retainer for HUQ & COMPANY, Barristers & Advocates in establishing a 350 MW Power Project in Haripur, Narayanganj, Bangladesh and also a 460 MW Power Project in Meghnaghat, Bangladesh;
-While working for the project the relevant works include incorporation of AES Haripur Private Limited and AES Meghnaghat Private Limited as foreign Companies, all relevant documentations in respect of establishment of the projects in two sites at Haripur and Meghnaghat, including in particular, drafting and verification of financing documents, negotiation on behalf of AES with the Govt. of Bangladesh and other parties concerned;
-Advised various local and foreign financial institutions/Banks from time to time on various legal issues relating to loan transactions and other Banking affairs and also have working experience with Credit Agricole Indosuez (Now Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd.), Arab Bangladesh Bank Ltd., IFIC Bank Ltd., Social Investment Bank Limited, Islami Bank Limited, Prime Bank Limited, Premier Bank Limited, Jamuna Bank Ltd., Beximco Group of Companies, BOC Ltd., ACI Ltd, North South University, Agrani Bank, Janata Bank, Trancom Beverages Ltd., Social Marketing Company, Akij Group, Prime Textile Mills Ltd., Multimode Ltd. QC Shipping Company Ltd., BRB Cables Ltd., Meghna Group, Jamuna Resort Ltd., Phoenix Group etc.;
-Maintained liaison and worked in close collaboration with Linklaters Singapore, and Fulbright, USA (Foreign Law Firms) in respect of financing of the projects from International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other syndicated lenders consisting of local and foreign Banks;
-Acted for Transcom Beverages Ltd. in collaboration with Barrister Rafique-ul Huq in taking over Pepsi franchise from Bangladesh Beverages Ltd which involved $million deal;
-Acted for Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) in establishing a five star hotel, an international club and a Golf Course near Zia International Airport, Dhaka, Bangladesh, negotiated for the CAAB with the foreign investor IPCO Singapore and drafted and verified all relevant Deeds of Agreements with IPCO;
-Conducted two arbitration cases in International Cotton Association Limited (ICA), Liverpool, England to represent Akij Textile Mills Limited against Cargill Cotton, England and also UNICOT (Switzerland) in collaboration with Barrister Rafique-ul Huq.
-Represented Korean EPZ (KEPZ) Corporation BD Limited in the Arbitration between Alpha Concrete Industries Limited and KEPZ. Legal Adviser/Panel Lawyer
Bangladesh Bank, Prime Bank Limited, Jamuna Bank Limited, The Trust Bank Limited, The City Bank Ltd., Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, Akij Textile Mills Ltd., Universal Health Services and Research Limited, Shahajalal Group, Lakeshore Hotels and Apartments Ltd., Venture Investment Partners Bangladesh Ltd., Flora Telecom Limited, Dynasty Business House, National Civil Engineers Limited. Interesting Cases:
-Assisted Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, Senior Advocate, in a number of landmark cases, which include JTV case, Mujibnagar case, various Bank cases in connection with sections 17 and 46 of the Bank Companies Act, Bank cases in connection with CIB, waiver of interest and re-schedulement, share scam cases and also various cases against Securities and Exchange Commission, Patimas case relating to tender/procurement dispute etc. Education:
Mr. Sayeed passed S.S.C from Cox’s Bazar Govt. High School in 1985. He passed H.S.C from Chittagong Govt. College in 1987. He obtained LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.M. (Master of Laws) degrees in 1991 and 1992 respectively from the University of Dhaka. He also obtained a Post Graduate Diploma on Human Rights and Legal Aid in 1994. He obtained another LL.B. degree from the University of Wolverhampton, U.K. in 2002. He obtained Post Graduate Diploma on Bar Vocational Course from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK in 2003. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales as a Barrister-at-law of Lincoln's Inn, in Trinity term of July 2003. Currently Mr. Sayeed is conducting cases on regular basis in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh & other Courts of Bangladesh. He is also conducting arbitration in various Arbitral Tribunals. Profile of Consultants
Mr. Manjur Hasan, Advocate is a lawyer mainly specialized in Banking, Company, property, labour and industrial law, Trademarks, Patent & Design, Civil and Criminal litigation etc. He was enrolled as an Advocate with the Bangladesh Bar Council on 10.05.1992. He was permitted to practise in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh since 28.01.1995. He is former Senior Associate of M/S. Huq & Company headed by Barrister Rafique-ul Huq since 1994-2001. He has 15 years of experience in the above-mentioned areas of practice. At present he is the panel Lawyer of AB Bank Limited, IFIC Bank Limited, ICB Islamic Bank Limited, Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited, Trust Bank Limited, One Bank Limited, The Premier Bank Limited etc. He is legal Adviser of Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM), Federal Insurance Company Limited, Imperial Consultants and Developments Limited, Amith Housing Properties Ltd., Grand Properties Ltd., Echo Cotton Mills Ltd. etc. Abbas Uddin, Barrister-at-Law
Mr. Abbas Uddin was called to the Bar of England and Wales as a Barrister-at-law of Lincoln's Inn, in 2005. in 2004. He obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Law (Bar Vocational Course) from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK in 2005. He has been enrolled with the Bangladesh Bar Council in 2008. He is specializing in Shipping and Admiralty, income tax, criminal litigation, company law etc. Margub Kabir, Barrister-at-Law & Attorney-at-Law
Mr. Margub Kabir is a Barrister and Attorney with very high qualifications and diverse experience. He is a Barrister-at-Law of Lincoln’s Inn and an Attorney-at-Law of the State of New York, U.S.A. Kabir obtained his LL.B. degree from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, U.K. He obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Law (Bar Vocational Course) from the same University in 2005. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales as a Barrister of Lincoln’s Inn in 2005. He pursued two Masters of Laws (LL.M.) from two separate jurisdictions, namely UK and the U.S.A. He obtained an LL.M. from the George Washington University Law School, Washington DC on International and Comparative Law, focusing mainly on Foreign Direct Investment, International Commerce and Banking, Project Finance and Dispute Resolution in 2006. Subsequently he also obtained an LL.M. from University of Northumbria, Newcastle on Advanced Legal Practice – Corporate Criminal Liability in 2007. He was sworn in as an Attorney-at-Law in the State of New York on 2007. He is enrolled as an Advocate with the Bangladesh Bar Council in 2008. He has worked in the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. Recently he has also worked in the International Arbitration Department of the Paris office of the American law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP. He has represented the Issuer of one of the biggest Initial Public Offerings (IPO) of Bangladesh. He is specializing in Admiralty, Arbitration, Banking, Company Matters, Customs VAT Income Tax, Foreign Investments, Securities and Civil Litigation etc. His widespread diverse experience and qualifications makes him a unique lawyer at the benefit of his clients. International Consultants
Mr. K. Najmi is a highly experienced Indian lawyer having not less than 27 years of experience specially in banking and regulation sector. He belongs to Fox Mandol, one of the oldest law firms in India. He used to serve Reserve Bank of India for several years as the legal Adviser. He also worked in Central Bank Strengthening Project at Bangladesh Bank for two years from 2004-2006 as the Resident Legal Adviser and contributed a lot in writing report on the regulatory issues and suggested a number of amendments in Banking Companies Act, 1991, Financial Institutions Act 1993 and Bangladesh Bank Order. 1972. Currently he is staying in India and working for Fox Mandol. Najmi has kindly consented to be a global partner and an International Consultant of Law Matrix. Hay is a qualified practicing Barrister of England and Wales. He was also a part-time faculty of University of Northumbria at New Castle. Hay used to practice law in New Castle, UK for about 7 years. Now he has moved to London, UK and opened his own Chamber. He is basically specialized in Commercial law, employment law, property law and personal injury etc. By virtue of his professional excellence he has already made a mark in his profession. Hay has kindly consented to be the International Consultant of Law Matrix. Associate Lawyers
We have as many as five Associate lawyers having wide experience from minimum 2 years to 7/8 years. All of them are very competent, skilled and dedicated. They all are graduated from various recognized Universities. Some of them are specialized in litigation and some of them are specialized in various areas stated below including in particular Banking, commercial, finance, property law etc. Regional representatives
Law Matrix has two regional representatives in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar respectively. The representatives play important role while providing spot service in the local area to minimize the cost and time of the clients of remote area. In future we are planning to open liaison office in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar first, then in other major cities phase by phase. Law Matrix: Practice Areas
Law Matrix specializes in the following areas:
Banking: Including bank fraud, money laundering, banking law, banking litigation, banking regulation, commercial banking, commercial credit, exchange control, foreign exchange, holding companies, letters of credits, loans, secured lending etc. Shipping and Admiralty Law: Including diving and offshore injuries, inland navigation, international maritime law, marine disasters, marine insurance, maritime arbitration, maritime negligence, ship cargo claims, ship collisions, ship leasing, ship management, ship mortgages, ship registration, ship building. Alternative Dispute Resolution: Including domestic arbitration, international arbitration, mediation and conciliation. Appellate Practice: Including civil, criminal and company appeals etc. Bankruptcy: Including Bankruptcy litigation, commercial insolvency, insolvency, international bankruptcy, liquidation, personal bankruptcy, receivership, recovery etc. Business Law: Including business litigation, business organization, business planning, business regulation, business taxation, business transfers, economic laws, family business laws, industrial law, international joint ventures, joint venture etc. Commercial Law: Including commercial arbitration, commercial crimes, commercial dispute resolutions, commercial fraud, commercial litigation, commercial mediation, negotiable instruments, sale of goods, secured transactions, trade etc. Company Law: Including company acquisition and sale, fraud on minority company administration, company contracts, company formation, company registration, opening of liaison and branches, etc. Constitutional Law: Writ petition, Habeas corpus
Construction Law: Including construction arbitration, construction contracts, construction and engineering contract, construction insurance, construction litigation etc. Copyrights: Including copyright infringement, copyright registration etc. Corporate Law: Including corporate banking law, corporate commercial law, corporate contract, corporate insolvency, corporate litigation, corporate partnership, corporate real estate, corporate recovery, corporate registration, incorporation etc. Environmental Law: Including contamination law, environmental crimes, environmental liability, environmental litigation, gas pollution, hazardous materials and waste, oil pollution, pesticide regulation, pollution, soil pollution, waste disposal, water quality etc. Family Law: Including divorce, family mediation, marital property law, marriage contract, matrimonial law, separation agreement etc. Insurance: Including commercial insurance, compensation claims, general liability, indemnity, insurance coverage, insurance litigation, insurance regulation, life insurance, motor vehicle insurance etc. Intellectual Property: Including designs, design rights, industrial models and designs, industrial property, industrial property protection, industrial property rights, intellectual property infringement, intellectual property licensing, intellectual property litigation, intellectual property protection, intellectual property rights etc. Labour Law: Including employment litigation, industrial relations and all sorts of disputes regarding the employment of labour, their termination and dismissal etc. Patents: Including all kinds of patents. Trademarks: Including international trademark, passing off, trade secrets, trademark arbitration, trademark infringement, trademark litigation, trademark prosecution, trademark registration etc. Public Law: Including Local government highways, rating, environmental, markets, parliamentary, civil liberties, public health, licensing, immigration, extradition, nationality, air, public inquiries and all areas of judicial review. Contact details:
Chamber/office address : Law Matrix
Barristers & Advocates
“Eastern Mansion”
Suite No. 06/7 (6th floor)
67/9, Pioneer Road
Kakrail
Dhaka-1000. Tel: : 88 02 933 4700
Fax : 88 02 933 4113
E-mail : [email protected]
List of major clients:
Banks:
1. Bangladesh Bank
2. AB Bank Limited
3. IFIC Bank Limited
4. The City Bank Ltd.
5. Prime Bank Limited
6. Jamuna Bank Limited
7. ICB Islamic Bank Limited
8. Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited
9. Trust Bank Limited
10. One Bank Limited
11. The Premier Bank Limited
Group of Companies
1. Jamuna Group of Companies
2. Akij Group of Companies
3. Phoenix Group of Companies
4. Partex Group of Companies
5. Meghna Group of Companies
6. Shahjalal Group of Companies
7. Transcom Group of Companies
8. Prime Group of Companies
Corporate bodies:
1. Investment Corporation of Bangladesh
2. Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh
3. Padma Oils Limited
4. Flora Telecom Ltd
5. Universal Health Services and Research Limited
6. Lakeshore Hotels and Apartments Ltd
7. Dynasty Business House
8. National Civil Engineers Limited
9. Venture Investment Partners Bangladesh Ltd.
10. Cellular Trading Co. Limited
11. Boishakhi Media Ltd.
12. Best Eastern Group
13. Al-Hera Trade International
Individual Clients
Apart from the above corporate clients Law Matrix has more than 100 individual clients in various sectors. Conclusion
In consideration of our combined experience and exposure, commitment for change, dedication for improvement of quality, our clients can rely on us for taking our service in the areas they need. Whether it is a brief analysis of a case or an in-depth legal issue on a key area of law, our objective would be the same - to provide up-to-date, well-informed and accurate information that will assist our clients to achieve more. We are well equipped to render legal services at international standards. We have carefully selected highly qualified lawyers to provide best possible quality services to our clients.
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The End
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