Archive for: Venture Capital Law

Background

Dr. Aljazy holds a PhD in International Commercial Arbitration Law from the University of Kent at Canterbury in the United Kingdom (1999), a MA in International and Comparative Business Law from London Guildhall University (1994) and a BA in Law from the University of Jordan (1992).

General Experience

Dr. Aljazy is the Managing Partner of Aljazy & Co. (Advocates & Legal Consultants) which is a leading Jordanian law firm. He is an International Business Lawyer and has extensive experience in corporate transactions and arbitration law, as well as international transactions including but not limited to; hotels developments; intellectual property; construction disputes; energy, shipping and maritime issues; competition and antitrust matters.

Dr. Aljazy used to the a Part-Time Lecturer and taught at various academic institutions in Jordan; he lectured on the following topics: Alternative Dispute Resolution and Intellectual Property Rights, Copyright, Commercial Legislation, Legal Environment of Business, Contract of Carriage Goods by Sea, Commercial Law, Companies and Insolvency Law, and History of Law.

He has participated in the drafting of various Jordanian laws and regulations in conformity with the international conventions that Jordan has ratified including but not limited to Maritime Law and Companies Law.

Dr. Aljazy has extensive experience in professional training; he gained this experience by participating in many training workshops and seminars as a trainer different target groups; for example he conducted training for Jordanian Judges in Jordan IP Week (2003), training for Jordanian Traders in Amman Chamber of Commerce (2003), training for Jordanian Shipping Professionals at Institute for Maritime Studies (2004), and training for Lebanese Lawyers in a colloquium hosted by L’Ecole Supérieur des Affaires (ESA) 2004 in Beirut, on the use of ADR in Intellectual Property Disputes, and training of Syrian Lawyers and Businessmen in a seminar hosted by the ICC Syrian National Committee in Damascus (2004) on the Arbitrability of Trade Marks Disputes.

Dr. Aljazy has taken part as a speaker in many conferences internationally. He took part as a speaker at the Regional Conference “International Commercial Arbitration” held by the Talal Abu Ghazaleh School of business in Amman, Jordan on the 6th May 2012.

In June 2012 Dr. Aljazy was invited to speak at the ICC arbitration training in Amman. On 13th June 2007 he also took part in an arbitration conference which was organised at the French Cour de Cassation on Aspects of International Arbitration in the Law and Practice of Arab Countries. In March 2003 Dr. Aljazy took part in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) National Seminar on the protection of trademarks and geographical indications organised by WIPO in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Lebanon.

For a term of seven years, he was the representative of the Jordanian Government to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and is currently the President of the Eisenhower Fellowship Association. The Eisenhower Fellowship identifies, empowers and links outstanding leaders from around the world, helping them to achieve consequential outcomes across sectors and borders. He himself received his Fellowship in 2005 in its Single Region Program in recognition of his leadership skills and initiatives.

He is currently a board member of the Military Credit Fund (MCF) which is considered to be the Armed Forces Bank. The Military Credit Fund was established in 2010 under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, this significant initiative was established for the purpose of serving Jordanians affiliated with the Jordanian Armed Forces and security bodies.

Dr. Aljazy was a member of the National Dialogue Committee which that drafted Election law, Political Parties Law and proposed several Constitutional Amendments. This Committee was established in 2011 during one of the most critical phases of the modern history in Jordan.

Dr. Aljazy is also the Jordanian member of the Employment Law Alliance (ELA) which is a single, powerful legal resource for employers. The ELA is a network of over 3000 attorneys globally providing labour and employment expertise in over 135 countries around the world and in all 50 U.S States.

Dr. Aljazy headed the Founding Committee of Arbitration and Mediation Center for Intellectual Property Disputes established in Jordan under the auspices of the Arab Society for Intellectual Property (ASIP). He was a member of the Judicial Reform Committee headed by the Jordanian Minister of Justice. Besides being  a  listed Partner  with  the  United Nation’s Conference on  Trade  and Development  (UNCTAD) Project on Dispute Settlement in International Trade, Investment and Intellectual Property, he is a listed arbitrator with many prominent arbitral institutes worldwide. He has been listed as Neutral with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), after conducting successfully a WIPO Workshop for Mediators in Intellectual Property Disputes in Geneva (2002). In 2006 he served as a legal expert in the Global Ethics Observatory (GEObs) conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris. He is also a listed Transport Law expert with the United Nations Economical Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

Dr. Aljazy has extensive experience and a depth of legal knowledge and understanding of transport industry issues and trends. He has complete knowledge and experience in the complete range of commercial law services relevant to transport, aviation industry, ports and logistics companies. Dr. Aljazy served as a former member of the Drafting Committee for the Jordanian Multi-Modal Transport Law and served as a consultant for Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to prepare draft regulations on International Multi Modal Transport (IMMT) freight forwarding licensing and operations in Jordan. During his LLM, Dr. Aljazy studied Aviation Law.

Dr. Aljazy enjoys extensive experience in Labor Law; he has through the years provided legal advice to various international and national companies by drafting employment contracts, Internal By-laws, obtaining work permits and representing clients before the Ministry of Labor. Aljazy & Co also represent national and international clients in labor cases before the Jordanian Courts up to the Cassation court.

Dr. Aljazy was one of the fine experts who drafted the Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) Corporate Governance Country Assessment in Jordan in 2004.

Dr. Aljazy was one of three international experts who drafted the national strategy for the Jordanian Anti-Corruption Commission in 2008, this was a crucial and sensitive step for Jordan.

He was one of three international experts who drafted the Feasibility Report of the Creation of a Seed Capital Fund and a Venture Capital Fund in Jordan in 2008.

Dr. Omar Aljazy is currently the official correspondent for the Global Competition Review (GCR) in Jordan, and the official correspondent on Howrey Worldwide Competition Filings Handbook.

Dr. Aljazy is currently a board member of the Queen Rania Foundation which is headed by Her Majesty Queen Rania as an Honorary President which supervises Her Majesty’s educational and social initiatives.

Dr. Aljazy is currently serving as a board member of Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation which is a leading foundation serving the Arab Community by supporting scientific research and innovation in addition to disseminating knowledge with the ultimate goal of building bridges on the foundations of dialogue and communication.

Dr. Aljazy is serving as a board member in various leading Jordanian companies, including and not limited to: Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) which is a partnership between the Jordanian Government and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), ADC has acquired substantial assets (Land, Port and Airport) and development rights to accelerate their development according to private sector principles and partners, Dr. Aljazy is representing the Jordanian Government in said board, additionally he is a board member of the Jordanian Insurance Commission which is the Jordanian insurance regulatory authority, and a former member of the board of Jordan Authority (JAED) which was considered to be the Higher Investment Council in Jordan, In addition, he is a board member of Aqaba Airports Company  which is in charge of King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba.

Dr. Aljazy is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Amman Arab University.

Dr. Aljazy served a board member of the Jordanian Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC) which assists health care facilities to meet and maintain quality standards, by enabling health care professionals to measure themselves against these standards and monitor improvements using HCAC’s quality improvement methods. HCAC also identify impediments and develop strategies to overcome them.

Memberships In Professional Bodies And Associations

Dr. Aljazy is:

• A Member of the International Chamber of Commerce(ICC)Commission on Competition – Paris;
• A Member of the ICC Institute of World Business Law Institute – Paris;
• A Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration – Paris;
• An official correspondent for the Global Competition Review (GCR) in Jordan;
• The Co-Founder and Current President of the Jordanian Competition Association (JCA);
• A member of the Jordan Bar Association;
• A Member of the International Bar Association (IBA);
• A Member of the National Jordanian ICC Committee;
• A Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the UK;
• President of the Jordanian Arbitrators Association (JAA);
• A Member of the board of the Arab Society for Intellectual Property (ASIP);
• A Member of ICC Task Force on Criminal Law and Arbitration;
• A Member of Task Force on the “Revision of the ICC Rules of Arbitration”;
• A Member of the  ICC  Task  Force on National  Rules of Procedure for Recognition and Enforcement of foreign awards pursuant to the New York Convention of 1958;
• A Member of the ICC Consultative Task Force for the Working Group on the Revision of the ADR Rules;
• A Member of the board of the ASIP’s Mediation and Arbitration Center;
• A Member of the Jordan British Society;
• Member of the World Affairs Council in Jordan;
• Former Vice-Chairman of the Jordanian Corporate Governance Association;
• A Member of the Board of the Jordan Transparency Association;
• A Member of the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship;
• Former faculty member of the King Talal Business School which was established in 2008 as part of the Princess Sumaya University for Technology.
• A former Officer of the IBA Regional Arab Forum;
• Former faculty Member of the Law School of the University of Jordan; and
• National Competition Committee Member for a total of two terms (four years) established by virtue of the Competition Law

Awards-Designations:

• • Aljazy & Co. (Advocates and Legal Consultants) were awarded Best Capital Markets Firm in
  • Jordan for 2013 by the World Finance Legal Awards for 2013.
  • The International  Who’s  Who of  Business Lawyers  and  the  International  Who’s  Who of Commercial Arbitration which is the essential directory worldwide, published in its 2012 edition Dr. Aljazy’s biography;
  • In October 2009, Dr. Aljazy was selected by Middle East Business Intelligence (MEED) amongst six prominent business lawyers as key figures in Jordan’s international business law community;
  • His firm has been enrolled with ‘The Legal 500 Directory’ which is a comprehensive guide to commercial law firms in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Corporate HIghlights

• Dr. Aljazy is representing the Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) in the project of establishing the first nuclear reactor in Jordan and exploitation of Uranium in Jordan. He provides legal consultancy and represents JAEC in all negotiations with mining companies – providing legal advice on all agreements including but not limited to: exploration agreements; mining agreements; EPC Contracts; MOU’s and forming needed corporation entities including reviewing all needed draft legislation. He also advises JAEC regarding Nuclear Technology Development in Jordan which includes the design and construction of research and training reactors and all agreements related to the exploitation of Uranium in Jordan.
• Dr. Aljazy led the legal team representing the Government of Jordan in all negotiations regarding a 25- year Uranium Mining Agreement with the French nuclear power utility Areva to explore and mine uranium deposits within the Central Area of Jordan, and has an extensive knowledge in drafting Prospecting and Exportation Agreements.
• Dr. Aljazy has advised the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the loan facility made under the Financing Agreement made and entered into between the Government of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Export-Import Bank of Korea of an amount of Seventy Million United States Dollars (US$70,000,000) to be made available in favour of the Government of Jordan to support the establishment of Jordan’s Research Training Reactor.
• Dr. Aljazy led the Legal Team representing Jordan Energy Mining Company (JEML) in all negotiations with the Government of Jordan regarding the signing of the Oil Shale Surphace Retort Concession Agreement with the Government of Jordan represented by the Natural Resources Authority, he provides legal advice pertaining the concession agreement and advising JEML on negotiating Oil Shale Surphace Retort Concession Agreement.
• Dr. Aljazy represented Al Rajhi Cement Holding Limited by Shares Company (Incorporated at Dubai International Financial Center “DIFC”) (“Al Rajhi”) in Jordan, Syria and Sudan. And He has represented Al Rajhi in establishing Cement factories in Jordan, Sudan and Syria. He has also been engaged in establishing the Cement Factories through drafting all related agreements, Turnkey Contracts and obtaining all relevant permits, approvals and licenses from the competent governmental authorities.

The Arbitration Law Practice:

During the negotiation and preparation of dispute resolution clauses in contract, Aljazy & Co. draws upon both its depth of experience and the constant interchange with international law firms regarding information on legal developments in international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (“ADR“ ) procedures.

Long before the enforcement of the newly enacted Jordanian Arbitration Law No. (31) of 2001 Aljazy & Co. was deeply rendered its arbitration and ADR experience in a wide range of national and regional disputes, utilizing its well – spread contacts with law firms, other centers and clientele alike, Our counsel and experts who are professionals in their own fields would lend their expertise to disputants, regardless of the different rules applied and the jurisdictions at which such disputes will be conducted. Our Managing Partner held his doctorate degree in International Commercial Arbitration Law, and is currently the President of the Jordanian Arbitrators Association, as well as a listed arbitrator with different arbitral institutions, whereas Aljazy & Co. is a listed partner with United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s Project on Dispute Settlements in International Trade, Investment and Intellectual Property. Recently in 2014 Dr. Aljazy was appointed as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Aljazy & Co.:

Aljazy & Co. has distinguished lawyers specializing in various legal fields. Our clients are public and privately held commercial businesses and financial institutions, as well as government and state owned entities, involved in sophisticated corporate and financial transactions and complex dispute resolution proceedings.

Aljazy & Co. is distinguished by the depth and scope of its legal advisory services, and boasts unmatched experience in both the national and international arenas. Consequently, we are known for our effectiveness in assisting clients to accomplish their objectives in environments that others find daunting and unfamiliar. We move quickly, efficiently and with substantial knowledge of the differing terrains to complete deals, problems, obtain information and resolve complexities simultaneously in many places and across numerous dimensions