Mahbub ul Haq Research Centre at LUMS

Ali Awais, Managing Partner – AwaisLaw DRT

Ali Awais has more that 25 years of working with top tier international law firms and multilateral organizations, and is spearheading the corporate, banking and finance practice of AwaisLaw DRT and managing teams. He is advising banks, investment funds and major corporations and project sponsors on all aspects of finance transactions, including corporate finance, real estate, project finance, and Islamic finance. Advising private equity and financial advisory firms in connection with funds structures and M&A and cross border transactions. Advising major corporations on corporate governance matters in connection with SECP requirements and in line with international best practices.

Mr Awais has extensive experience in providing Boards and CEOs strategic advice on investments, growth and international expansions for business value creation and corporate governance. Inspiring leadership skills with a track-record of successful and efficient management and team building. Advisor to investment banks and private equity funds on corporate and projects investments, M&A and structured finance transactions, including project placements, equity and debt raising and setting up structured products, including investment funds. Specialized legal counsel in international transactions and infrastructure-related project finance, including projects involving power, hydroelectric plants, pipelines, municipal water, wastewater treatment plants, highways, and airports. Set up and execute corporate governance and risk management structures, internal policies and rules in line with complex regulatory requirements. Mr Awais is also a Partner in a US based law firm, Diaz, Reus & Targ where his practice is centered around infrastructure, corporate M&A and banking and finance. Earlier Mr Awais was a senior counsel in the World Bank in Washington DC where he actively covered the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia regions, including working as the World Bank’s lead lawyer for putting together strategies for post-conflict countries and frontier markets. Mr Awais started his legal career with a Wall Street law firm, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy in their New York office and have also worked in top international law firms, Baker Botts (Washington DC and Dubai offices), and Jones Day (London and Dubai offices). In addition, he has also worked for several years in a global investment banking firm out of Dubai International Financial Centre, where he was their Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel.  

Mr Awais is also a visiting faculty at LUMS Law School, Lahore teaching Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Project Finance, Company Law, and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Mr Awais has been Ranked in Legal 500 as one of the Leading Lawyers in Asia Pacific.

Admitted
Lahore High Court 
Lahore Bar Association
Rulers Court, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Education
B.A, LL.B (Punjab University)
LL.M (George Washington University, USA)