Orr, Dignam deals with contentious matters including mediation, arbitration and civil litigation. The Senior Partner heads this practice and is supported by a dedicated team, which has successfully acted for major domestic and overseas clients. The Firm has successfully handled various matters in the superior Courts of Pakistan.

The Firm also contributes to articles on professional and related matters including in the leading international journals, by contributing the Pakistan Chapter on the “Guide to Dispute Resolution in Asia” published by Herbert Smith Freehills, a leading international law firm.  The Firm has also authored the Pakistan Chapter of the book captioned “International Product Liability  Law” published by Aspatore Inc. U.S. and compiled by the eminent law firm of U.S. called Shook, Hardy & Bacon.

Orr, Dignam has long been recognised as one of the market leaders in banking, finance and financial services. The Firm routinely handles a wide range of banking and financing matters. Orr, Dignam’s financial and banking practice covers acquisitions, asset finance, securitization, Islamic finance and export credit transactions. The Firm has been advised on several complex transactions in the financial and banking sectors which have involved banks, export credit agencies, multilateral institutions, Islamic banks and financial institutions and Government agencies.

Orr, Dignam’s capital market experience includes the establishment of the Central Depository Company of Pakistan (CDC). It assisted in developing the regulatory framework for CDC’s establishment and operations in Pakistan. The Firm has also advised its clients on a wide range of matters including GDRs, IPOs, TFCs and the listing of securities. Orr, Dignam also regularly advises clients on the legal and regulatory framework for foreign investment in the capital markets of Pakistan.

The enactment of the Competition Act, 2010 has led to a radical departure in the treatment of anti-competitive practices in Pakistan.  As a result, new regulations and requirements, mergers, acquisitions and agreements have been introduced.  Competition law compliance has become a key element in many transactions. The Firm is actively involved in its advisory and litigation capacities in competition law matters. As part of its transactional work the Firm has assisted clients in identifying pre-merger clearances and exemptions needed and in obtaining the relevant clearances and exemptions. The Firm has also represented its clients in investigations and inquiries conducted by the Competition Commission of Pakistan.

Orr, Dignam advises clients in construction and real estate matters. The Firm’s practice includes advice on property acquisition, title verification, sale, rental and creation of security over movable and immovable property. We have advised property developers, infrastructure providers hotel owners and others in this context. The Firm has advised on construction and infrastructure projects under FIDIC and other forms of contract. Orr, Dignam has provided legal assistance to several domestic and international clients on onshore and offshore projects. The Firm has also advised public and private sector parties (including local and international contractors) on several major construction projects.

General corporate and commercial work is at the core of Orr, Dignam’s practice. The Firm represents and advises clients on all aspects of corporate and commercial law including incorporation formalities, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, shareholder matters and disputes.

Orr, Dignam has a strong Admiralty practice.  The Firm acted for various parties in the famous ‘Tasman Spirit’ oil spill case which involved litigation in the English and Pakistan Courts. The Firm also routinely undertakes matters involving the arrest of vessels and other admiralty and shipping issues.

Orr, Dignam regularly advises on a range of employment matters including employee share option schemes, employment contracts, workers’ funds, provident, gratuity and pension funds, voluntary separation schemes and golden handshakes.

Orr, Dignam has an -established energy practice covering oil and gas and electrical power generation. The Firm’s practice includes upstream oil and gas work in connection with exploration, concessions and operating agreements and licences. In the mid-stream energy sector, the Firm has been involved with contracts relating to long distance pipeline projects  and acts for a number of refineries. The Firm’s practice includes trans-national oil and gas pipeline projects. The Firm’s power sector practice also includes coal and wind power generation projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Orr, Dignam & Co. is advises g foreign investors in relation to their investments in Pakistan. This includes advice on the regulatory regime in Pakistan and foreign exchange controls. The Firm advises on joint venture arrangements with foreign investors and on royalty and technical service agreements. Orr, Dignam acts for several international franchises in Pakistan as well as joint ventures established to develop commercial and industrial projects in Pakistan.

Orr, Dignam advises in insurance matters on the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the insurance business in Pakistan. It advises clients on insurance contracts and litigation on insurance claims. The Firm has also advised clients on implications of terrorism related claims and is also handling ensuing litigation based on such claims.

Orr, Dignam’s practice includes advising on many laws pertaining to international trade. Our practice covers WTO/anti-dumping matters and representing clients before the National Tariff Commission in anti-dumping proceedings and matters relating to tariff protection/assistance.

Orr, Dignam routinely advises on mergers and acquisitions. Pakistan’s first ever employee buy-out scheme was structured and implemented by the Firm. The Firm has advised on numerous mergers and acquisitions, including several in the telecommunication, cement, food, chemicals, banking, oil and gas and energy sector.

The Firm has vast projects experience having been involved in projects ranging for setting up of industrial projects in several sectors, including fertilizers, cement,refineries, oil terminals, pipelines, food/grain terminals, electrical power generation plants, mass transit projects etc.

Orr, Dignam has acted in several privatisation transactions, notably in the electrical power, downstream petroleum and other sectors. The Firm’s privatization practice has included acting for financial advisors on the sell side and for bidders on the buy side. The Firm has also acted in the privatisation of key assets particularly in the banking and energy sectors. Orr, Dignam has also acted for the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan, International Financial Advisors and for bidders involved in the privatisation of such assets.

Orr, Dignam advises foreign and local borrowers and lenders on various aspects of project finance. The Firm has acted on behalf of international lenders for restructuring of financing facilities.

The Firm also acted for borrowers in relation to the first Islamic financed wind power projects in Pakistan. The transaction won the Islamic Finance Deal of the Year Award, 2011, the Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association Award ‘Go Global Investee Companies 2011’ and the Euromoney Awards ‘Middle Eastern Renewables Deal of the Year 2012’.

Orr, Dignam advises foreign and Pakistan clients on telecommunication matters including advice in obtaining licenses and consents to act as service providers. The Firm advises domestic and international clients on telecommunication issues and deals with regulatory authorities on their behalf. The Firm has advised in connection with several mergers, acquisitions and divestments in telecommunication related matters.