Bassem El Shahawy, Partner, is a member of the Litigation Department at ZH since 1997 focusing his practice on Banking, Trade and Bankruptcy Law (litigation and procedures), Criminal Law and Labour Law. He has a long track record of experience in representing clients before courts of all degrees whereby he aptly drafted statements of claims, memos, appeals, cassations, procedures of execution of judgments, and legal opinions in the fields of Civil Code, bankruptcy, factoring, Commercial Law, Corporate, banking, and Social Insurance Law.
Bassem is also well versed in preparing and drafting sale contracts, gratuity contracts, lease contracts, employment contracts, loans, mortgages (real estate and commercial) – as well as handling all procedures at the Real Estate and Authentication Department and preparing the needed studies on the legal aspects of companies and conducting legal due diligence.
With over 30 years of experience, selected examples of the matters he has contributed to include:
- Representing one of the world’s seven oil and gas “supermajors” with operations in Egypt in the case filed by an individual regarding the appropriation of a land in Behera. (In progress)
- Representing the Arab Bank in its defense in the EGP 368 million case filed by Mohandes Insurance Company over a compensation related to an erupted fire. (In progress)
- Representing Egypt Factors Company in the case filed against a flour producer company. (In progress)
- Representing Barclays Bank (now known as Attijariwafa Bank) in several cases regarding the opening of more than 75 bank cabinets after facing disputes with numerous clients for not paying their expenses. (2017- In progress)
- Representing Le Meridien Heliopolis Hotel in its defense against a request by a hotel employee to collect a percentage of the Hotel’s net profits. The court refused the case. (2015)
- Representing the Arab Bank in its claim for over EGP 6 million and over USD 5 million – plus interest rate – against Efadco Petroleum Service. The Court issued its judgment obligating the defendant to pay the claimed amounts to the Bank. (2015)
- Representing Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (Egypt) in the Fidelity Misdemeanor filed against the Chairman of the Bank and the Manager of the Bank Branch. The court acquitted the two defendants, refused the Civil Claim, and obliged the Claimant to pay the legal expenses. (2012)
- Representing the Arab Bank in the case filed against 10th of Ramadan Spin and Weaving Company (Dimatex) and others. The Court ruled the payment of the amount requested by the Bank plus a delay interest at the rate of 5%. ZH challenged the judgment by means of cassation, particularly the part of the judgment adjudicating the payment of legal interests rather than the consensual interests. A judgment was rendered in the Cassation in favour of the Bank, obliging the defendants to pay the consensual interests at the rate of 13% per annum. (2009)
Bassem is a member of the Egyptian Bar Association and was admitted to the Egyptian Court of Cassation in 2013. He achieved the LL.B. from the Faculty of Law, Cairo University, in 1994.
Email: bassem.shahawy@hashemlaw.com
