Ibrahim Shehata

Partner

Ibrahim Shehata

Linkedin
is@shehatalaw.com
is@shehatalaw.com
+2 010 2225 6100
+2 010 2225 6100

Ibrahim Shehata has accumulated more than a decade of experience in the Egyptian market. Shehata started his career with Ibrachy & Dermarkar law firm followed by Sharkawy & Sarhan law firm. He then moved to the US to earn his Master of Laws degree in International Arbitration and Venture Capital from New York University (NYU). Shehata started off his career focusing on corporate law where he successfully advised several multinational companies on doing business in Egypt. Being involved in the Egyptian renewable energy market since 2014, he developed a niche experience which makes him one of the leading lawyers in the field.

Capitalizing on his immense arbitration knowledge, Shehata has assisted clients in navigating success in various high profile arbitral disputes, in particular with cases of construction arbitration. Shehata has also contributed immensely to international literature, and has written the first ever English language treatise on Egyptian arbitration with the prestigious publisher, Kluwer Law International. Further, Shehata has been chosen in 2020 as one of the 50 Most Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners in the African Continent.

Moreover, Shehata has been recognized in the last few years as one of the key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem through working with more than 60 startups and several Venture Capital Firms. In this regard, Shehata has helped both VC Firms and startups navigate the legal issues that always arise in this specific realm and guide them to be more investment-ready.

Practice Areas
Arbitration, Renewable Energy, Venture Capital

Recent Experience

  1. Representing a UAE real estate developer in a USD 7 million ICC construction arbitration seated in Abu Dhabi.
  2. Representing an Egyptian contractor in a USD 30 million Ad Hoc construction arbitration seated in Paris.
  3. Representing KarmSolar in preparing its O&M and EPC agreements in conjunction with a Net-Metering Solar Project.
  4. Representing BioEnergy in dealing with the Egyptian government in relation to its Waste-to-Energy project in Egypt.
  5. Representing The Solar Company in preparing the necessary contractual instruments for launching a new solar product in the Egyptian market.
  6. Representing a Japanese Automotive Manufacturer in its multi-million-dollar private free zone in Egypt. View Case Study
  7. Advising UNIDO on drafting a set of templates for Energy Efficiency Agreements under the ESCO Model with respect to the Egyptian Market.
  8. Advising CrossBoundary on the legal framework of Solar Energy in Egypt and helping CrossBoundary enter the Egyptian Solar Market. View Case Study
  9. Advising Avanz Capital on all legal aspects relating to its operations in Egypt, including drafting and reviewing agreements, advising on internal policies and handling Term Sheets, SAFEs, Side Letters, and Shareholders’ Agreements.
  10. Advising a Saudi-Based Fund on all legal aspects relating to its operations in the GCC Region, including drafting and reviewing agreements, advising on internal policies and handling Term Sheets, SAFEs, Side Letters, and Shareholders’ Agreements.
  11. Advising Pharco Venture Capital Corporate Arm on several Venture Investments within the MENA Region.
  12. Advising Trella on all legal aspects relating to its operations in Egypt, including drafting and reviewing agreements, advising on internal policies and handling term sheets. View Case Study
  13. Advising NATCO concerning a Shareholders’ Agreement for one of its strategic investments in a startup located within the MENA region.
  14. Advising Vinci Construction Group on their arbitration agreement validity in a High-Profile Construction Project based in Egypt
  15. Successfully representing Antrados Syria in a complex Real Estate Development CRCICA Arbitration and following litigation lawsuits concerning a dispute of USD 250 million seated in Cairo. View Case Study

Qualifications

SnP-Universities-CU
LL.B, Cairo University – English Section, Egypt
SnP-Universities-NYU
LL.M, New York University (NYU), USA
SnP-Universities-Harvard
Certificate in Corporate Finance, Harvard University, USA

Awards and Honors

  • Africa’s 50 Most Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners Award, 2020
  • 50 Super MENA Lawyers, 2022 (Thompson Reuters)
  • Leading Individual in Venture Capital, 2024 (Chambers & Partners)

Select Publications

“Arbitration in Egypt: A Practitioners’ Guide”
(September 2021) Kluwer Law International
Open Link
“All’s Well That Ends Well? Looking at the Future of the Unified Arab Agreement in Light of the Al-Kharafi v Libya Decisions by the Egyptian Courts”
(October 2022) ICSID Review, co-written with Ahmed Rasekh & Kabir Duggal
Open Link
“The Interest Rates Public Policy Dilemma: The Egyptian Perspective”
ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin, (July 2020)
Open Link
“The Ministerial Approval Requirement for Arbitration Agreements in Egypt: Revisiting the Public Policy Debate”
Journal of International Arbitration, (May 2020) | Reprinted from Journal of International Arbitration, volume no. 37), (issue number 3), (2020), (391-404), with permission of Kluwer Law International
Open Link
“Extension of Arbitration Agreements to Third Parties through the Lens of Egyptian Courts”
Arbitration International, (April 2020)
Open Link
“25 Years of Model Law Arbitration in Egypt”
ASA Bulletin, (September, 2019) | Reprinted from ASA Bulletin, volume no. 37, issue number 3, (2019), (631-642), with permission of Kluwer Law International
Open Link
“The Application of New York Convention by Egyptian Courts: An Empirical Analysis”
International Journal of Arab Arbitration, (September 2019)
Open Link
“Attorney-Client Privilege & International Arbitration”
Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution, (May 2019)
Open Link
“Application of Overriding Mandatory Rules in International Commercial Arbitration: An Empirical Analysis”
World Arbitration and Mediation Review (WAMR), (December 2018)
Open Link
“Three Potential Imminent Benefits of Blockchain for International Arbitration”
Young Arbitration Review, (November 2018)
Open Link