Practice Areas

The major role of arbitration as a dispute resolution method in today’s business world is undeniable. Recognizing the necessity to resolve international commercial disputes through arbitration and other dispute settlement methods, such as negotiation, mediation and conciliation, our team members provide preventive legal services to avoid legal problems on the one hand and offer winning strategies during the process of arbitration.

Our deep knowledge of Arbitration laws and regulations, Arbitration institutions and their structures in Iran and methods and challenges in the way of Arbitration awards enforcement, which has been enhanced through experience and practice, will help our clients make a difference in the outcome of the dispute.

If you wish to enter Iranian market or are already engaged in Iran, most probably you need to know about bank activities, the process of money (deposit) creation, international banking relations, government lending and borrowing from financial institutions, the monetary policy of the Central Bank (Markazi Bank) or you may have any other questions regarding the feasibility of the practice of Islamic banking in Iran. Our team is ready to provide you with a clear understanding of the prospects and challenges of Banking and Islamic Finance in Iran. We assure that you are fully informed and advised on all aspects of Banking and Finance in Iran.

Our practice in the field of commercial law covers a comprehensive and wide variety of services including not only drafting contracts in various fields such as agency, distribution, sale, import and export, shareholder agreements, licensing, franchising, custom matters and other commercial transactions and issues, but also handling the commercial disputes in court and arbitration centers and advisory in all fields of commercial law.

If you are a foreign investor and wish to incorporate a company in Iran, the good news is that you can now hold 100% ownership of shares in the company. The other good news is that our team members are prepared to provide you with a-z legal services required for company formation and registration in Iran. From preparing your internal bylaws and Articles of Association and registering your company at Companies Registration Office to obtaining Economic Code and Value Added Tax Code to enable continuing of your company’ activities in Iran, Karimi & Associates team members offer a broad range of services in company registration and corporate governance.

As more and more criminalizing laws and regulations are being enacted by the Iranian legislature, the need for advice on criminal law related issues grows. It is not only litigation in court cases where our clients need criminal law assistance of our attorneys, but also the necessity to understand potential criminal liabilities arising out of your activities on the one hand and protecting your rights against criminal actions and infringements of others on the other hand renders criminal legal advice necessary in many cases before even any dispute arises.

Our Iranian clients benefit from our legal services in the field of family law wherever in the world they are. Our attorneys provide you with family law advisory and litigation services in the areas listed below:
o    Divorce & Cancellation
o    Child Custody & Visitation
o    Adoption
o    Dowry (Mahr) & Marriage Portion
o    Wife Maintenance Costs
o    Parentage
o    Guardianship

Foreign investment in Iran under the main legal framework set by Iran’s Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act of 2002 (FIPPA), is the cornerstone of our legal services offered to foreign clients. We put our best effort and expertise into guiding our clients for obtaining FIPPA License, recognizing and familiarizing with the rights offered to them by FIPPA and other governing laws and regulation before and during investment in Iran. Some of our key services in the field of foreign investment are as follows:

•     Foreign Direct Investment
•    Portfolio Investment
•     Due diligence and feasibility studies
•     FIPPA License
•     Foreign Investment Restructuring
•     Resolution of Foreign Investment Disputes
•     Operation Permits
•    Drafting Investment Contracts
•     Merger & Acquisition
•   Project Finance
•     Joint Venture Agreements

With a deep knowledge and a long-standing experience in the field of intellectual property law, we offer a full range of legal services to protect our clients’ intellectual property rights, including IP related advice, IP infringement claims and litigation in the following areas:

• Trademark
•  Patent
•     Industrial Design
•    Geographical Indications
•    Copyrights
•     Intellectual Property Rights & Electronic Commerce
•   Intellectual Property rights & computer Software
•     International Trademark Registration services (Madrid System)
•     International Patent Registration Services under Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)following areas:

Our services cover the full spectrum of labor law issues, from drafting and reviewing employment contracts, advising on employment regulations and formalities, obtaining work permits for foreign nationals and ensuring compliance with all labor law requirements.
A large number of our clients are foreign companies who need to know about foreign employment and labor law issues that may affect their business in Iran. Matching our services to their needs we assist them through the process of obtaining work permit for foreign nationals, help them reduce risks of labor-related complaints, advise them on employment arrangement and contract and provide them with any other labor law -related services.

In spite of the increasing demand for arbitration and alternative dispute resolution methods, litigation remains the most commonly used method of dispute settlement in Iran. Our firm has been engaged in litigation since the beginning of its activities and after years of successfully presenting clients in numerous court cases, we dare to say we are pioneers in handling criminal, civil and commercial court cases in Iran.

 Collision and Salvage
    Charter Party Disputes
    Cargo Claim
    Local and International Maritime Regulations
    Pollution by Oil or other Substances
    Sale, Purchase, Leasing, Mortgage and Registration of Ships
    Ship Building and Repair Contracts
    Stowaway

Iran has a unique position in terms of hydrocarbon reserves as the fourth largest oil reserves and the second largest gas reserves in the world. Therefore, Oil & Gas Law is one of the crucial legal services at Karimi & Associates Law Firm. Upstream and downstream activities are under separate legal regimes in Iran. We have an updated and in-depth knowledge of both upstream and downstream legal regimes in Iran, our team members are ready to provide you with a comprehensive range of oil and gas legal services including legal advice, contract drafting, dispute resolution and other services. Our services in this field cover, amongst others, the following areas:

Upstream Oil & Gas Law activities

•  Civil Partnership
•  Buy Back Contracts
•   Build, Operate and Transfer Contracts (BOT)
•  Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPC)

Downstream Oil & Gas Law Activities

• Civil Partnership
• Buy Back Contracts
• Build, Operate and Transfer Contracts (BOT)
•  Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC)
• Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Management (EPCM)
•  Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Finance (EPCF)
•  Engineering & Procurement (EP)

Our services cover all aspects of taxation for companies as well as non-commercial legal entities as well as natural persons. We provide you with corporate house counseling to help you benefit from tax exemptions, avoid penalties and double taxation and ensure compliance with tax requirements by offering a full range of services in the following areas:
o    Direct Taxation
o    Value Added Tax (VAT)
o    Taxation in Free Zones
o    Tax Dispute Resolution
o    International Taxation & Bilateral Tax Treaties
o    Tax Compliance
o    Tax Returns
o    Tax Structuring Advice