In corporate deal-making, the arbitration clause is often called the "Midnight Clause." It is the final paragraph copy-pasted at 2:00 AM just before signatures, often from an old template that doesn't fit the deal. This is a fatal error. At Consortio Law Firm, we have seen multimillion-dollar awards annulled in the Cairo Court of Appeal [...]
When drafting an arbitration clause, most foreign lawyers default to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris. It is the "safe," prestigious choice. But for a dispute centered in Egypt—involving Egyptian assets and Egyptian law—the ICC is often the expensive, logistical nightmare choice. At Consortio Law Firm, we advise clients to look at the [...]
For foreign investors, the Egyptian court system—with its multiple tiers of appeal and "Expert Office" delays—can feel like a liability. The solution? Arbitration. Egypt is a pro-arbitration jurisdiction. It is a signatory to the 1958 New York Convention (via Presidential Decree No. 171 of 1959), and its domestic arbitration law (Law No. 27 of 1994) [...]
If you have read our General Counsel’s Guide to Commercial litigation, you know that the Egyptian legal system is a tiered hierarchy. But what happens if your judgment didn't come from an Egyptian court at all? A common scenario: A foreign investor wins a judgment in London or Dubai. They come to Cairo believing the [...]
If you walk into an ordinary Egyptian Civil Court (Mahkama Ibtida'iya), you will see stacks of paper files tied with twine, crowded halls, and judges managing hundreds of miscellaneous cases—from rent disputes to petty theft—in a single day. If you are a foreign investor, this is not where you want your commercial dispute to live. [...]
If you ask a standard lawyer about litigation in Egypt, they will quote the Civil Code. If you ask a General Counsel who has actually managed a dispute here, they will talk about three things: "The Expert Office," "The Notification Loop," and the "Execution Problems." At Consortio Law Firm, we focus on Execution Reality. The [...]
If you read the standard brochures on investing in Egypt, you will often see "Company incorporation" listed as a 3-day process. Legally, obtaining the Commercial Register may indeed take only a few days. Operationally, however, your business cannot move a single dollar until the bank account is active. At Consortio Law Firm, we believe in [...]
"Is it true I can start a company with zero capital?" This is the most common question we hear from foreign entrepreneurs. The technical answer is Yes. The practical answer—if you want a bank account—is No. Under the Companies Law No. 159 and Investment Law No. 72, the Limited Liability Company (LLC) has no minimum [...]
The first decision you make in Egypt is often the most expensive to undo. When entering the Egyptian market, foreign companies typically hesitate between two legal structures: the Limited Liability Company (LLC) and the Foreign Branch Office. While both allow you to operate legally, they are fundamentally different vehicles regarding Liability, Taxes, and Commercial Scope. [...]
The Challenge: Cross-Border Financing Meets Local Reality When a leading Swiss banking institution approached Consortio Law Firm, the mandate appeared straightforward: "Can we safely finance an €11 million shipment destined for our client’s Egyptian subsidiary—and take enforceable collateral in Egypt?" Behind this question lay a complex, high-stakes cross-border structure: Lender: Swiss Bank. Borrower: Swiss Parent [...]
