Profile -- Zia G. Shaikh Karachi, Pakistan

While we provide a comprehensive service to both individual and corporate clients, we have particular expertise in the following areas:

Family Law
Practice includes all areas of family law including dissolution, annulment, custody and support modification, as well as related areas of adoption and guardianship. Appear at trial and hearing on various motions. Perform discovery. Negotiate and draft marital settlement agreements. Special emphasis on issues of conflict of laws concerning between Muslim and non Muslim marriages, custody of children and distribution of property.

Intellectual Property Litigation
Research, write memoranda and draft pleadings on substantive and procedural issues in the areas of copyright, patent and trademark. Take depositions and manage cases. Prepare cases and witnesses, and conduct and defend cross examinations.

Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
To enforce foreign judgments in Pakistan, whether they are obtained from a reciprocating country or by filing a fresh suit on the basis of the foreign judgment. Currency regulations and restrictions, concerning the foreign judgments. Conventions to which Pakistan is a signatory. Pending foreign proceedings. Defences available in Pakistan against foreign judgments. Jurisdiction of foreign Courts. Interim relief. Time of enforcement and subsequent action. International Treaties, and matters related to prescription.

International Arbitration
Conduct arbitration in Pakistan and abroad with reference to international law, the rules of conflict of laws and enforcing the same before the appropriate forum. Using arbitration as a mechanism for resolution of disputes.

Alternative Dispute Resolution
Involved in ADR to encourage and promote settlement of disputes. Strategies include mediation and negotiation, balance of power, initial investigation, preliminary negotiations and preparation, meeting the parties, information gathering and facility negotiations. Terminating mediation and recording agreements and post terminating phase. ADR covers both commercial and civil matters.

Criminal (White Collar) Litigation
Prepare motions for summary judgment, motions in limine, judgment on the pleadings and trial briefs. Prepare appellate motions to the High Court. Prepare memoranda of law and correspondence. Take and defend depositions. Appear in customs, banking and narcotics cases. Represented several international banks and filed criminal complaints on their behalf.

Corporate / Banking Practice
Substantial transactional experience representing major corporations, investment bankers / advisors, and investors. Transactional experience includes representing underwriters, savings and loan associations, national banks, estate chartered banks and formations / flotation of Modaraba companies on Karachi stock exchange and formation of foreign banks in Pakistan.

Islamic and Shariah Law
Involved in complex Muslim corporate, family and personal law matters with regard to conflict of laws. Primary responsibility for case proceedings and workouts. Draft pleadings and discovery papers, argue motions research and draft memoranda of law, review and analyze commercial documents, and conduct settlement negotiations.

Commercial Litigation
Representation of financial institutions. Conduct discovery, take and defend depositions, draft a variety of pleadings and pre-trial motions, regularly appear in Court on law and motion, writs and receivers, and default prove-up calendars.

Civil Litigation
Draft and argue various motions and pleadings in the High Courts and Supreme Court of Pakistan. Prepare and draft interrogatories, document requests, and answer same. Prepare and draft summary judgment motions, discovery motions, and motions to compel. Research and draft memoranda. Write opinion letters to clients.

Labour and Wrongful Termination Litigation Practice
Manage and supervise labour and employment cases including discrimination and wrongful termination matters. Deal with cases under Industrial Relation Ordinance 1969 and law relating to Master and Servant. Daft pleadings and discovery, prepare legal motions, present oral arguments in Courts. Take and defend depositions. Conduct administrative hearings before Department of Employment and Department of Industrial Relations, conduct labour cases in Labour Court, High Courts and Supreme Court.

Real Estate Practice
Drafting of purchase and sale agreements for the acquisition of raw land and commercially developed properties. Negotiations and drafting of shopping centre leases, including leases for large retail anchor tenant. Involved in complex landlord and tenant litigation under the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance, 1979. Conducted research work on counsel houses and re-location of tenants. Draft rent / lease agreements and license deeds.

Environmental Law
Provide litigation services and advise regarding environmental regulatory compliance and reliability issues. Specific duties have included advising the Government on health care regarding handling and disposal of medical / infectious waste and providing advice to numerous industries for the protection, conversion, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment for protection of and control of pollution and promotion of sustainable development. Areas of practice include actions in tort, private and public nuisance, trespass, common law remedies and matters falling within the ambit of the Pakistan Environment Protection Act, 1997.

Insurance Bad Faith and Coverage Litigation Practice
Extensive experience in all phases of Court trial. Research and draft coverage opinions and reservation of rights letters, draft pleadings, discovery motions, motions for summary judgment. Conduct and respond to all forms of discovery including depositions, prepare case for trial, draft trial motions, briefs, motion in limine, prepare witnesses and exhibits for trial.

Personal Injury Litigation Practice
Responsible for wide range of personal injury insurance litigation matters. Including coverage, vehicle, premises, and product liability cases. Handle all stages of litigation including drafting and editing of complaint, Cross-Complaints, answers, discovery matters, summary judgment motions, and arbitration and trial briefs. Take and defend depositions and depose expert witnesses.

Medical Malpractice Litigation
Experience includes pharmaceutical and medical malpractice litigation. Extensive law and motion and discovery experience. Take and defend depositions of expert witnesses. Responsible from inception of the case through trial.

Maritime and Admiralty Practice
Primarily concerned with ownership, registration, sale, maritime liens and arrest of vessels within the territorial waters of Pakistan. Handle all stages of litigation and arbitration.