Raza Kazim Associates is a specialist disputes practice that handles complex, sensitive, and high stakes matters.
Established in 1954, the practice harkens back to a tradition of advocacy tracing its roots to the 1800’s, and has served as a breeding ground for numerous leading advocates and eminent Judges of the Superior Courts.
Our members focus on civil, commercial, and constitutional litigation; investor-state and commercial arbitrations; and discrete public international law and national security mandates. We have acted for and advised sovereigns, state-owned enterprises, international investors, commercial entities and high-net worth individuals in disputes and investigations in the energy, mining, infrastructure, banking, and defense sectors.
Civil and commercial litigation is the mainstay of the practice. We are trial lawyers and have acted in numerous complex civil and commercial disputes before the subordinate courts, and in original proceedings before the High Courts. We have cultivated a reputation for extracting favourable results through our deep understanding of civil procedure; elaborate evidentiary preparation; and aggressive cross examination methods.
We act in statutory appeals before the District Courts and the High Courts, including first and second appeals, interlocutory challenges, income tax and excise references, as well as in revisional and review proceedings. Members have particular prowess over constitutional matters and are often instructed to deploy this skill through writ proceedings.
The practice has substantial experience in precedent-setting and bet-the-company Supreme Court litigation, including both appellate and original constitutional matters. This uniquely positions us to put forward specialist teams for Supreme Court disputes.
The practice has been involved in some of the most significant international arbitration disputes within the Pakistani context. Members have been part of teams that have advised and acted for both sovereigns and investors in ICSID and UNCITRAL claims. We can act in state-state, investor-state, and commercial disputes before all arbitral forums and under all rules.
Members have strong relationships with prominent disputes practitioners in Washington D.C., London, and Paris, as well as with third party funders and valuation experts.
We conduct pre-litigation investigations and assist parties institute / defend investigations before the Federal Investigation Agency and the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan. We collaborate with international investigative experts and have previously acted in sensitive global investigations with national security implications.
With a view to hedging their risks from prospective litigation, we advise and aid our clients with dispute-minded contract drafting and corporate structuring.