Farhad R. Alavi is an Associate in the International and Cross-Border Transactions Group in Washington, D.C. and Abu Dhabi (residency pending). His commercial transactional work includes advising clients on matters pertaining to international and domestic corporate, sales, and joint venture law. Recent and current transactions include:
- Counseled on distribution arrangement for US manufacturer in the GCC region (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE).
- Advising numerous multinational entities on establishing operations and conducting business in China, Greece, and the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah).
- Advising a US specialty construction company on an agreement with Aldar Properties PJSC as part of the planned Ferrari Theme Park in Abu Dhabi.
- Advising a joint venture seeking to introduce a large Lebanon-based chain of casual dining restaurants to the US market.
- Advising the US subsidiary of a Colombian company on a joint venture for the establishment of branded coffee shops in airport concessions throughout the United States.
- Advising a large, public Latin American reserve fund on structuring investment products for public and semi-public entities.
- Exclusive supply arrangement between a US-based international automotive parts distributor and a Chinese manufacturer.
- Advised a large foreign-owned conglomerate of entities owning and managing multiunit housing complexes in the United States on a major joint venture and reorganization.
Within international trade, Mr. Alavi's practice includes preparing applications for export licenses and classification requests by the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), as well as advising on matters relating to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and US Anti-Boycott policies. Recent activities include:
- Preparation of OFAC license applications for activities relating to Cuba, Iran, and Sudan, including humanitarian assistance and the export of US agricultural products.
- Classification requests to the BIS for various high technology products
- Advising clients on the importation of various food products into the United States
Mr. Alavi's practice also includes shipping, maritime and energy law. While in law school, Mr. Alavi was an intern at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where he worked on matters pertaining to international tax policy and anti-money laundering efforts.