Rania Khoury is a partner at Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm, and heads the Arbitration practice. Before joining the Firm, she worked at prestigious law firms in Paris, such as Dentons, Gide Loyrette Nouel, and CMS Francis Lefebvre Avocats, as well as at the Supreme Court of Arizona in the United States. Rania has gained over 20 years of international multidisciplinary expertise covering advisory, transactional and dispute-resolution matters in Paris, the US and Lebanon.
With a broadly focused arbitration practice, Rania has extensive experience representing notable clients in winning complex high-stake domestic and international arbitration cases under the rules of all major arbitral institutions in the Middle East and Europe (including ICC, ICSID, and BCCI), and in ad-hoc proceedings. Her practice spans across many industries, with a particular sector experience in media, construction, energy, and finance.
Rania is regularly solicited to serve as arbitrator on key arbitration disputes. She also participates in legal committees advising on updating the arbitration rules of local arbitration centers. Rania has been elected as a delegate of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR for the mandate 2024-2027.
Her expertise further includes advising on the acquisition, commercialization, protection, licensing and enforcement of all types of intellectual property rights (trademarks, designs, models, copyright, know-how, domain names, professional secrecy), as well as acting on both contentious and non-contentious issues in the press, audio-visual, technology (internet, software, databases, e-commerce) and media sectors.
Rania's recent notable representative experience can be viewed here.
EXPERTISE
- Arbitration
- Intellectual Property
- Entertainment Law
- Franchising
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Rania is recognized as a Recommended Lawyer in the prominent international directory The Legal 500 EMEA 2022, in the practice area of ‘Dispute Resolution’.
“Rania Khoury is the key contact for disputes, particularly in the construction, media, and energy space.”
She has won several awards for the work she has accomplished in the United States, namely:
- The Arizona Judicial Council 2009 ‘You Outbid Yourself Award’.
- The 2007 Arizona Judicial Council Award for the implementation of the GPS program.
PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Lecturer in Civil Law at the Faculty of Law of the Saint-Joseph University, Lebanon.
- Speaker at the Union of Arab Banks on ‘Arbitration in the Resolution of Banking and Commercial Disputes’.
- Speaker at the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum on ‘Challenges and Remedies for Enforcing Arbitral Awards in Arab Countries’.
- Co-author of the Lebanon chapter of the 2014 ‘Technology, Media and Telecommunications Review’ published by The Law Reviews and edited by Latham & Watkins USA.
- Former member of the Faculty of the Arizona Public Defender Association.
- Former member of the Faculty of the Court Leadership Conference and the GPS Program of the Arizona Judicial Council.
MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
- Admitted to the Paris Bar (with highest honors).
- Member of the International Bar Association.
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
- Delegate member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR for the mandate 2024-2027.
- Member of the ICC Task Force on Emergency Arbitrator Proceedings in Paris.
EDUCATION
- Master I in Private Law, University of Nanterre-Paris X (with honors).
- Master II (DESS) in Intellectual Property Law, University of Paris II-Assas (with honors).
- Master II (DEA) in English and North American Business Law, University of Sorbonne-Paris I (with honors).
LANGUAGES
Arabic ● French ● English
Arbitration
- Advised leading TV station LBCI in winning the high-profile and complex multi-million Paris and London-seated ICC arbitration cases against the largest Arab media group Rotana. The Firm acted as co-counsel with international law firm Linklaters, with Hogan Lovells representing Rotana.
- Advised the consortium between leading energy companies Danish-BWSC/German-MAN Diesel on the high profile multi-million ICC arbitration case against the Republic of Lebanon in relation to the €270 Million FIDIC EPC contracts for two thermal power plant projects.
- Advised leading Lebanese bank IBL on a major US$100 million BCCI arbitration case against Iraq Telecom Limited with a critical impact amidst Lebanon’s unprecedented banking crisis, involving multiple jurisdictions, namely Iraq, Lebanon, the UAE, and the US, and ancillary attachments lawsuits in Lebanon and New York. The Firm acted as co-counsel with global law firms Mayer Brown and Dechert, while Iraq Telecom was represented by three international law firms, namely White & Case, Jones Day, and Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher.
- Advised a leading financial institution on a multi-million BCCI arbitration case against an investor involving complex banking and capital markets regulations amidst Lebanon’s unprecedented banking crisis.
- Advised leading investment fund MEVP in winning the highly complex BCCI arbitration case related to the shareholders’ dispute of the pioneer book discovery platform Bookwitty, which geared attention due to its significance in the context of Circular 331 issued by the Central Bank of Lebanon aimed at boosting Lebanon’s knowledge economy.
- Advised leading regional contracting group Construction Management Associates Sal (CMA) in winning a complex BCCI arbitration against the development company of the major Sky Gate real estate project in Beirut.
- Advised the developer of upscale real estate project Badaro Gardens in winning a complex FIDIC construction BCCI arbitration case against major contracting group Abniah.
- Advised prominent investment group The Luxury Fund on a multi-million complex BCCI arbitration case against fashion company Faith Connexion involving several jurisdictions including France and Nevis.
- Advised leading real estate developer GZA Group (Highland Sal) on the BCCI arbitration case against the contractor in connection with Beit Misk, one of the largest multi-million residential projects in Lebanon.
- Advised leading investment firm Capstone Investment Group on a multi-million BCCI arbitration case against real estate company Immobilière 237 Sursock, the developer of the upscale residential project Sursock Towers.
- Advised leading TV station LBCI on the motion filed by the largest Arab media group Rotana before the Court of Appeals in Paris for the annulment of an ICC arbitration award rendered in favor of the Firm’s client LBCI.
- Advised the CEO of leading TV station LBCI on the high-profile ICC arbitration case against largest Arab media group Rotana.
Intellectual Property
- Advised prominent businessman Carlos Ghosn on major entertainment contracts related to the licensing of IP rights for the creation of TV series and life documentaries by Arab media powerhouse MBC and global streaming service leader Apple TV.
- Advised the renowned music band Mashrou’ Leila on major entertainment contracts, including licensing, recording, music video production, and distribution agreements with the world’s leading Dutch-American music corporation Universal Music Group and major British media company AMP Media Limited, concert agreements for local and international festivals, artist TV appearance agreements on, notably, the Coke Studio platform with Universal Music MENA, and partnership agreements with Red Bull.
- Advised Carlos Ghosn, the notorious former CEO of the Renault-Nissan Group, on major publication agreements for the publishing of several books by leading publishing houses in France (La Librairie Arthème Fayard), the US (Tanooki Press LLC), Japan (Gentosha), and Lebanon (Samir Editeur).
- Advised the Liban Jazz Festival on several contracts with renowned international artists and venues.
- Advised the renowned jewellery designer Paolo Bongia on international franchise and distribution agreements.
- Advised the Lebanese winery Couvent Rouge on the investment made by an international fund into their winery, as well as the drafting and negotiation of local and international distribution agreements.
- Advised renowned international luxury fashion house Zuhair Murad on a copyright infringement case.
- Advised radio station Light FM on pre-litigation negotiations related to the infringement of IP rights.
- Advised on the local and international registration of trademarks, copyrights and other IP rights of leading groups across industries.