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Mohammad F. Mattar is a founding partner of Levant Law Practice and was a partner at Mattar and Mattar Law Firm from 1983 till 2002. He was a lecturer in the Concept of Law and Legal Lexicon at Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon, and a researcher at the Third World Institute, London, United Kingdom.

Mohammad's principal focus is arbitration and International Criminal Law cases, as well as advising on regional transactions in the Middle East and West Africa involving a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure projects, telecommunications and complex cross-border corporate matters.

He was general counsel, legal advisor and expert in a major arbitration matter before the ICC for a business group exceeding US$ 4.2 billion. He also is general counsel and legal advisor in expansion-related matters including: negotiation with governments, drafting licenses and other telecommunication agreements, acquisition of companies, mergers as well as joint-venture transactions, structuring in terms of entry of new investors for an International Telecommunication Group of companies with businesses in the Middle East and Africa.

He also is a specialist in litigation (cross-border white-collar crimes); Arbitration; Anti-Money Laundering (U.S. Treasury/OFAC and UK/SFO); Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence.

He currently represents various entities including international leading oil companies as legal counsel and litigator in ongoing legal cases before the Lebanese courts.

Mohammad is a member of the legal team on the International Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). He was a member of the legal team advising the Lebanese Ministry of Justice in claiming compensation for the July 2006 war. He is also the Legal Counsel for the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) and the Legal Counsel for the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL).

Mohammad read for a Doctorate of Philosophy (D.Phil.) in Comparative Legal Theory at St Antony's College, Oxford; he holds a Licence en Droit (Law Degree), from the Lebanese University, Faculty of Laws and Political Sciences, Beirut; a Masters of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies (Islamic Sharia Law, Political Theory and Medieval Islamic History) from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London/United Kingdom; and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from American University of Beirut (AUB).

He was also a member and legal advisor of various non-for-profits organizations including MAI Resources International (Switzerland) AG; The Scientific Association for the Dissemination of Legal Culture in the Arab World; Lebanese Transparency Association; Unite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP); Governmental Ad Hoc Legal Commission For Investigating the Legal Responsibility of states and non-state actors in the 2006 War against Lebanon; Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Task Force commissioned by the Board of Trustees of the AUB to restructure the Alumni body worldwide; Mena Future Foundation; the Lebanese Economic Forum (L.E.F.); L.S.F. Board of Trustees of the Lebanese Studies Foundation (L.S.F.).

Pro Bono

Mohammad performs advisory work for civil societies, philanthropy and public policy-oriented entities.

Professional Memberships

  • Member of the Beirut Bar Association since 1980.
  • Ex-Chairman of the Lebanese Transparency Association, the Lebanese Branch of Transparency International (for two mandates).
  • Legal counsel and co-founder of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Lebanon.
  • Chairman of the American University of Beirut (AUB) Task Force commissioned by the Board of Trustees of the AUB that restructured the Alumni body worldwide.
  • Counselor and co-founder of Mena Future Foundation.
  • Co-founder of the Lebanese Economic Forum (L.E.F.), an association of businessmen, industrialists and intellectuals constituting a pressure group to enhance private enterprise and shape economic public policies.
  • Founder and member of the Board of Trustees (1985) of the Lebanese Studies Foundation (L.S.F.), an independent public policy, non-profit foundation researching all aspects of Lebanese modern history, society, economy and culture.

Education

  • Read for a D.Phil. at Oxford University, Saint Antony's College, Oxford, United Kingdom.
  • 1979, LL.B., Lebanese University, Faculty of Laws and Political Sciences, Lebanon.
  • 1977, M.A. in Islamic Law and Middle Eastern Studies, University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, United Kingdom.
  • 1974, B.A. in Philosophy, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.

Languages

Arabic, English, Working French.

Publications

Mohammad published many articles on fighting corruption, accountability and responsibility in Penal Law, law practice and human rights, Lebanon's electoral Law, law and freedom in the Arab world as well as Jurisprudence.

Chambers Commentaries

Mohammad Mattar of Levant Law Practice is lauded by sources for his "determined and unafraid" style as an excellent litigator. He is involved in matters in the infrastructure, telecommunications and corporate sector, as well as criminal law. He is also a co-legal representative for victims before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Mohammad Mattar of Levant Law Practice is a well-respected lawyer with extensive experience handling a range of contentious commercial matters and real estate disputes. His client base includes public sector clients and TMT companies.
Mohammad Mattar of Levant Law Practice is described by commentators as a "leading figure in litigation," and is well respected for his dispute resolution practice, which is particularly prominent on international arbitration.