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| Participants and officials of sponsoring companies at the recent International Legal Forum at Four Seasons Hotel |
Over 60 participants from across the Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) value chain attended the event. Internationally recognised speakers from various law firms and organisations gave presentations on applicable laws and regulations within the State of Qatar as well as insights on foreign competition laws and practices.
For the first time, speakers included representatives from the Ministry of Environment as well as the Ministry of Business and Trade. There were also speakers from international firms such as Covington & Burling LLP and McNair Chambers and local speakers from Al-Ansari Associates and Quraysh Institution for Law & Policy which provided a regional perspective.
Attendees included lawyers from Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Petroleum International, ExxonMobil, Shell, Conoco Phillips, Total, Nakilat, RasGas, Qatargas, Tasweeq, Adriatic LNG, Golden Pass LNG Terminal, South Hook Terminal and South Hook Gas.
General Counsel of RasGas Dr Muslan M A Musleh said: “The annual International Legal Forum is a key opportunity for lawyers working in Qatar’s energy industry to meet and align on shared legal matters and common interests. . The seminar also provides an opportunity for new in-house counsels - especially new Qatari lawyers-to network and to learn more about the use of best legal practices in all oil and gas projects being constructed and operated in Qatar.”
General Counsel and Board Secretary of the Qatargas Companies, Amin Saad Abdalla, said: “This is the third time that Qatargas has co-hosted this highly successful annual event for the in-house lawyers working in the oil and gas industry. The aim of the seminar is to promote excellence and share Qatargas’ experience as the leading premier LNG company in the world.
The legal team in Qatargas is on a continuous pursuit for perfection and excellence and we find this annual seminar an important venue to align ourselves as legal counsels with our colleagues in Qatar. It also serves as an important platform to share the latest developments in key areas in international law and legal compliance.”
The forum kicked off with a presentation by Walt Hryszko, Exxon Mobil Corporation who gave a brief overview on updates to competition laws. Other topics covered during the forum included an international compliance update (FCPA and the UK Anti-Bribery Act), international dispute resolution, updates from the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Business & Trade, corporate governance in Qatar and the Middle East, as well as legislative and judicial developments in Qatar.