In times of crisis or prosperity, the Lebanese banking sector has always been an attractive terrain for all restructuring transactions. These transactions contributed to the emergence, growth, and financial recovery of numerous Lebanese banks, allowing them to become key players in national and regional economies capable of attracting both local and foreign investors. As a result, the Lebanese authorities established a legal framework governing and regulating all aspects of bank restructuring over time. The legal framework aimed to facilitate and encourage such restructuring while protecting third parties, inter alia, the depositors, personnel, creditors, and shareholders of the banks. 

This legal guide focuses on the restructuring transactions available under the current Lebanese legal framework, such as mergers, acquisitions, issuance of securities, bankruptcy, and receivership procedure. These highly regulated and complex transactions require in-depth knowledge of the banking sector and extensive experience in handling M&A and corporate restructuring deals. Therefore, the purpose of the legal guide is to provide comprehensive and step-by-step guidance throughout the restructuring of a bank, from the negotiation phase to the post-closing phase. Simultaneously, it offers practical advice to legal and financial experts, allowing them to properly complete the restructuring transaction and resolve any difficulties that may arise at each stage of the process while complying with the applicable laws and regulations.

Dr. Adrian Kalaani holds a Ph.D. degree from Paris II Pantheon-Assas University and is a qualified lawyer in Lebanon and France, specializing in corporate and commercial law. Dr. Adrian Kalaani regularly lectures at various universities and LLM programs (Paris II Pantheon-Assas University, Université Saint-Joseph, and Lebanese American University). He is also the author of several articles and studies addressing corporate law, M&A, energy law, bankruptcy law, and international arbitration.