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Islamic Finance

Our Islamic finance lawyers have extensive experience advising Shariah-compliant financial institutions, corporate counterparties, advisors and investors in dealing with transactions structured to be compliant with Shariah principles, covering all asset classes, with a particular focus on real estate.

Our expertise in Shariah-compliant financings and structures allows us to work closely with our clients, driving efficiencies and successfully concluding transactions.

Sharia’a compliant legal services

Our service includes bespoke Islamic finance advice, and our team has particular experience in dealing with structures such as:

Legal 500 commentary

The firm’s Islamic finance practice is recommended in the most recent edition of leading directory The Legal 500.

“Partner level advice available where needed. Well resourced team. Very proactive and responsive. Constantly trying to help find solutions and add real value to the deal execution process.”

“The Islamic finance team at Druces LLP stands out for its commercial approach, deep technical knowledge, and ability to deliver clear, Shariah-compliant solutions in complex transactions. Much of this is driven by Afsor Ullah, whose leadership, responsiveness, and ability to bridge legal precision with real-world deal execution make the practice uniquely effective compared to others int he market.”

Recent work

We advised a notable London bank on the terms of its new Islamic finance transactions. All of these facilities to date were to property developers and all involved development or refurbishment financing. Our advice included Sharia’a compliance advice.
We advised a leading Islamic bank on various acquisition finance, property and development facilities, including a £30m financing, through a Murabaha structure of a large Midlands logistics hub.
We advised a leading Islamic bank on the provision of acquisition finance facilities in connection with a management buy-out of a nationwide business.
We acted on behalf of a Middle Eastern investor, advising on the finance aspects (including Sharia’a considerations) of a structured investment into a private school in the UK.

Who to Contact

AFSOR ULLAH

Partner & Head of Islamic Finance

Afsor is a Partner and Head of Druces Islamic Finance team. With a decade of experience advising UK and Middle Eastern clients on Islamic finance, property transactions, and Shariah-compliant structures., he is a recognised voice in the sector. He regularly contributes to industry commentary and mentors aspiring lawyers.

CHRISTOPHER AXFORD

Head of Corporate

Christopher is the Head of Corporate and is a member of Druces Executive Committee which manages the firm’s direction and vision for the future. He deals with a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including AIM and AQSE work, national and international joint ventures and group restructuring.

ANTONY COTTON

Partner and Head of Banking & Finance

Antony leads the Banking and Financial Services Practice at Druces with a commitment to excellence and client satisfaction. With a wealth of experience and exceptional skill in navigating complex financial transactions, Antony brings a blend of commercial acumen and strategic insight to every deal.

With a firm belief that the key to client satisfaction lies in understanding the broader business context and anticipating the needs of his clients, Antony’s philosophy is to approach each transaction with a strategic mindset, always looking to deliver results efficiently and effectively, while fostering long-term relationships with his clients, built on trust and success.

Outside of work, Antony is a keen (though injury prone) runner and father of an 11 year old budding airline pilot.