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Khudabuksh K. Walji possesses over twenty years’ legal experience in international corporate, real estate, financial and governmental affairs.  He serves as legal and strategy advisor on complex and sensitive business, government and family matters to his global clients, especially in North America, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa as well as South and Central Asia.   Mr. Walji currently spends a significant portion of his time in the GCC States of United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, with Dubai as his focal point.

Mr. Walji’s expertise in strategizing multi-faceted and multi-jurisdictional legal, financial and governmental issues, as well as managing domain expert professional teams, has enabled clients to achieve their objectives through his results-oriented and structured approach.  His engagements include advising on international corporate, business and real estate transactions, international commercial and fraud litigation, U.S. Government contract negotiations and protests, violations of government agency regulations as well as corporate criminal defense matters.  In addition, Mr Walji provides strategic advice on health care, education, energy, immigration and tax issues as well as private equity and wealth protection matters.  For many of his international clients, Mr. Walji acts as a trusted advisor on corporate policy and governance matters as well as directing strategy on legal crisis and risk management issues, especially in cross-cultural environments.

Mr. Walji has also been engaged in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives in the education, healthcare and real estate sectors with a focus on managing governmental affairs, resolving regulatory issues and developing organizational compliance programs.  In addition, he is experienced in negotiating, mediating and arbitrating complex business and family disputes, particularly involving sensitive factual and legal issues in multi-cultural situations.

Mr. Walji has served in senior leadership positions with several civic and community organizations as well as non-profit institutions.  His background as a U.S. educated attorney, an international legal and strategy advisor, and a civic leader provides Mr. Walji the expertise and sensitivity required to assist his clients effectively and discreetly in rapidly changing global environments.

Mr. Walji speaks English, Gujarati, Hindi, Sindhi, Swahili and Urdu, and is learning Arabic.

Significant Matters

• Acted as Special Counsel to an international university and teaching hospital in: i) spearheading the promulgation of a Government of Pakistan ordinance to establish the first private national examination board offering secondary and higher secondary school leaving certificate examinations, and negotiating a US $4M+ Cooperative Award with an international development agency; ii) successfully concluding a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Pakistan for a US $60M national initiative addressing primary education and nutrition needs of 500,000 primary school age girls in rural impoverished areas; iii) developing a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Syria to launch a nursing quality assurance program in 15 Syrian hospitals, provide technical assistance and capacity building for teacher education to 14 Syrian nursing schools; iv) developing the legal framework to establish the first international nursing education programmes in East Africa; v) developing the framework for teacher education programmes in Central Asia; and vi) negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Afghanistan for rehabilitation of its national health education institution with eight regional campuses, developing a national nursing curriculum and faculty development program, constructing the first modern Sciences and Skills Lab, an English Language and Computer Training Center, for over 1,000 students in post-war Kabul.
• Act as legal and strategy advisor to a Middle East group of companies in: i) resolving major U.S. Government investigations and managing media issues relating to services provided to the U.S. Army in Iraq and Kuwait; ii) defending the company before the U.S. Suspension and Debarment Office in Washington, resulting in no debarment, suspension, or administrative compliance actions and developed comprehensive internal compliance programs; iii) successfully challenging the release of strategic company information requested under the Freedom of Information Act; iv) developing winning strategies for Bid-Contract Protests before the U.S. General Accountability Office, thereby retaining a US $100M+ U.S. Government contracts in the Middle East; v) advising in the recovery of US $20M+ in contract-related claims through strategic litigation; vi) managing multi-million dollar DCAA audits and release of US $30M+ withheld by the prime contractor; and vii) successfully representing client in Alpha Contract negotiations regarding new service contracts with the U.S. Government valued over US $100M.
• Act as legal and strategy advisor to a Middle East-based investment group in a complicated acquisition of a large commercial real estate project in London, UK valued over $250M, and including engagement and management of counsel in the U.K., Cayman Islands, Kuwait and the UAE.
• Act as legal and strategy advisor to an international organization in establishing the first property title insurance and escrow services company in the Middle East, including structuring legal frameworks from a risk management perspective and future IPO considerations.
• Act as legal advisor to a Canadian real estate developer in: i) establishing its legal presence in Dubai, U.A.E; ii) structuring joint venture and financing agreements with a Dubai-based international real estate developer for the construction of a 375+ unit condominium and office-building project in the Dubai Jebel Ali Free Zone; and iii) establishing a new joint venture for real estate development projects in the Middle East and North America with funding through conventional and Islamic financial instruments.
• Acted as legal advisor to a newly created Canadian employee-owned organization in acquiring an aerospace parts manufacturing company with complex environmental issues.  Simultaneously negotiated multi-million dollar contracts for the manufacture of Bombardier aircraft wings with creative financing arrangements.  Also, structured the purchase of a 100-acre commercial tract for new development.
• Acted as legal and strategy advisor to a group of several thousand North American investors in a US $100M+ fraud recovery class actions involving multiple jurisdictions including Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Switzerland, and the United States.
• Acted as legal advisor to an international joint venture on a 350-acre real estate development project in the U.S. for residential and commercial properties, including acquisition and sale of developed and undeveloped land, negotiations with utility and tax authorities, establishing private limited liability companies, general and limited partnerships with international investors under favorable tax structures.
• Acted as legal and strategy advisor to a U.S. group of healthcare companies in resolving media-driven U.S. federal and multi-state government investigations, which resulted in averting a US $30M+ fine, preventing closure of business operations, and ensuring no criminal charges or professional disciplinary actions against the company and its licensed professional staff by the Board of Pharmacy.  Also, advised its newly established HIV and Cancer Specialty Pharmacy subsidiary regarding an Attorney General criminal investigation on allegations of Medicaid billing fraud, and Board of Pharmacy investigations for professional conduct violations.
• Acted as legal and strategy advisor to the principals of a U.S. company indicted on several felony counts involving violations of U.S. Small Business Administration loan program, and successfully negotiated plea agreements to a single misdemeanor charge with no time served, early termination of probation and prevented deportation of one of the U.S. Permanent Resident principals.
• Acted as legal and strategy advisor in the establishment of a new start-up company in the U.S. to provide electricity to governmental, industrial, commercial and residential customers, with expansion plans in the U.S., the Middle East and Pakistan.

News

• Chamberlain Hrdlicka Names Six New Shareholders
  January 28, 2008

Professional Affiliations

• International Bar Association (Corporate Counsel and Middle East Region Forum)
• American Bar Association (Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee, Private Equity & Venture Capital Committee, and Middle East Committee)
• Texas Bar Association (International Law Section)
• Meritas Law Firms Worldwide (International Membership Committee)