Jacqueline Saad is the Executive Partner at Shahid Law Firm and is admitted before the Courts of Cassation. Having been with the Firm for about three decades, Jacqueline oversees the Firm’s internal affairs in all aspects of business functions. With a preliminary focus on the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector, high network individuals, tourism and transportation sectors, Jacqueline is one of the few attorneys in Egypt with vast knowledge of investment, corporate, anti-trust law, banking, competition law, intellectual property, real estate, and labor matters as well as clinical trial laws and regulations. Jacqueline acts for leading multinational companies and organizations in different industries.
Jacqueline advises pharmaceutical and healthcare clients on matters related to their business, including but not limited to clinical trials, and acts for clients in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), industrial, aviation, and transportation, insurance as well as financial services sectors. Jacqueline has over 20 years of experience in anti-corruption, competition, and compliance, as well as corporate/commercial. Jacqueline leads the Firm’s pro-bono legal services.
Commercial, Corporate and M&A:
- Acts as legal counsel for EVER Pharma and EVER Valinject, providing legal support, identifying potential risks, proposing mitigation strategies, and leading negotiations, carrying out the legal assessment of complex contracts and agreements with distributors and third parties, stage by stage, up to the execution phase. This is in addition to advising on best practices for legal presence in Egypt and legal compliance with laws and regulations of competent regulators and governmental bodies.
- Acts as legal counsel to a multinational food and beverage manufacturer in the phase of putting first business and legal strategy for starting business operations in Egypt in 2010; then provided regular legal advice in connection with its operations in Egypt, including but not limited to drafting, negotiating and reviewing complex types of agreements (such as licensing agreements, and business development campaigns), advising on regulations, and licensing requirements related to the food and beverages (FMCG) industry, taxation, investment, and corporation as well as labor laws.
- Acts as legal counsel for two decades for Abbott, an American multinational medical devices and healthcare company, providing regular legal support and advice in connection with its operations in Egypt, drafting, negotiating, and reviewing complex types of agreements (including service agreements, licensing, manufacturing, and toll-manufacturing agreements), and advising on regulations, and licensing requirements related to the industry of pharmaceuticals manufacturing in Egypt.
- Acts as legal counsel of Ceva the fifth global animal health company, led by experienced veterinarians, whose mission is to provide innovative health solutions, restructuring of its trading and importation arms in Egypt, which involved rendering complex legal opinions highlighting the company’s legal exposure securing its legal interest, and mitigating any legal exposure vis-à-vis third parties and governmental bodies. Regularly advising the Egyptian affiliates with corporate annual compliance and licensing requirements considering applicable laws and regulations in compliance with pharma and import laws as well as regulations of the competent governmental authorities, on top of all is the Egyptian Drug Authority.
- Acts as legal counsel for Yemeni Investment Group (Industrial, Trading and Services), in its acquisition of 8 FMCG factories, starting from due diligence reports, drafting necessary agreements and documents; and assisting with business expansion in Egypt by supporting the incorporation process, as well as securing necessary licenses in compliance with Egyptian law.
- Acts as legal counsel of UK Pharmaceutical Group of Companies, on the restructuring of the board members and signatory powers of its legal entities in Egypt, as well as acting as local/legal counsel in its multi-billion dollars asset trading deal that is considered to have reshaped the pharmaceutical industry globally.
- Acts as legal counsel for a major US publicly listed real estate group, to manage the general corporate work of its Egyptian subsidiary, including the annual renewal of operating license in compliance with laws related to hotel management companies, and the acquiring of a chain of hotels in Egypt, as well as handling of day-to-day legal matters.
- Acts as legal counsel of Swiss Pharmaceutical Group of Companies, on various matters related to the regularization of its status to comply with the legal requirements post changes in March 2017 to the Importers’ Registry Law and handling all the required documentation and regulatory procedures in light of the most recent applicable regulations.
- Acted as legal counsel for a Dubai-based Supply Chain and Facilities Management Company on various matters related to the urgent and swift incorporation of an Egyptian legal instrument to urgently execute a contract with UNRWA and Red Crescent in support of the Gaza Refugees.
- Acts as legal counsel of a multinational company in connection with a multi-jurisdiction legal questionnaire regarding the clinical trials in Egypt’s jurisdiction, including providing insight on specific legal and regulatory requirements applicable to pharmaceutical companies.
- Acted as Legal Counsel of Netflix Productions advising on regulatory and licensing requirements as well as compliance with Supreme Media Council’s regulations in Egypt.
Jacqueline holds an LL.M. in International and European Law (PILC) from Vrije Universiteit Brussel with a focus on the enforcement of EC Competition Law within the EU, an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from the American University in Cairo, an LL.B. from Ain Shams University, and a B.A. in Business Administration from Helwan University.
Jacqueline also published a dissertation in 2006 titled “Vicious Circle: Coptic Divorce between Positive Law and Canon Law” in partial fulfilment of her LL.M. from the American University in Cairo. Jacqueline’s research has substantially contributed to the enrichment of the existing literature on the History of Coptic Personal Status Law. She has been quoted in publications of universities such as Harvard and Berkeley, and copies of her dissertation are placed in universities in Germany and Australia.
