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Portrait ofHelen Dean

Helen Dean

Senior Associate

Contact
Al Rashdi, Al Juma and Ewing Advocates and Legal Consultants
in association with
CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Landmark building
6th Floor
23rd July Street
PO Box 41, 136
Muscat
Oman
Languages English
Banking & Finance

Helen Dean is a Senior Associate with the Muscat Office. She has acted for a variety of banks and other financial institutions and borrowers (multinational, Government-owned entities and locally based corporations) in relation to banking and finance matters including corporate facilities, asset based lending and project finance, principally in the energy and transportation sectors. She has been involved in the full range of facilities, from billion dollar asset secured syndicated facilities to smaller unsecured loans. She has extensive experience of managing the complete process from the term sheet to drawdown. In addition, she has advised banks on banking regulatory issues and ISDA documentation.

Helen has been based in the Sultanate of Oman for over 9 years. Prior to joining CMS, Ms Dean worked for an American law firm in Muscat, a leading Scottish law firm in Aberdeen and an international City of London law firm. Ms Dean received her B.A. with honours from the University of Cambridge, UK and her masters LL.M. (with an emphasis on international finance and international law of natural resources) from the University College, London.

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"making a name for herself as a very talented lawyer on the corporate and banking side" and an “Associate to Watch”

Chambers UK

Relevant experience

  • Dalma Energy LLC on the restructuring of a USD 340m facility agreement with Deutsche Bank.
  • Oman Gas SAOC on the refinancing of their pipeline (approx. USD 70m) with National Bank of Oman.
  • Abraj Energy Services LLC on two loan facilities (together USD 130m) from National Bank of Oman and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi to finance the acquisition of rigs, including intercreditor issues.
  • Oman Air SAOC, as Omani counsel, in connection with its purchase and lease of seven Airbus aircraft financed by Citibank, JP Morgan and various export credits agencies, including the registration of the leases and related documents in Oman.
  • Salalah Mills, as Omani counsel, in connection with a large facilities agreement with Credit Suisse to finance the acquisition of various equipment.
  • Enerflex Ltd, as Omani counsel to its Omani subsidiary, in relation to various credit agreement guarantees and a note purchase guarantee in respect of a refinancing and note offering by Enerflex Ltd.
  • BankMuscat SAOG on a wide range of confidential matters, including reviewing and amending all their ISDA Agreements and collateralisation between BankMuscat and third party banks/customers.
  • National Arab Bank in relation to a secured financing account agreement including a detailed review of the financing agreement and the relevant regulatory framework.
  • Oman International Bank in relation to sanctions in respect of various countries including a comprehensive overview of US, UK and EC sanctions against various counties.
  • A financial group, in conjunction with the litigation team, in relation to the enforceability of various security in Oman including detailed advice on the procedure for enforcement of the relevant security and alternative action that could be taken.
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Education

  • 2005 – LL.M. in Law and Development (with an emphasis on the International Law of Natural Resources, and the Law of International Finance), University College London, London
  • 1995 - Graduate Diploma in the Legal Practice Course, College of Law, York
  • 1993 – B.A. (Hons) in Law, Magdalene College, Cambridge University, Cambridge
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Commercial

Helen Dean is a Senior Associate with the Muscat Office. She has advised numerous multinational, Government-owned entities and locally based corporations on various aspects of Oman commercial and corporate law as well as in relation to banking and finance matters. She has extensive Omani corporate and commercial law experience including setting up companies in Oman, agency agreements, shareholder agreements, joint ventures, commercial supply contracts, corporate governance and bidding for Government contracts.

Helen has been based in the Sultanate of Oman for over 9 years. Prior to joining CMS, Ms Dean worked for an American law firm in Muscat, a leading Scottish law firm in Aberdeen and an international City of London law firm. Ms Dean received her B.A. with honours from the University of Cambridge, UK and her masters LL.M. from the University College, London. She was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1998.

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"making a name for herself as a very talented lawyer on the corporate and banking side" and an “Associate to Watch”

Chambers UK

Relevant experience

  • Oman Sail LLC on numerous corporate and commercial matters including reviewing and amending its HR conflicts of interest policy, its constitutional contract, the construction contract for a semi-permanent building at Al Mouj, water sports services contracts, sponsorship agreements and advising on the acquisition of shares in a chartering company.
  • Oman Investment Corporation SAOC, a private equity company, in relation to a significant investment in the project company for the Salalah Independent Water and Power Project.
  • Ministry of Tourism in relation to the draft development agreement for the Omagine Project and the various commitments made by the promoters of the project.
  • Energy International in relation to the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company’s competitive tender for a temporary power generation project in Sohar and the setting up of an LLC and various Omani law aspects of the temporary power project.
  • Sensys Traffic AB in connection with a contract with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) relating to red traffic light enforcement cameras including the review, advice, amendment and negotiation of a distributorship agreement and the contract with the ROP.
  • Oman Airport Management Company in relation with the establishment of appropriate corporate structure for three major oil companies in Oman to manage aviation fuel storage facilities.
  • Ministry of Defence Pension Fund in relation with the ability of the pension fund to make various investments and the appropriate structure.
  • Exterran Holdings Inc on various matters including the legal options available for doing business in Oman pursuant to the US-Oman Free Trade.
  • Global Strategies in relation to a shareholders agreement with a major Omani company and the formation of an LLC.
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Education

  • 2005 – LL.M. in Law and Development (with an emphasis on the International Law of Natural Resources, and the Law of International Finance), University College London, London
  • 1995 - Graduate Diploma in the Legal Practice Course, College of Law, York
  • 1993 – B.A. (Hons) in Law, Magdalene College, Cambridge University, Cambridge
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Energy & Climate Change

Helen Dean is a Senior Associate with the Muscat Office. She has advised multinational, Government-owned entities and locally based corporations on a variety of issues in the energy and projects sector including petroleum, gas, electricity and water sectors.

Helen has been based in the Sultanate of Oman for over 9 years. Prior to joining CMS, Ms Dean worked for an American law firm in Muscat, a leading Scottish law firm in Aberdeen and an international City of London law firm. Ms Dean received her B.A. with honours from the University of Cambridge, UK and her masters LL.M. (with an emphasis on international finance and international law of natural resources) from the University College, London. She was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1998.

With more than 450 energy and climate change lawyers, including over 100 partners, the CMS Energy and Climate Change practice is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Led from its centres of excellence such as London and Aberdeen, the practice works across 75 offices globally. Building on 40 years of experience advising on power, oil & gas and renewables through to energy disputes, emerging areas and Energy Transition, CMS is uniquely placed to ensure clients receive advice best suited to their commercial needs and to our collective future.

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Relevant experience

  • Petrogas Rima LLC in relation to various disputes relating to a services agreement.
  • Oman Investment Corporation SAOC, a private equity company, in relation to a significant investment in the project company for the Salalah Independent Water and Power Project.
  • Energy International in relation to the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company’s competitive tender for a temporary power generation project in Sohar and then advised on the setting up of an LLC and various Omani law aspects of the temporary power project.
  • Dalma Energy LLC on the restructuring of a USD 340m facility agreement with Deutsche Bank;
  • Oman Gas SAOC on the refinancing of their pipeline (approx. USD 70m) with National Bank of Oman.
  • Abraj Energy Services LLC on two loan facilities (together USD 130m) from National Bank of Oman and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi to finance the acquisition of rigs.
  • Standard Chartered Bank, as Omani counsel, in relation to a loan facility for a power project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Education

  • 2005 – LL.M. in Law and Development (with an emphasis on the International Law of Natural Resources, and the Law of International Finance), University College London, London
  • 1995 - Graduate Diploma in the Legal Practice Course, College of Law, York
  • 1993 – B.A. (Hons) in Law, Magdalene College, Cambridge University, Cambridge
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