Dilnawaz A. Cheema
Lead Counsel
Mr. Cheema is lead counsel at Cheema & Co. and advises on a broad range of areas including constitutional, commercial, dispute resolution, civil, regulatory, service, property, real estate, corporate, utilities, projects and banking amongst others.
Mr. Cheema was previously appointed as Consultant to the Attorney General for Pakistan (MP – II scale) and has worked at some of the leading law firms of the Country. During his time at the Attorney General Office, he has acted on various matters before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, including the landmark 21St Constitutional Amendment case heard by the full bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and has acted for Pakistan in various international treaty arbitrations against different foreign entities. He was in addition called on to routinely advise on and act in matters relating to the constitution, procurement and accountability.
He has worked extensively with various internationally renowned law firms and has been involved in providing advice and assistance on diverse matters to the Government along with working closely with several Federal Ministries and other public bodies, including in particular the Ministries of Finance, Law, Water and Power, Petroleum, the National Accountability Bureau and the Punjab Revenue Authority.
Mr. Cheema frequently appears before the Superior Courts in various matters and in addition represents clients before different subordinate courts, tribunals, special forums and arbitral panels.
Qualifications/ Affiliations
- University of Warwick, UK
LLB (Hons.) Law Degree - The College of Law, UK
Professional Diploma in Corporate Legal Practice (LPC) - Warwick Foundation Program, UK
Foundation in Law - Punjab Bar Council
Licensed Practitioner - Lahore High Court Bar Association
Member For Life - Lahore Bar Association
Member For Life
Major Engagements
- Successfully acted in the landmark 21St Constitutional Amendment case heard by the full bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
- Acted in a matter relating to the challenges made to various amendments to several labor related laws including Workers Welfare Fund Ordinance 1971, Employees Old Age Benefits Act 1976, Companies Profits (Workers’s Participation) Act 1968, Workmen’s Compensation Act 1923, West Pakistan Industrial And Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance 1968 and the West Pakistan Minimum Wages for Unskilled Workers Ordinance 1969.
- Acted as lead counsel from Pakistan in an arbitration proceeding before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes brought by a major foreign power investor.
- Acted for Pakistan in an arbitration proceeding before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes brought by a major foreign mining investor.
- Acted in respect of a challenge to certain electricity surcharges introduced under the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act, 1997.
- Acted in connection with a challenge to a large acquisition of land by the Punjab Government under the land acquisition laws before the Lahore High Court.
- Represented the managing director of a prominent public sector entity before the Lahore High Court with relation to certain employment disputes.
- Successfully represented a major hospitality company against a gas supplier before the Honorable Lahore High Court.
- Acted in a dispute relating to the payment liabilities between a major Karachi based utility entity and a prominent power provider.
- Acted in the matter concerning the sale of shares of OGDCL before the Supreme Court.
- Advised three independent power purchasers in a multi – million dollar arbitration claim against a gas supplier in Lahore under the LCIA Rules.
- Acted in the implementation proceedings of the case relating to the appointment of the Chairman of OGRA before the Supreme Court.
- Advised and acted for a major insulator manufacturer in its disputes with a transmission company.
- Represented a leading fertilizer manufacturer before the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the High Courts at Lahore and Islamabad regarding its challenges to, inter alia, gas allocation and supply policies of the Government of Pakistan.
- Acted in a petition seeking the disqualification of the Prime Minister of Pakistan on the allegation of lying to the nation, before the Supreme Court.
- Advised and prepared for an independent power producer a composite request for arbitration concerning 9 different disputes.
- Represented several independent power producers in their constitutional petitions before the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the power purchaser.
- Advised a leading refrigerator, A/C, fridge manufacturing company on its takeover/ merger by another market leader.
- Advised nine independent power producers in a multi – million dollar arbitration claim against the Power Purchaser under LCIA Rules.
- Acted in the “Dharna” case before the Supreme Court.
- Acted in the missing person’s case before the Supreme Court.
- Successfully represented a major school facility against its unlawful sealing before the Lahore High Court.
- Successfully represented a major public company in a dispute against the SECP before the Lahore High Court.
- Acted in the seniority of judges case decided by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
- Advised, on a continuous basis, different independent power producers with respect to their various legal, commercial and operational issues concerning amongst others their project agreements, including Power Purchase Agreements and Implementation Agreements.
- Advised a major sugar mill business on its Energy Purchase Agreement with the Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) Limited.
- Represented a Pakistani company before an ICC Arbitral Tribunal (based in Lausanne) in its dispute with a leading US corporation regarding licensing and technology transfer agreements.
- Advised an international telecom company and prepared a legal report on international data transfer and general local law compliance.
- Represented a class of serving police officers in a service related dispute against the police department before the Lahore High Court.
- Advised a prominent corporation with respect to a large scale corporate due diligence.
- Advised international law firms and clients from time to time in relation to Pakistani laws and regulations.
- Acted in a winding up petition filed before the Honorable Islamabad High Court against a major airline company.
- Acted in the Universal Service Fund case before the Supreme Court.
- Acted in a matter relating to the arrest and detention of a major accused connected with international terrorism.
- Advised a major real estate development organization with respect to its corporate structuring and transaction documentation in connection with a large construction project.
- Appeared for a large group of companies in various corporate matters before the Lahore High Court and other forums.
- Successfully represented a major departmental store in a dispute concerning boards and signage before the Lahore High Court.
- Advised a large schools network with respect to a major franchise agreement.
- Represented companies involved in civil and constitutional disputes before the High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Qualifications/ Affiliations
- Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Canada
Master of Laws (LL.M.) - University of Toronto, Canada
Professional Diploma in Taxation for Canadian Business - Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan.
Bachelor of Commerce - Punjab Bar Counsel
Licensed Practitioner - Lahore High Court Bar Association
Member for Life - Lahore Bar Association
Member for Life - Lahore Tax Bar Association
Member for Life - Member Executive Committee Lahore Tax Bar Association
Major Engagements
- Represented the company in connection with litigation in high profile cases before High Court, Appellate Courts and contested Sales Tax, Income Tax, Constitutional Writs, Corporate, Civil, labor and banking matters.
- Drafted financial agreements, contracts, and legal opinions for Government, Semi Government Departments, Commercial Banks and Financial Institutions etc, dealing with general and particular corporate syndicate finance documentation/Agreements and related matters.
- Conducted legal and corporate due diligences for Sialkot International Airport, Pace Pakistan Limited, Pace Baraka Limited and numerous other high-profile organizations;
- Coordinated with an international law firm based in the USA to facilitate an appropriate legal and financial structure for the flow of donations and construction (Includes drafting the contracts policies, tender documents, agency agreement, and administrative and other policies) for setting up a state-of-the-art school in remote area of Hunza Valley, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. For Hands Across the Mountains a project of Diana T. MacArthur (niece of former American President Lyndon B. Johnson); and
- Implemented franchise rules and regulations; drafted policies for Human Resource department; handled day to day litigation and legal compliance matters. Monitored compliance for legal fiscal matters, including Income Tax and Sales Tax for Park Plaza Hotel, Lahore (a project of Carlson Group).