WORK FROM HOME AS PER HPA GUIDELINES

In view of current COVID-19 situation and to ensure that our services are provided in line with the Health Protection Agency guidelines as published in its Notice Number 2021/38 [06 May 2021], Premier Chambers LLP will be operating remotely and will not be open for visitors from 16 May 2021 onwards until further notice.

Please note that we will not able to answer phone calls during this period. However, as our staff will be working remotely, we will be assisting you via email. Any queries may be forwarded to admin@premier-chambers.com

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Shaaheen Hameed

Managing Partner

Shaaheen is the founder and Managing Partner of Premier Chambers. With over 30 years of experience in the legal field, he is not only considered as a formidable advocate, but also a leading figure in the Maldivian legal community.

He has extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in the area of banking and finance. He is frequently retained by major banks and private companies, both foreign and local, for advice relating to bilateral and syndicate loans, banking and acquisition, and project financing. Shaaheen is also immensely experienced and sought after in corporate and commercial matters, foreign investments and real estate transactions, and has attended to various high profile litigation and international arbitration. Furthermore, Shaaheen is also adept in legislative drafting, and over the years has contributed to the development and drafting of a significant number of laws and subsidiary legislations in the Maldives.

Notably, Shaaheen is ranked by Chambers and Partners, under Band 1 and as a leading lawyer in the Maldives since 2011 in the area of General Business Law, with clients describing him as “one of the most sought-after litigators in town”. He is also listed as a market leading lawyer in the areas of Banking and Finance, Corporate/ M&A, Projects and Infrastructure in the Asialaw Leading Lawyers.

Shaaheen was a member of the Law Commission of Maldives during the years 1994-1998, and served as its Vice-Chairman from 2002-2007. Over the years, he also served as legal counsel to various government institutions and state owned enterprises. Prior to his commitment to full-time private legal practice, he served the People’s Majlis at various positions. Elected to the People’s Special Majlis (the constitutional assembly that drafted the current Constitution of the Maldives) in 2004, he served as the Deputy Speaker of the People’s Special Majlis and in the Constitution Drafting Committee until its completion in 2008.

Hassan Maaz Shareef

Senior Partner

Maaz has over 20 years of experience in the Maldivian legal field. He regularly advises major foreign and local companies and other corporate bodies engaged in various businesses on corporate and commercial matters, including tax disputes. He provides legal advice and assistance to major foreign and local banks and other financial institutions in the area of banking and finance, including and not limited to bi-lateral and syndicate loans. He is also experienced in the area of Islamic banking and finance. In addition, he advises clients on intellectual property matters, mainly in the area of copyrights and trademarks.

Maaz is frequently retained in the formation of foreign investments, establishment of joint venture companies, investing in various industries, including the tourism industry. He is also retained in respect of acquisition of resorts and in other tourism-related transactions. In addition to the provision of legal advice, a major segment of Maaz’s practice includes civil litigation and dispute resolution. His expertise also lies in representing the interests of diverse clients in the relevant lower courts, tribunals as well as the appellate courts of the Maldives.

Prior to committing to full time private practice, Maaz held several key positions at the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture for over 13 years, including the post of Director of Legal and International Relations. During his time at the Ministry as well as in his then capacity as the National Legal Consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, he has assisted in drafting various bills and supplementary regulations relating to the fisheries and agriculture sectors of the Maldives.

Maaz joined Premier Chambers as an Attorney in 2001 and became a Partner of the firm in 2013.

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim

Partner

Mohamed Ibrahim (MI) has over 16 years of experience as a practicing attorney in the Maldives. He first joined Premier Chambers in 2004 and is currently a Partner. Prior to committing to full-time private practice, he served the Government of Maldives for a number of years in his legal capacity. He also filled the position of the Director of Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Maldives.

His areas of expertise include litigation and dispute resolution, corporate and commercial law, Islamic banking and finance, and real estate and investment projects. MI counsels major banks and businesses, both within the domestic and international sphere, in terms of facilitating Shari’a compliant financial transactions. He is also involved in sukuk structuring and drafting legal documentation for sukuk issuance.

In addition to this, MI is experienced in legislative drafting and consultancy. He has made notable contributions towards consultation and drafting of various key pieces of Government legislation. His most recent projects in this capacity include drafting of the Hajj Corporation Bill and the Tenancy Bill.

Aside from his legal practice, MI is also an active member of the academia. His published works can be found in journals and conference papers. MI currently teaches Islamic Human Rights and International Conventions as a part-time lecturer at the Maldives Islamic University. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee of the Faculty of Shari’a and Law of Villa College since 2018, a private higher education establishment based in the Maldives. MI is also a council member of the Islamic University of Maldives.

MI is fluent in English, Arabic and Urdu, in addition to his first language Dhivehi.

Maumoon Hameed

Partner

With almost 20 years of experience, Maumoon frequently advises and represents international banks, financial institutions, multinational companies, and domestic enterprises on a broad range of issues regarding complex corporate and commercial transactions. He is particularly accomplished in advising foreign investors on regulatory issues related to investments in the Maldives.

Maumoon also advises on various employment law issues, including drafting of employment contracts, compliance issues and termination of employees. He also has extensive experience in dispute resolution and litigation.

In his criminal defence practice, Maumoon has defended well-known public figures in criminal proceedings at the superior and appellate courts. Prior to entering private practice, Maumoon worked at the Attorney General’s Office as Head of Prosecutions and prior to that, as the Legal Counsel to the Maldives Police Service. During his tenure at the Attorney General’s Office, he also served as the Head of Legal Reform.

Maumoon has extensive experience in legislative drafting. He drafted the “Police Bill” which subsequently was enacted as the “Police Act 2008”. He was also a member of the Core Group of Experts that assisted in drafting the “Penal Code Amendment Bill” submitted to parliament in 2006 and enacted into law in 2014. He also oversaw the drafting and submission to parliament in 2006 of the “Criminal Procedure Code Bill”. After entering private practice, he drafted the “Juvenile Justice Bill” in 2011 for the Juvenile Justice Unit at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

With the establishment of the Bar Council of the Maldives in 2019 following the enactment of the Legal Profession Act, Maumoon served from 2019 to 2022 as the first President of the Bar Council.

Mohamed Shakir

Associate

Shakir joined Premier Chambers in 2006 and has over 17 years of experience in the legal field. His area of experience lies in civil and commercial litigation and he has represented both local and international clients in a variety of complex civil disputes, including contractual disputes, debt recovery, and enforcement proceedings.

Shakir’s skill in attending to matters related to real estate is noteworthy, as he has represented several businesses and individuals in multiple transactions from inception to conclusion.

He also practices criminal defence, where he advises and represents high profile individuals in criminal defence matters in a wide range of criminal offenses at all the stages of criminal proceedings.

His special expertise lies in the wide range of family law matters, including marriage, divorce proceedings, maintenance, domestic violence matters and child custody matters.

Moreover, Shakir has extensive appellate experience, representing clients in appeals to the High Court of the Maldives and Supreme Court of the Maldives.

Aishath Shifala

Associate

Shifala has been in private practice for almost a decade, having joined Premier Chambers in 2013 as an Attorney. An Associate at the Firm since 2019, her main areas of practice includes corporate and commercial matters, banking and finance, foreign investments, tourism-related acquisitions, and employment matters. She regularly advises foreign owners and operators of tourist resorts and handles all aspects of varied and complex legal issues faced by such clients. In addition to advising on a wide range of matters in her areas of expertise, she is also skilled in drafting and vetting various types of commercial contracts, and represents her clients in litigation at the courts and tribunals of the Maldives.

Prior to committing to full-time private legal practice, she served as a Deputy Legal Officer at the Supreme Court of the Maldives from 2010-2013. During her tenure at the Supreme Court, she also served as the Acting Registrar of the Court for over a year.

Notably, she was appointed as a member of the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board from the legal sector by the President of the Maldives in January 2014. She served a full term of 4 years at the Board in that capacity.

Shifala has also worked in the field of academia in the Maldives. She has taught Company Law and Business Law at Villa College and Maps College, two private higher education institutions based in the Maldives. She also taught Comparative Labour Law as a visiting lecturer at the Islamic University of Maldives.

Ibrahim Shameel

Attorney

Shameel joined Premier Chambers in 2011 and has been an Attorney at the firm since 2012. He has in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in the area of criminal defence, and frequently represents and advises his clients, including public figures in their most challenging and difficult times. He is also experienced in dealing with complex employment matters and regularly represents employees and employers at the Employment Tribunal and the appellate courts.

Shameel is also skilled in the areas of corporate and commercial matters and tourism-related acquisitions. He has assisted small and large-scaled businesses, banks and resort owners in such matters. He regularly represents clients in litigation and dispute resolutions in matters involving contractual disputes and debt recovery at all levels of court proceedings. Moreover, Shameel is experienced in drafting and providing advisory services in relation to various types of contracts.

Furthermore, Shameel is also skilled in legislative drafting and consultancy. He most recently worked on drafting the Tenancy Bill.

He has also played a key role in public interest litigation cases and has a clear grasp of constitutional and administrative matters.

Aminath Amathulla

Associate

Amathullah became an Attorney at the Firm in 2017 and was promoted to the position of Associate in 2022. She has comprehensive knowledge and experience in corporate, commercial and employment matters. In this regard, she assists, advises, and represents various foreign and local clients at the tribunals and courts of the Maldives. She also provides legal advice and assistance to clients’ in general commercial matters. Notably, she has been involved in drafting, vetting, and finalisation of complex commercial contracts. Her areas of practice also includes banking and finance and tourism-related acquisitions.

Mohamed Azmee

Associate

Since joining Premier Chambers in 2020, Azmee has gained a wealth of experience in litigation and advisory matters and considerably developed his legal skills. He frequently advises foreign and local businesses on legal requirements, corporate compliance and best practices in commercial, corporate, land and real estate matters.

He also regularly represents clients at the Maldivian courts and tribunals in the resolution of contractual, corporate and commercial disputes. At present, he has the right of audience up to the High Court of the Maldives.

Prior to joining Premier Chambers, Azmee gained extensive litigation and dispute resolution experience in a notable commercial law firm in the Maldives.

Government of Maldives Offers Lease Rent Deferrals for Third and Fourth Quarter of 2020

13 July 2020, Tuesday

On 28 June 2020, the Ministry of Finance published a circular stating that deferrals will be offered for lease rent payments for the third and fourth quarter of 2020, for resorts and other state-owned lands, to alleviate the economic downturns faced due to COVID-19 and to sustain businesses going forward.

Under this offer, the Government will allow parties to repay the deferred rent within a 12-month period, starting from 1 June 2021. During this period:

1. where lease rent is paid quarterly, the deferred rent should be paid in four quarterly payments; and
2. where lease rent is paid monthly, the deferred rent should be paid in twelve monthly payments.

Furthermore, the Government has highlighted that no penalty or interest charges will be imposed for non-payment of the lease rent for the deferred period. However, fines and interest will accrue on failure to settle the deferred payments, before the new deadlines.

The Ministry of Finance has instructed to make amendments to lease agreements to reflect such deferral of lease rent, where required.

Disclaimer: This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon or construed as a legal opinion or legal advice regarding any specific issue, nor is this information intended to create or receipt of it does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the firm.

MIRA announces new deadlines for tax submissions and payments

28 July 2020, Tuesday

Following the relaxation of the lockdown measures in the Maldives, the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (“MIRA”) has, pursuant to its announcement on 15 June 2020, resumed counter services from 5 July 2020 onwards. Below is a summary of the changes imposed via the announcement.

The following services will be available over the counter:

1. Submission of non-tax fees, payments and rent during the first week of reopening.
2. Submission of tax returns and payments not mandated to be submitted or paid online, starting from the second week of reopening.

The new deadlines announced are as follows:

Tax Return	Deadline
Non-tax fees, payments and rent [if fell due during the lockdown period or during the first two weeks of reopening of MIRA]	16 July 2020
Tax returns and payments mandated to be made online [if fell due during the lockdown period or during the first three weeks of reopening of MIRA]	23 July 2020
BPT return and payment	16 August 2020
First interim tax return for the year 2020 and interim tax payment [Under the Income Tax Act 2019]	31 August 2020

Important Notes:

The deadlines are subject to change:

1. as the Public Health Emergency Bill 2020 submitted to the Parliament contains many provisions on deadlines of taxes and other fees; and
2. if a specific decision is made regarding the deadline of a non-tax fee or rent by its relevant authority or office.

Disclaimer: This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon or construed as a legal opinion or legal advice regarding any specific issue, nor is this information intended to create or receipt of it does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the firm.

The firm bids farewell to Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim

08 September 2020, Tuesday

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim on the parliament’s confirmation of his appointment to the post of a Supreme Court Justice! We would like to express our deepest gratitude for his invaluable contribution to the development of the firm over the last 16 years. He has been a much-appreciated Partner, colleague, and mentor, and as such, it is with great sorrow that we bid him farewell. However, we wish him much success in his new post, and have the utmost faith that he will perform his duties impeccably.

We also extend our warm congratulations to Judge Uz. Ali Rasheed, who has also received the parliament’s confirmation on his appointment to the post of a Supreme Court Justice.

Congratulations to the newly licensed lawyers of our team

08 September 2020, Tuesday

On behalf of the firm, we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Uza.Maaisha Mohamed Musthafa, Uza. Rafaha Rasheed, Uza. Sarah Ahmed Shareef, Uza. Maisoona Musthafa and Uza. Fathimath Shaffa Shiyam, on attaining their license to practice law in Maldives.

We take pride in having them as part of our team at the firm as they cross this important milestone in their career and hope that their association with the firm will be a prolonged one.

Premier Chambers LLP ranked as a Band 1 Firm once again by Chambers and Partners

02 March 2022, Wednesday

We are proud and delighted to announce that we have maintained our ranking in the respected international directory, Chambers & Partners, as a ‘Band 1’ Firm once again this year, in their Global Guide 2022.

Chambers and Partners identifies and ranks the most outstanding law firms and lawyers in over 200 jurisdictions throughout the world, and we have been consecutively ranked since 2019. As stated on the Chambers & Partners website: “This intensive, continuous research identifies the world's leading lawyers and law firms – those which perform best according to the criteria most valued by clients. No lawyer can buy their way into our rankings.”

Premier Chambers LLP’s General Business Law Department has been ranked as a Top Ranked Department which includes the practice areas of Banking and Finance, Intellectual Property, Labor and Industrial, Litigation, Tax Disputes and Tourism and Foreign Investment.

Notably, our Firm’s Managing Partner, Uz. Shaaheen Hameed maintained his ranking as a ‘Band 1’ Lawyer in Chambers and Partners for the 11th consecutive year, where he is cited as “a very respectable and sought-after litigator.”

Our three Partners are supported by five fee earners and several support staff including Legal Researchers and Secretaries. This achievement is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the whole team at Premier Chambers LLP.

To read the Firm’s Profile on Chambers and Partners Global Guide 2022, click HERE.