Dr. Rouhollah Saberi

Founder & Senior Partner

Email: rsaberi@sepehrlawfirm.com

Education

  • Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, Ph.D. in private law (May 2014)
  • Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, LLM private law (May 2007)
  • Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran, LLB Law, (June 2003)

Languages

  • Persian
  • English

Practice Areas

  • Oil & Gas,
  • Construction,
  • Intellectual property,
  • Arbitration & Litigation.

Bar

  • Iranian Central Bar, since March 2004.
Dr. Rouhollah Saberi, Sepehr International Legal and Financial Consultancy Services

Research & Publication

  • Liability for Defective Design and Workmanship in EPC contracts (to be published in 2015)
  • Design-Build Contract Compared with Other Contracting Methods, Legal Research Quarterly, No. 13 (Special edition), Summer 2013 (co-authored with Dr. M.A. Bahmaei);
  • Licensing Agreements, Shahre Danesh Publication, Tehran, 1st ed. 2008 (1387);

Teaching experience

  • International trade law,
  • Torts,
  • Commercial law,
  • Property law.

Experience

  • University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas (Since Feb. 2015), Member of the faculty and Manager of legal affairs
  • Oil Industries’ Engineering and Construction (OIEC) (Since Oct. 2005) Legal advisor & contract negotiator
    – In charge of negotiating and drafting various EPC and PC contracts with both Iranian and foreign contractors. Being exposed to different types of legal problems, I had the opportunity to deal with a wide range of issues including but not limited to buy back contracts, EPCF contracts, international facility agreements, rig hire and lease to purchase agreements, contracts related to drilling operations, licensing agreements, bank guarantees, letter of credit, insurance etc.
    – Settling the disputes with the employers and sub-contractors.
  • Petrochemical Research & Technology Company (NPC-RT), (July 2007- June 2010)
    I advised the Intellectual Property (IP) Department with IP issues including IP policy, patent & know-how licensing agreements, drafting R&D agreements and commercialization of IP assets.
  • Petrochemical Research & Technology Company (NPC-RT), (Sep. 2004- March 2006), legal advisor & contract negotiator
    I had the opportunity to take part in negotiation and drafting of EPC & PC contracts with Iranian and foreign contractors. I also took active role in negotiation of international licensing agreements and had direct contact with managing director in this regard. This provided me a chance to integrate my theoretical knowledge of licensing gain through my LLM thesis and my experience at NPC-RT. I was responsible for preparation of tender documents as well. I was also entrusted with the responsibility of attending the transaction committee meetings.
  • Iranian Aluminum Company (IRALCO), (Nov. 2003-Sep. 2004) legal advisor & contract negotiator
    I was particularly responsible for an EPC project with a Chinese contractor & its sub-contracts for development of a new plant in Arak. I represented the company in the courts as well.
  • Pan Co. Ltd. (2001- 2003), Legal advisor
  • Presidential Committee for Technological Cooperation (TCO), (2002-2003) Researcher at Department of Law and Technology
  • Judiciary Development High Council (JDC), (2002-2003) Researcher at Trade Law Committee

Notable Engagements

  • Participation in negotiation of and finalizing the contracts for the development of Phases 17 & 18, 20 & 21 of the South Pars Gas Field on EPC basis with Pars Oil & Gas Company (POGC).
  • Negotiation of and finalizing the contract for the execution of Hormuz Oil Refinery in Bandar Abbas with National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company (NIOEC).
  • Negotiating and finalizing the buy-back contract for the development of Azar Oil Field with National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
  • Reviewing of and commenting on the draft buy-back contract for the development of Kish Gas Field with POGC.
  • Reviewing of and commenting on the draft contract for the development of Jhal Magsi Field in Pakistan on EPC basis with Oil & Gas Development Company Limited of Pakistan.
  • Participation in the settlement of Standard Chartered Bank claims against OIEC for a $126,000,000 facility agreement.
  • Taking part in the negotiation for the settlement of claims raised by members of the consortium for the development of Phases 9 & 10 of South Pars Gas Field, i.e. GS E&C and OIEC.
  • Negotiation of the contract for NGL-3100 refinery in Cheshmeh Kosh, Ilam, Iran on DBF (EPCF) basis with Iran Central Oil Fields Company (ICOFC).

Awards & Achievements

  • Research grant from Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International private law (Hamburg, Germany-July and August, 2011);
  • Ranked 7th in national entrance exam for LL.M. program among tens of thousands of participants (2003)

Public Speaking, Conferences & Workshops

  • “Legal Aspects of Technology Transfer Agreements”, Workshop at “Agricultural Research, Education & Extension Organization (AREEO)”, 21st Feb. 2010 (1388/2/21)
  • “Licensing Agreements”, workshop at “National Seminar on Intellectual Property”, Dec. 17th, 2009 (1388/9/26)
  • “Legal considerations in the management of licensing agreements” (Presentation), at “National Seminar on Intellectual Property”, Dec. 7th, 2009. (1388/9/9)
  • Iran Patent Law (Presentation), at “Intellectual Property for National Petrochemical Company” workshop, July 2005.
Negar Ghiabi Dr. Seyed Reza Rabatabaei Dr. Seyed Reza Tabatabaei