Emile Kanaan is the founding partner and chairman of The Levant Lawyers (TLL) and one of Lebanon’s most experienced dispute-resolution lawyers. Trained in French and Lebanese civil law and with years of practice in the United Kingdom, he handles complex cross-border litigation and arbitration where Civil Law and Common Law systems meet. For decades he has advised governments, multinationals and financial institutions on high-value PPP, construction, banking and regulatory disputes.
Emile holds a Master in French law from Lyon University (1964) and a Master in Lebanese law from Université Saint-Joseph, Beirut (1965). Before founding TLL in 2007, he had a long association with a leading City of London firm, including eight years based in England. He has taught common-law courses at several London law schools and works fluently in Arabic, French and English.
His contentious practice covers:
He acts across infrastructure and construction, energy and utilities, banking and financial services, pharmaceuticals, real estate and public procurement. Clients rely on him for multi-jurisdictional strategy, claims under foreign governing laws, coordination of parallel proceedings and enforceable settlement structures.
Emile has served as legal counsel on major BOT and PPP projects for Lebanon, including infrastructure schemes and duty-free zone developments. He has advised governments on standard procurement forms. He has acted in ICC arbitrations and international disputes involving water reservoirs, toll roads and complex construction claims, and has worked on sovereign loan restructurings in major financial centres. Since 2008 he has been sole legal adviser to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in Lebanon. He has also led projects to reform commercial and e-commerce law. His publications include comparative studies of judicial systems and a 2010 study on detainee treatment standards prepared for international organisations.
Emile founded TLL to combine regional reach with international standards. The firm is a compact team of senior specialists handling high-value advisory and disputes work across the MENA region. Drawing on his experience in London and the Gulf, TLL works alongside international law firms to deliver integrated strategies for cross-border transactions and multi-forum disputes, blending litigation, arbitration and transactional expertise.
Emile is known for pragmatic dispute management. He diagnoses disputes early, negotiates on multiple tracks, and advocates efficiently in court or arbitration when needed. His goal is always to align legal strategy with the client’s commercial objectives.
He is a strong fit for:
Commercial litigation, ICC and institutional arbitration, FIDIC construction disputes, shareholder and contractual disputes, sovereign and project-finance restructurings, and regulatory challenges, both in Lebanon and across borders.
Yes. He trained in French and Lebanese civil law and spent years practising with a City of London firm, so he regularly handles disputes that straddle both systems, including claims under foreign governing laws.
Infrastructure and construction, energy and utilities, banking and financial services, pharmaceuticals, real estate development and public procurement, including major BOT and PPP projects in Lebanon.
Yes. He has been sole legal adviser to UN ESCWA in Lebanon since 2008, has advised governments on procurement forms and PPP projects, and has led commercial and e-commerce law reform projects.
Arabic, French and English, which lets him run matters across Lebanon, Europe and the wider MENA region without translation gaps.
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