Mazen Boustany and Muhammad Syamsulfaiz Zainuddin of Habib Al Mulla & Co take a look at the impact of the credit crisis on the Islamic finance industry, and explain why the past eighteen months have highlighted a need for further innovation.

Partner Douglas Mancill of Deacons (Price Sanond Prabhas & Wynne Limited) explains why the Thai government’s poor track record in arbitrated disputes, and its recent efforts to even the score, may go against international trends and potentially dampen commercial activity and investment.

With the help of experienced guides, New York-based M&A partner Robert DeLaMater of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP highlights why the time might be right for Asian companies to explore investment opportunities in the United States.

Thorough due diligence and a careful review of the applicability of a range of regulations will go a long way towards ensuring a successful investment in the United States, say M&A lawyers Gregory Puff and Brian Wheeler of Shearman & Sterling.

Acceleration in planning of the PRC’s proposed national security review mechanism for foreign investment in China is causing investors uncertainty on a number of issues, says partner Peter Wang of Jones Day.

The rewards for Asian investors who look to Latin America are plentiful, say managing partner Michael Diaz, Jr. and associates Sumeet Chugani and Samantha Hu of Diaz, Reus & Targ, LLP. Yet awareness of associated risks, and how best to handle them, are vital to success.

Looking to acquire assets in the US? Partners Harry L. Clark and W. Clark McFadden II of Dewey & LeBoeuf’s Washington office explain how companies can form an effective M&A strategy whilst avoiding the pitfalls of a CFIUS screening.

A proliferation of consumer protection laws and a more demanding public look to set the scene for a host of liability claims in the PRC, explains lawyer Willi Vett of Beiten Burkhardt’s Shanghai office. Is your company prepared?

Asian-Counsel investigates the reasons behind the recent shift in attitude towards corporate governance in the Middle East, and what is being done to overcome the barriers to implementation in the region.

Paul de Cordova and Richard Dollimore of K&L Gates LLP explain why ongoing efforts to forge trade and investment relationships between Asia and the Middle East are likely to be bolstered through the use of free trade agreements.

In a recent UK case, a Shari’ah-compliant finance house argued that an agreement it had entered into, and approved, was non-Shari’ah compliant. Whilst the court’s decision in that matter might be limited in scope, Denton Wilde Sapte lawyers say the very fact the defence was raised is likely to cause unease for parties to future Islamic finance transactions.

Dubai’s efforts to facilitate the establishment of companies in the emirate, in a bid to entice foreign investment, will continue to pay off, explain Samer Qudah and Omer Khan of Al Tamimi & Company.

Adrian Emch of Hogan Lovells’ Beijing office explains why a recent decision on cartel behaviour may herald a new era in the enforcement of the PRC Anti-Monopoly Law.