Dr. Zahra Akbarian
A Tehran law firm practising across private, family, commercial, international, intellectual property, legal consultation, property & land, arbitration, and criminal law, for clients in Iran and abroad.
Dr. Zahra Akbarian
With more than a decade of professional experience in law, the firm provides specialized counsel and representation to domestic and international clients.
Her approach combines scholarly precision, strict confidentiality, and respect for the human dignity of every client.
Languages: Farsi, German, English, and French
- PhD in Private Law
- Master of Laws in Private Law
- First-Class Bar License, Iranian Central Bar — Licence No. 27635
- Member, Central Bar Association (Tehran)
Several years teaching at university level
Works Protected Under the Draft Bill on Protection of Literary and Artistic Rights in Iran and the Berne Convention
Legal Services of the Firm
Each area is handled within its own field of law, with focus on the specifics of your matter.
Private Law
Civil litigation, contracts, real estate matters, non-contractual obligations and civil liability.
02Family Law
Divorce, custody, dowry, alimony, inheritance certification, wills and succession.
03Commercial Law
Company formation and dissolution, drafting commercial contracts, business disputes and securities matters.
04International Law
Cross-border contracts, arbitration, foreign investment and international trade.
05Intellectual Property
Brand registration, trademarks, patents, copyright and protection of intellectual assets.
06Legal Consultation
Specialized in-person, phone and online consultation for clients in Iran and abroad.
07Property & Land Law
Sale, purchase, lease, title transfer, partition, subdivision, unlawful possession claims, and compelled deed execution.
08Arbitration
Resolution of commercial and property disputes through domestic and international arbitration; from drafting the agreement through enforcement or challenge of the award.
09Criminal Law
Defence in criminal proceedings, lodging complaints, court attendance, and pursuing appeals and retrial applications.
10Visa & Immigration
Legal assessment of the visa and immigration path, document preparation, and related legal work, for clients inside and outside Iran.
Private Law Services
From drafting contracts to civil litigation and damages recovery: four core services that form the backbone of the firm's day-to-day work.
Discuss a civil matterContract Drafting & Review
Drafting civil and commercial contracts, reviewing counterparty drafts, identifying hazardous clauses, and inserting enforceable protections. Before signature, ambiguities are named.
Civil Litigation & Recovery
Pursuing and defending civil claims: monetary recovery, purchase-price claims, breach of contract, contract invalidity, and quantum meruit. Direct experience with complex documentary matters.
Tort & Civil Liability
Damages claims, both material and moral, arising from non-contractual conduct: traffic accidents, medical negligence, and professional liability. Case built on evidence and expert reports.
Debt Collection & Negotiable Instruments
Collection on cheques, promissory notes, and bearer instruments; urgent action for attachment orders and asset freezes before judgment.
In civil matters where the claimant or defendant sits outside Iran, the firm handles service through the appropriate channels and represents the client remotely at every stage.
Family Law Services
Family matters are personal and sensitive. The firm handles each stage directly, confidentially, and with the client's long-term interests in view.
Divorce & Marriage Dissolution
Divorce by mutual consent, divorce initiated by the husband, divorce initiated by the wife, hardship (osr-va-haraj), and the conditions for asset division. Careful drafting of the petition and forecasting of the family-court path.
Custody & Visitation
Custody proceedings, visitation orders, exit-permit applications for minors, and change-of-custody applications where necessary. Direct experience with complex matters involving cross-border disputes.
Mahriye, Nafaghe & Trousseau
Claims for mahriye (dowry, both on-demand and on-ability), spousal and child maintenance (nafaghe), and return of the trousseau. Attachment action and application of Article 3 of the Law on Enforcement of Financial Judgments.
Inheritance, Wills & Probate
Certificate of inheritance, estate distribution, will contests, and adjudication of the shares of surviving spouse, children, and other heirs.
For Iranian clients living abroad, the firm manages family matters remotely and, where an Iranian judgment requires enforcement in another country, works with local counsel to see it through.
Book a family-law consultationCommercial Law Services
From corporate structure to commercial contracts, litigation, and capital markets: four coordinated services for growing businesses.
Company Formation, Structure & Dissolution
Formation of private joint-stock, limited liability, cooperative, and international companies; articles of association, registered changes, and lawful dissolution built to minimise directors' residual liability.
Commercial Contracts
Drafting and negotiating sales, distribution, agency, services, licensing, and construction contracts. Emphasis on clear allocation of rights and workable dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Commercial Disputes
Debt recovery, insolvency, rescission of commercial transactions, and disputes between partners and shareholders. Case preparation shaped by the client's commercial strategy, not just courtroom defence.
Securities & Capital Markets
Advice on securities law, disclosure obligations, trading violations, and disputes before the Tehran Stock Exchange and OTC (Farabourse) authorities.
For Iranian companies with foreign counterparties, or foreign companies operating in Iran, the firm structures the transaction under Iranian law and, where needed, coordinates with local counsel in the counterparty's country so that, in the event of dispute, the forum is clear and any judgment is enforceable.
Every matter is handled within its own field of law and on its own facts — not one template for every dispute, but an approach shaped to the matter itself.
International Law Services
Cross-border matters engage Iranian law and the counterparty's legal system at once; the firm runs the matter under Iranian law and coordinates with local counsel in the other country at exactly that intersection.
Discuss a cross-border matterCross-Border Contracts
Drafting international sale, distribution, agency, and cooperation contracts; setting governing law, forum, and enforcement mechanism so the agreement functions in both jurisdictions.
Foreign Investment
Guiding foreign investors entering the Iranian market, securing foreign investment approvals (FIPPA), registering branches and representative offices, and structuring ownership.
International Trade
Customs matters, Incoterms contracts, letters of credit, cargo insurance, and disputes arising from non-delivery or defective goods. Experience across industrial import and export.
Diaspora Legal Affairs
Family, inheritance, property, and transfer matters for Iranians resident abroad; remote case management with formal powers-of-attorney executed through consulates.
Where parallel proceedings in Iran and another country are required, the firm coordinates with local counsel in that jurisdiction where needed.
Intellectual Property Services
From initial registration to infringement defence: safeguarding intellectual assets across national, regional, and international levels.
Trademarks & Brand Registration
Trademark registration through the National Registration Organisation, opposition and defence, international registration (Madrid System), and market watch for confusingly similar marks.
Patents & Industrial Designs
Patent, industrial design, and utility model registration; applications prepared to international standards, prosecuted through the registration authority, with foreign filing strategy where appropriate.
Copyright & Literary/Artistic Works
Protection of literary, artistic, and software works under the Iranian Law on Protection of Authors' Rights and the Berne Convention. Drafting of assignment and licensing agreements.
IP Infringement Litigation
Trademark, patent, and copyright infringement claims; interim injunctions to seize counterfeit goods, damages recovery, and criminal action in qualifying offences.
For clients whose brand or work is registered, or infringed, in multiple jurisdictions, the firm coordinates with local counsel in that field where registration or defence in another country is needed.
Consult on an IP matterSpecialist Advice & Legal Opinions
Not every matter calls for full engagement. Sometimes a clear, documented legal opinion is the right guide to the right decision.
Written Legal Opinions
Written analysis of the client's legal position grounded in statute, uniform-precedent rulings, and legal doctrine; a citable instrument for negotiations or before commencing litigation.
Ongoing & Retainer Advisory
Continuous support for companies and individuals in day-to-day legal decisions, from contract reviews to point-in-time questions, on a monthly retainer or hourly basis.
In-Person, Phone & Video Consultation
Forty-five-minute meetings to work through a specific matter, at the office or by video for clients inside and outside Iran. Available in Persian, English, German, or French.
Case Review & Second Opinion
Review of the path another lawyer has taken on a matter, re-reading of the documents, and an independent view. For clients who want a second perspective before committing to a final decision.
All consultations are confidential; whether or not they lead to full engagement, client information is used only within that meeting.
Property & Land Services
Four specialist services from initial assessment to final registration, with a single point of contact throughout every stage.
Start your assessmentTitle Review & Transfer
We examine title history, verify ownership chains, resolve registration obstacles, and prepare transfer agreements end to end. No gap in the property's record goes unaddressed.
Sale, Purchase & Lease Agreements
Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating sale, purchase, lease, and pre-sale agreements in compliance with current law. We focus on protecting the client against hazardous clauses and gaps in contract text.
Property Disputes & Litigation
Unlawful possession, encroachment, compelled formal deed execution, partition, contract rescission, and other property claims before the courts. Full case preparation from filing through enforcement of judgment.
Land Registration, Partition & Subdivision
Guidance through land registration processes, partition of co-owned property, subdivision of parcels, and obtaining required approvals from registration authorities and municipalities. Direct experience with complex agricultural and urban land files.
For cross-border property transactions or matters requiring coordination outside Iran, the firm coordinates with local counsel in the destination country where needed.
Before anything begins, the path is drawn realistically — no guesswork, no false reassurance, and no surprises midway.
Arbitration in Property & Land Disputes
A faster, more confidential, and often lower-cost alternative to litigation, for parties who need their property dispute resolved with finality and without public proceedings.
Arbitrability Assessment
We first determine whether your property dispute is capable of referral to arbitration. Certain registration claims and state land matters fall outside arbitration's scope; this initial assessment prevents wasted time and cost.
Drafting the Arbitration Agreement
Drafting the arbitration clause in the main contract, or a standalone arbitration agreement after a dispute arises. We handle arbitrator selection, governing rules, and the scope of the arbitrator's mandate so the final award holds.
Representation in Arbitration Proceedings
Advocacy throughout the arbitration: exchange of written submissions, presentation of evidence, attendance at hearings, and challenge of procedural irregularities. Direct experience in high-value property arbitrations.
Award Enforcement or Challenge
Where an award is in the client's favour, we pursue enforcement through the state courts. Where an award is flawed, we assess grounds for challenge and file in the competent forum. We know both paths and have run both.
Where the opposing party is based outside Iran, or the disputed property carries an international dimension, the firm coordinates with an arbitration specialist in the destination country where needed.
Speak to an arbitration lawyerCriminal Defence Services
Criminal defence at every stage of the matter — from the first summons to final enforcement; active presence at the prosecutor's office, at trial, and through enforcement.
Early-Stage Assessment & Investigation Support
Attendance at police and prosecutor summonses from the first notice, correct assessment of the case, guidance before any statement is made, and preparation of defence submissions for the investigation phase.
Filing Complaints & Prosecution Support
Drafting criminal complaints on the evidence, following the matter through to indictment, collating supporting material, and standing with the complainant until an indictment order is issued.
Defence at Trial
Attendance at every hearing, filing defence submissions, examining expert reports, and raising procedural and substantive objections. Direct experience in serious matters from economic crime to offences against the person.
Appeals, Retrial & Enforcement
Challenging first-instance verdicts, filing appellate submissions, applying for retrial where legally available, and handling enforcement matters including sentence suspension and conditional release.
In criminal matters with a cross-border dimension — from extradition to transnational economic crime — the firm coordinates with local counsel in the destination country where needed.
Visa & Immigration Services
Four coordinated services across the visa and immigration path, from first assessment to final action, with a single point of contact throughout.
Start your assessmentImmigration Consulting & Planning
The firm assesses your profile, identifies the right visa pathway, and builds a realistic roadmap before you commit to anything. No guesswork, no surprises mid-process.
Document Preparation & Translation
Documents are prepared, formatted, and translated to the exact standard the destination authorities require. Incorrectly formatted paperwork is the most common reason applications stall.
Power of Attorney for Affairs in Iran
Drafting a formal power of attorney to manage the client's property, banking, and administrative affairs in Iran while they are resident abroad.
Review of Legal Barriers to Departure
Legal review of exit bans, debts, and obligations affecting departure from the country, and lawful action to remove them.
Where a matter calls for formal legal assessment or action under the laws of the destination country, the firm coordinates with a licensed attorney in that jurisdiction where needed.
Every case, weighed with care.
The Firm's Working Principles
Expertise and Experience
Over a decade of legal practice across diverse fields, supported by advanced academic credentials.
Absolute Confidentiality
Protecting client information at the highest level is a core professional commitment.
Personalized Approach
Each case receives dedicated attention and is handled within the unique circumstances of the client.
Transparent Fees
Clear breakdown of costs and fee structure before any agreement.
The firm welcomes Iranian clients wherever they are in the world — by video conference, telephone, or written correspondence, in Persian, English, German, or French.
From the First Contact to Resolution
Initial Contact
Reach the firm via the contact form and briefly describe your matter.
Consultation Meeting
In an in-person or online meeting, legal options, expected timeline, and fee structure are explained.
Engagement Letter
If both parties agree to proceed, a formal engagement letter is signed and the legal process begins.
Case Management
The firm handles every stage of the matter and provides regular progress reports.
Resolution and Delivery
After judgment or settlement, the final documents and report are delivered.
Third-Party Execution Challenge to Property Titled in the Developer's Name
The Matter
Two families had paid for their apartments years earlier. Because the title still sat in the developer's name, his creditors had the property seized — and an auction date was set before the buyers were even told.
The Legal Challenge
Iranian enforcement law follows whoever holds registered title. To halt the auction under Article 147, the sale had to be shown as genuine, made well before the seizure, and free of any hint it was staged to defeat a creditor.
The Approach
The case was rebuilt from years of contemporaneous records — payments, the contract, possession, the parties' conduct — to foreclose any inference of collusion, while a parallel action pressed for formal transfer of title.
In third-party challenges to enforcement proceedings, documentary quality is the critical variable.
Complex Civil, Criminal and Family Proceedings
Summaries of the subject matter, legal challenges and strategic approach in matters handled by the firm. Outcomes are not described.
A Transparent Fee Structure
Consultation
The fee and time for the initial consultation are confirmed at booking.
Duration: approximately 45 minutes
Fixed Fee
Fixed fee based on the nature and complexity of the matter.
Estimate after initial review
Percentage
Percentage-based fee per the official Bar Association tariff.
Per the current Bar tariff
All fees are agreed in writing before signing the engagement letter.
Principles of Working With Clients
Every matter proceeds in full confidence; the client's information stays with the firm and is used only within that matter.
The client is kept informed of the process and the status of the matter at every stage, clearly and in good time.
An honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the matter before any step is taken, whether the desired outcome is within reach or the real limits of the law apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Book a Consultation
In-person meetings are held in Tehran; online consultations are available for clients in Iran and abroad.