A team of forward-thinking lawyers, advisors, and researchers redefining how law meets technology.
At Esquare Legal, our strength lies in our people — a diverse team of global professionals combining legal precision with deep understanding of emerging technologies. Together, we advise some of the world’s most innovative ventures in blockchain, fintech, and Web3, turning complexity into clarity.
Safi Ghauri leads Esquare Legal, a premier cross-jurisdictional legal practice, guiding fintech, Web3 and emerging-tech ventures worldwide. He brings deep expertise in crypto & fintech licensing, tokenization of real-world assets, cross-border structuring and high-stakes dispute resolution. With landmark wins across MENA, Europe, LATAM and Asia, Safi designs legal frameworks that enable innovation rather than hinder it, turning regulatory complexity into strategic advantage for founders, investors and institutions.
Yunxia leads Esquare’s China Department, managing complex cross-border transactions, dispute resolution, and M&A.
Her experience spans Europe, Africa, North America, Oceania, and Asia, where she has advised on offshore EPC/BOT projects, venture capital, and corporate structuring.
She provides comprehensive legal and tax services to the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and various Chinese state-owned and private enterprises, ensuring compliance and investment protection in frontier markets.
Hassan Raza is a legal professional working in corporate and technology law, with degrees in Law, Politics, and International Relations from the University of London. He has worked on high-value joint ventures, blockchain regulation, and corporate structuring. He has advised on transactions of around USD 1.5 billion while working with a Chinese based Construction Group.
Hassan has also guided a leading Middle Eastern virtual exchange with regards to their regulatory compliance. He has also worked with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and advised the Chinese Embassy on legal matters. Hassan has been part of Esquare Legal since 2020 and actively contributes to advancing corporate and tech law practice in emerging markets.
Hassan has varied interests and has been a faculty member of University of London Affiliate Centres in Islamabad since 2014 teaching different subjects. He has also worked in the healthcare sector since 2015 as has remained President of Hemophilia Foundation [Pakistan] and currently serves as their advisor focusing on advocacy strategies, patient registries and international health collaborations. Hassan has also earlier worked in different positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and leading policy institutes in Islamabad.
Sana Maroof Khan is a distinguished legal professional and the Chief Operating Officer at Esquare Legal, with extensive experience advising Multi-National Companies and Decentralized Applications in the fields of digital assets, digital exchanges, fintech, blockchain, gaming, and the metaverse. She has worked with clients across the UK, Poland, Germany, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, navigating complex international legal landscapes and delivering innovative, jurisdiction-specific solutions.
At Esquare Legal, Sana plays a key role in driving the firm's strategic growth and operations while leading initiatives in emerging technology sectors. Over the course of her tenure, she has spearheaded high-stakes regulatory projects, contributed to the development of cutting-edge fintech, digital asset, and Web3 frameworks, and managed complex cross-border transactions. Her expertise spans fintech and digital asset compliance, tokenization strategies, smart contracts, blockchain applications, corporate regulatory compliance, and legal structures for gaming and metaverse ecosystem, empowering clients to innovate confidently while mitigating legal and operational risks.
Zakwan Hazarvi serves as our Senior Associate. He holds a degree in Comparative Studies of Islamic and British Law from the International Islamic University.
Over the course of his career, Zakwan has contributed to numerous high-profile projects, including leading multinational Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and cryptocurrency platforms from UK, India, Estonia, UAE, Pakistan and Malaysia. His professional expertise encompasses the regulatory licensing of fintech entities in multiple jurisdictions. Zakwan has successfully handled end-to-end processes from drafting constitutional compliance documentation to liaising with regulatory authorities.
In the area of post-incorporation compliance, he has managed ongoing regulatory reporting, corporate governance requirements, and AML/KYC policy implementation to ensure adherence to both local and international financial regulations. His work with crypto platforms also extends to advising on exchange registration and risk mitigation strategies under evolving global regulatory regimes.
In addition to his corporate and regulatory practice, Zakwan has played a key role in managing the firm’s litigation portfolio.
He also holds multiple Shariah certifications, through which many of our international clients have benefited. Furthermore, Zakwan has authored a white paper analyzing the Shariah compliance status of digital currencies and their associated products.
Gul Rukh is a key member of our firms fintech team. She frequently advises both startups and financial institutions on matters pertaining to licensing, regulatory compliance and structuring. She has extensive experience in cross border incorporations, helping clients navigate complex legal landscapes. Beyond her role in the fintech space, she also contributes regularly to Esquare think tank through blogs and collaboration on research papers.
Ayaan graduated from NUST Law School, earning the prestigious Chancellor’s Silver Medal and ranking in the top 1% of his class, along with seven High Achiever’s Medals. His initial engagement with Esquare Legal commenced during his internship in 2023. Prior to his role as an Associate at Esquare, he received training in dispute resolution at prestigious international law firms in Germany and Serbia, and has served as counsel before different FIFA dispute resolution bodies. Ayaan has also achieved recognition and accolades in prestigious moot court competitions held in Spain, Austria, and Kazakhstan.
His interest and expertise lies in technology law, dispute resolution, sports and commercial law
Haider is a legal and financial advisor specializing in bringing traditional assets onto the blockchain. His journey with the firm began as an intern, but his dedication and sharp insights quickly made him an indispensable member of the team. Today, as a dedicated Tokenization Advisor, he helps clients convert financial instruments like debt and equity into fully compliant digital securities.
His focus is on creating legally solid token offerings and simplifying the complexities of global regulations. He has successfully obtained Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licenses for clients in numerous countries, enabling them to operate confidently in the international market.
Haider's real strength is his rare ability to speak both the language of financial law and blockchain technology. He connects these two worlds, translating the strict requirements of securities law directly into the technical logic of smart contracts. This process ensures that a tokenized asset isn't just a digital novelty, but a robust, legally-binding equivalent of its real-world counterpart. It's this practical, hands-on expertise that protects clients from regulatory pitfalls and unlocks the efficiency and liquidity that distributed ledger technology promises.
Esquare Legal combines legal mastery with industry fluency — helping visionary teams turn complex regulations into growth opportunities.