The Dubai office was founded in 2012, though the firm has been advising clients in the UAE for decades. The office has in-house Arabic speakers and can advise on both English and UAE law.
The Dubai team acts for a wide range of listed and private companies, institutions and individuals across the Middle East, including the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran and Iraq. We provide specialist expertise advice in the areas of marine and international trade, corporate and commercial, private wealth, asset finance, projects / infrastructure and sanctions. Through our network of offices and strong local knowledge we offer clients commercially focused legal advice across the globe.
"One client stated that the team was 'very progressive and pragmatic', and that they 'rate them very highly."
Chambers Global 2020
Please see here for our client data protection policy for our Dubai office.
Major oil terminal
Acting for a UAE oil terminal in relation to a US$125 million multi-jurisdictional dispute concerning title to two cargoes of oil discharged into terminals in the UAE.
Major UAE bank
Advising our client on a complex vessel lease finance transaction worth US$265 million for a super specialised derrick lay vessel.
Major UAE bank
Advising our client on complex hybrid financing involving aircraft engines and components in a multi-jurisdictional transaction amounting to over US$200 million.
DIFC based bank
Advised DIFC based bank on their participation in an international Islamic finance transaction and their compliance under DFSA regulations.
Fraud and asset recovery
Advising David Haigh, the ex-managing director of Leeds United Football Club on a DIFC claim initiated by the DIFC branch of a major Bahrain based Islamic investment bank for AED23 million on account alleged of breach of trust and money laundering.
Tanker company
Acting for NITC in its successful challenge in the General Court of the EU against the asset freezing measures adopted against NITC by the Council of the EU in October 2012 and on-going legal proceedings in the European Court of Justice.
Major Chinese bank
Advised one of the largest international Chinese banks on their Basel III obligations under the UAE Central Bank.
Major hotel owners
Acted for a number of hotel owners in respect of hotel management agreements for hotels including the Chedi Hotel in Muscat, Kempinski Hotel in Dubai, a multi-hotel development in Dubai and the Inter-Continental Hotel in Muscat.
Major real estate development
Acting for one of the region's largest real estate development companies in drafting and renegotiation of their joint venture with another government owned developer for the development of a 2.8 million sqm land area into a residential and commercial mixed used development.
Anti-money laundering systems and controls
Advised the compliance officer of the Dubai branch of a major European bank in an investigation by the Dubai Financial Services Authority into the adequacy of its systems and controls to prevent money laundering.
Relations with regulators
Advised an individual under investigation by the Dubai Financial Services Authority in relation to allegations that he had misled investigators and advising him of his obligations as a UK solicitor to report the allegations to the SRA.