The Legal 500

Al Tamimi & Company rates highly for its local court expertise. Zafer Sheikh Oghli, who has a ‘thorough knowledge of the Dubai courts and is always accessible’, obtained a victory for Global Investment House in a high-value banking dispute with the National Bank of Umm Al Quwain. Meanwhile, Hussain Eisa Shiri represented Norsk Tillitsmann and Thule Power on an AED800m banking dispute involving one of the largest oil rigs in the Middle East. Steven Hunt’s ‘knowledge of construction issues’ means he is recommended for construction contract disputes. Hassan Arab leads the team.

Clifford Chance’s lawyers are ‘always on the ball, with intrinsic knowledge that allows them to provide advice that is always in line with circumstances’. The team is particularly active in the DIFC courts, where managing partner Graham Lovett has a strong reputation. James Abbott made partner in 2010 – he ‘works tirelessly for clients, and is always able to provide excellent and pragmatic advice’.

Clyde & Co LLP’s team is ‘very fast to respond, listens to what the client wants’, provides ‘advice that is commercially balanced’, and is able to ‘structure defence submissions to radically lower the claimant’s expectations’. The team acted for RTA Dubai on its $3.5bn dispute with Dubai Metro contractors, and represented Transglobal Metals in a $60m dispute arising from the termination of a coal supply agreement. Clients appreciate Glenn O’Brien’s ‘calm approach’, and rate consultant Alec Emmerson for ‘always advising on what is best for the business, rather than giving theoretical advice’. The firm enhanced its depth by relocating Irvine Marr from London and recruiting ten associates.

Hadef & Partners’ excellent dispute resolution team is ‘recommended for real estate litigation’. The team advised Al Qudra Real Estate on the enforcement of purchase contracts, and represented Gates and Partners on behalf of London underwriters regarding insurance claims arising out of the Aerogulf Bell 212 helicopter accident. Dr Faraj Ahnish, Richard Briggs and Salih Ahnaish are ‘knowledgeable and stick to high professional standards and ethics’. Briggs is noted for his ‘good working knowledge of the aviation industry and excellent local network within the UAE, as well as understanding of the London market’.

Afridi & Angell is ‘excellent, prompt, polite, and always has a winning solution’. The team is representing clients in three cases before the DIFC court, while Stuart Walker has been involved in 75% of all DFSA investigations resulting in a public outcome. Senior consultant C Chakradaran successfully represented Trident International Holdings in arbitration proceedings. Haider Afridi ‘knows the law of the land and knows when to apply it’; he ‘goes out of his way to help clients achieve set objectives’.

DLA Piper Middle East LLP represents clients in local courts, particularly handling a large volume of construction and real estate cases, and is also recommended for arbitration. The team recruited legal director Salem Chalabi – who served as the principal liaison on legal matters between the Iraqi Governing Council and the Coalition Provisional Authority – and Maher Ghanma, who assisted with the establishment of Jordan’s international affairs department, from A’Sidrah Public Affairs. Jim Delkousis is recommended.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s ‘UAE team is simply brilliant; its lawyers show extreme dedication, unique understanding of client requests, and always prove reliable’. Notable work includes representing MTN Dubai in proceedings against the Republic of Yemen regarding alleged discriminatory treatment and the government’s alleged failure to respect rights to exemptions on profits tax and customs duties. Senior members of the team – principal consultant Jan Paulsson, Joseph Huse and Reza Mohtashami – are highly recommended, and are often called upon to serve as arbitrators.

Habib Al Mulla & Company is a ‘capable local firm that compares well with other local firms’. The practice is involved in some of the largest cases in arbitration and before the local courts, and saw a significant rise in real estate, finance and construction disputes work in 2010. Karim Nassif is adaptable and ‘very practical in his approach’.

Norton Rose (Middle East) LLP represents global financial institutions, regional developers, and high-net-worth individuals. The group is praised for its value for money, and acted on ten arbitrations in 2010. Dubai-based Patrick Bourke, who heads the practice, is an excellent litigator.

Allen & Overy LLP’s team has ‘good business acumen and industry knowledge’. Simon Roderick and senior associate Christopher Mainwaring-Taylor represented Dubai Petroleum Establishment in arbitration arising from a dispute regarding a terminated offshore drilling agreement. Mainwaring-Taylor ‘gives, good, clear and concise advice’, ‘quickly identifies key issues at hand, and thinks strategically’.

Clients are ‘extremely satisfied with the level of service’ provided by Galadari & Associates, and its 37-litigator team is ‘broad enough to cover a range of services’, but has particular expertise in construction and real estate disputes. Cases handled vary from AED40m to AED4bn in value. Ziad Galadari is a ‘highly experienced practitioner, who can consistently get results’.

Herbert Smith LLP represents clients such as Etisalat, Strabag and Tata. The group is active in all levels of courtroom and arbitration disputes, and consultant Diana Hamade has rights of audience in all UAE courts. The firm relocated restructuring and insolvency expert Michael Barker to the office from Hong Kong.

Holman Fenwick Willan LLP’s Samuel Wakerley and Edward Newitt ‘rate very highly; while their technical ability is very good, they also apply a reasoned, common-sense approach to cases’. The team’s core focuses mirror its strong reputation for shipping, trade and insurance law, though it also has strength in the construction sector and handles the full range of disputes work. The practice recruited construction expert Paul Suckling from Ince & Co.

Pinsent Masons is ‘one of the best in construction disputes; a true leader in the region’. Shourav Lahiri and Michelle Nelson regularly appear as counsel in arbitrations, and are both highly recommended. Consultant Neil Bogle – who is noted for handling construction matters in the oil and gas, petrochemicals and electricity industries – relocated from London.

SNR Denton’s arbitration-focused dispute resolution group continued to see a rise in instructions on high-profile cases, and has particular strength in handling contentious construction work. Clients include Samsung, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, and RAK Petroleum. Practice head Paul Stothard is a ‘quality performer’, who is ‘recommended for construction disputes and international arbitration’.

Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP’s Adrian Cole is ‘clearly a very experienced and competent lawyer who has a sound knowledge of both UAE law, and the practice and procedures of the courts and arbitration in the UAE as it relates to construction disputes’. Senior associate Raza Mithani, who joined from Al Tamimi & Company, is recommended for his ‘technical know-how and skill in relation to complex matters’.

Construction and real estate disputes are the mainstay of Trowers & Hamlins’ dispute resolution practice, which has been advising Target Engineering on potential claims against a developer regarding marine construction projects, and acting for Lefebvre Engineering on claims and counter-claims against Emirates Aluminium. Andrew Greaves is the key contact.

Local law firm Al-Suwaidi & Company’s impressive litigation practice is particularly experienced in the oil and gas sector. Founding partner Mohammed Al Suwaidi is a member of both the UAE and American bars, and highly recommended. Osama Dablouk has extensive litigation experience, having been the litigator for the UAE’s Federal Ministry of Justice from 1985 to 1998.

Bin Shabib & Associates (BSA) LLP represents clients such as Halliburton Worldwide, Samsung Engineering and Construction, and Dubai Investment Company. Antonios Dimitracopoulos is recommended for construction disputes.

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP enters the ranking following Jonathan Sutcliffe’s relocation to Dubai from London and the recruitment of Philip Punwar, who was a practising barrister prior to joining the firm. The pair has already built an impressive track record in arbitration. Punwar is ‘outstanding, very meticulous, and extremely knowledgeable’.

Hilal & Associates is recommended for its expert local law advocacy. Practitioners are licensed to represent clients in local and federal courts in the UAE. Founding partner Abdullah Rashid Hilal has extensive commercial litigation and arbitration experience.

Kaashif Basit took the entire team at JSA Law and set up as KBH Kaanuun. Basit and his team provide an ‘excellent level of service’, while Basit himself is recommended for his ‘ability to think outside the box and come up with plausible solutions’. Although it is too early to judge the success of the new firm, its previous work included heavy involvement in DIFC court cases and three of the ten cases filed with the DIFC-LCIA.