The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, tier 4

Habib Al Mulla & Company is one of the few local law firms that regularly features alongside top international firms. The group is best known for providing local law advice, and has been advising on some pioneering Islamic finance structures, as well as prominent transactions in the UAE. Head of banking and finance Mazen Boustany is ‘very professional, diligent, experienced and knowledgeable’.

Within Construction, Habib Al Mulla & Company is a third tier firm,

The Habib Al Mulla & Company partnership ‘marries local and expatriate talent into a single service’, and has ‘better knowledge of local courts and interpretation of local law’ than much of the competition. Karim Nassif is the key contact.

Within Corporate and M&A, tier 4

Habib Al Mulla & Company’s clients are ‘very satisfied with the service provided’, and rate the team’s industry knowledge as ‘excellent; the firm has great lawyers specialising in a number of different industries’. The group continues to act for clients such as Petronas and ANC Holdings, and ‘offers a full-service solution for foreign entities’. Hussain Shabana is recommended for his ‘creativity in thinking of reasonable solutions when problems and unique situations arise’, while senior associate Patrick Khoury is ‘very business-oriented, proactive and has a clear understanding of the need to proceed quickly with customised solutions’.

Within Dispute resolution, Habib Al Mulla & Company is a second tier firm,

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’.

Within Real estate, Habib Al Mulla & Company is a third tier firm,

Habib Al Mulla & Company ‘brings professionalism on par with an international practice and combines it with an in-depth knowledge of the local judicial system’. The team acts on contentious and non-contentious real estate matters for clients such as World Development Company and Tatweer. Karim Nassif is the key contact.