The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Al Tamimi & Company is a third tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company is roundly considered to be ‘among the top UAE law firms’, and its ‘user-friendly’ team gives advice that is ‘very commercial and extremely responsive’. In 2012, it acted as DIFC and UAE local counsel to the lenders on syndicated Islamic finance facilities provided to DIFC Investments. Jody Waugh is ‘a pleasure to deal with’, and Lynette Brown and managing partner Husam Hourani are also recommended.

Within Construction, Al Tamimi & Company is a second tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company’s construction practice experienced changes in 2012: former regional head Steven Hunt moved to Holland & Knight LLP, and the firm recruited Adam Balchin from Dentons. He joined a team that includes James Williams, who leads the Abu Dhabi construction team and handles non-contentious matters for local and international clients.

Within Corporate and M&A, Al Tamimi & Company is a second tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company’s ‘responsive, pragmatic’ corporate team attracts praise for its full-service capability and the breadth of its local law knowledge, which ensures it is ‘on top of things at all times’. Gary Watts heads the corporate practice, Samer Qudah leads on corporate structuring matters, and Samir Kantaria is ‘the point person’ for commercial agreements. In 2012, the firm advised The Coca-Cola Company on its $980m acquisition of a 50% stake in Aujan Industries.

Within Dispute resolution, Al Tamimi & Company is a first tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company’s dispute resolution practice is ‘among the best as far as local law knowledge is concerned’, and ‘adopts the highest ethical standards and ensures that the team is available to the client at all times’. In 2012, it represented Dubai Islamic Bank in a criminal case against seven businessmen concerning the embezzlement of public funds. Deputy managing partner Hassan Arab heads the dispute practice regionally. Hussain Eisa Shiri, who leads the Dubai dispute resolution team, is ‘one of the best legal brains in the country’, and head of international arbitration Paul Turner is also recommended.

Within Intellectual property, Al Tamimi & Company is a first tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company’s ‘outstanding’ and ‘approachable’ intellectual property team is ‘equipped with UAE legal knowledge that gives it a competitive edge over other law firms’. Practice head Omar Obeidat is ‘exceptional’, and his ‘knowledge and expertise of UAE legal fields ensures that issues are resolved to the highest possible standard’. Highlights included assisting Nokia DED with its anti-counterfeiting campaign.

Within Investment funds, Al Tamimi & Company is a second tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company is a strong player in regional fund formation, and is expert in shari’ah-compliant funds. Lynette Brown’s small but efficient team has remained active despite challenging market conditions, acting for clients such as Dubai Islamic Bank and Gulf Capital.

Within Real estate, Al Tamimi & Company is a first tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company’s team has real estate expertise that spans the full gamut of contentious and non-contentious matters. It is particularly noted for its regulatory capability, which has seen it play a central role in the development of the underlying legal framework governing the UAE real estate market. Transactional highlights included advising Qatar Insurance Company on its acquisition of office space in Dubai’s Emaar Square. Lisa Dale heads the practice.

Within Shipping, Al Tamimi & Company is a first tier firm,

Al Tamimi & Company has ‘one of the best local advocacy practices in the region, with excellent knowledge of maritime law’. Its expertise covers contentious and non-contentious work, from shipbuilding and finance work, to wet and dry claims. In 2012, it acted for Agility Logistics in the arrest of a vessel at Johor Port in Malaysia and the release of cargo, and advised Abu Dhabi National Oil Company on the AED900m sale of its fleet to ADNATCO. Practice head Yazan Saoudi and Omar Omar are ‘well versed in local and international maritime laws’.

Within TMT, Al Tamimi & Company is a first tier firm,

Led by David Yates, Al Tamimi & Company’s TMT practice spans the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar offices, and its Arabic-speaking capability makes it a desirable resource among regional clients, including Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, which it advised on the operation of the Yas Marina Circuit. Philip Brazeau departed for an in-house position.