Legal500

DLA Piper Middle East LLP

PENTHOUSE, C2 BUILDING, AL BATEEN PO BOX 109950, ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

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What we say about this firm…
What the firm says…

What we say about the firm's legal practice in United Arab Emirates

Banking and finance

Peter Somekh and Debbie Barbour relocated to DLA Piper Middle East LLP’s Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices, giving it debt restructuring and project finance expertise locally, and a team that is ‘knowledgeable, informed and on point’. Highlights included advising Al Safwa and Lafarge as project sponsors on the shari’ah-compliant project financing of a cement plant in Saudi Arabia.

Construction

Within Construction, DLA Piper LLP is a third tier firm,

DLA Piper Middle East LLP’s team of ‘smart and dynamic litigators’ represent clients such as Aldar Properties and the Roads and Transport Authority Dubai.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, tier 5

Despite Simon Davidson’s relocation to Australia, DLA Piper Middle East LLP’s streamlined corporate practice still had an active year on regional transactions. It advised Accenture on its acquisition of a majority interest in an IT consultancy and services business in Saudi Arabia. Murad Abida heads the team.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

Jim Delkousis’ contentious practice at DLA Piper Middle East LLP had another busy year, advising clients before the DIFC and QFC courts in commercial disputes and contentious regulatory matters and governmental affairs. It recruited shipping litigation specialist Stephen Ballantine and senior legal consultant Wissam Dagher, who has Arabic law expertise.

Intellectual property

Within Intellectual property, DLA Piper LLP is a third tier firm,

DLA Piper Middle East LLP fields an IP team that is ‘well staffed with lawyers from different cultural backgrounds monitored by experienced partners’, and collectively it delivers ‘a highly responsive, timely, sophisticated, accurate and localised’ service. Highlights included advising Averda International on its global brand protection strategy. The team also continues to advise Irdeto Access BV in contentious and piracy issues throughout the Middle East and South Asia region. In 2011, Ken Dearsley was appointed practice head and Paul Allen was promoted to partner following Matt Glynn’s move to Hong Kong and Joycia Young’s departure to Clyde & Co LLP. Senior legal consultant Bachir Abouchakra is recommended for his ‘strong knowledge of local laws’.

Real estate

Within Real estate, DLA Piper LLP is a second tier firm,

DLA Piper Middle East LLP’s two-partner real estate team has ‘impressive local knowledge’ and provides ‘prompt and polite responses’. Hospitality and leisure continues to be a strong focus for the team, which in 2011 acted for Gulf Related LP, a joint venture between Gulf Capital and The Related Companies, on its acquisition of The Galleria at Sowwah Square, a 33,000sq m retail and restaurant complex in Abu Dhabi. Tom O’Grady heads the practice, and is supported by Abu Dhabi based Duncan Pickering.

TMT

Within TMT, DLA Piper LLP is a first tier firm,

DLA Piper Middle East LLP’s TMT practice is ‘excellent, with on-the-ground local law knowledge that many other international firms lack’, despite Matt Glynn’s relocation to Hong Kong. Ken Dearsley now heads the Middle East IP and TMT practice, and newly promoted partner Paul Allen is valued for his ‘responsiveness, commerciality and client-facing approach’. Clients include Accenture, Etihad Airways and Infosys.

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Legal Developments by:
DLA Piper LLP

Sentencing guidelines for corporate manslaughter

In February 2010 the Sentencing Guidelines Council (the SGC) issued definitive guidelines to courts on imposing appropriate sentences for corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences causing death. The SGC states that fines imposed on companies found guilty of corporate manslaughter should not fall below £500,000, while fines in respect of health and safety offences that are a significant cause of death should be at least £100,000. Crucially, the SGC declined to provide for a fixed link between the imposed fine and the turnover or profitability of the offending company. 

- DLA Piper UK LLP

Legal Developments in United Arab Emirates

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Summary Of The Draft Bankruptcy Law

by Richard Catling - r.catling@tamimi.com

- Al Tamimi & Company
Data Protection and Privacy Issues in the Middle East

by Nick O'Connell - n.oconnell@tamimi.com

- Al Tamimi & Company
CORPORATE REAL ESTATE - United Arab Emirates

Shahram Safai, Arsalan Shaikh, Andrew Yule, Christopher Linwood and Omar Ayad Afridi & Angell

- Afridi & Angell
ANTI-CORRUPTION COMPLIANCE IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

International businesses must devote ever increasing resources to avoid involvement in anti-corruption offences. Of course, for decades the strict provisions of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, have applied to American corporations, defined broadly to include entities whose securities are listed on American stock markets. These provisions have led to many non-U.S. corporations being caught in FCPA violations.

- Afridi & Angell
United Arab Emirates

Haider K Afridi and Chatura Randeniya Afridi & Angell

- Afridi & Angell
Mediation – Bridging the Gulf

Few things are as certain as disputes in construction projects. The Middle East has been, and will continue to be, a hub for construction activity.

- Eversheds
Expansion of DIFC Court Jurisdiction

The Dubai Government recently issued Law No. 16 of 2011 on Amending Some Provisions of Law No. 12 of 2004 Concerning the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts (the “Law”). The effect of the Law is that it significantly expands the jurisdiction of the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”) courts. In addition to providing parties with no connection to the DIFC the option of resolving disputes through the DIFC courts, the Law also opens up the possibility of avoiding the UAE court system and allowing parties to opt for an English-based, common law court.

- Eversheds
Towards a Law on Online Service Providers’ Liability in the UAE

I was recently asked, on two occasions within one week, to advise on online service providers’ (“OSP”) liability in connection with copyright infringing material.

- Eversheds
Enforcement of Foreign Awards in the UAE: A U-Turn Ahead?

Gordon Blanke and Soraya Corm-Bakhos, Arbitration department, Habib Al Mulla & Company It is commonplace in international arbitration theory that an arbitral award is not worth the paper it is written on unless it is easily enforceable. Unfortunately, enforceability is not always a given in international arbitration practice. Enforcement of foreign awards in the UAE may serve as an instructive example.

- Habib Al Mulla & Company
Brief Overview of UAE Legal System

The UAE Judiciary operates under a civil law system which is largely influenced by Islamic and European civil law; also, civil matters between Muslims are governed by Shariah law. In addition to subject-specific legislation which covers a variety of matters, the UAE has also adopted commercial and civil codes.

- Emirates Advocates