United Arab Emirates > Dispute resolution: local litigation > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Al Tamimi & Company, which 'has a very dedicated team that pulls all extra efforts into reaching the desired objectives and adds value through technical knowledge', handles all manner of commercial litigation from offices in several Emirates. Zafer Oghli, who leads the firm's team in Sharjah, represented Dana Gas in the Sharjah elements of its well-known and high-profile global dispute in which it sought to annul a sukuk, alleging that it was in violation of UAE public policy and Shari'ah principles. In the Dubai office, Naief Yahia acted for Ahli United Bank in foreclosure proceedings, securing the sale of 29 plots of land for a total of AED320m. Senior partner Essam Al Tamimi is also involved in shareholder litigation, among other matters. Regional litigation co-heads Hassan Arab and Hussein Eisa Shiri are other notable names in the Dubai office. Mohamed Al Marzouqi heads the firm's litigation team in Abu Dhabi, and represented Al Dar Properties in a case concerning the collapse of a two-year-old building, securing a judgment against the main contractor and consultant for AED 195m. Ayen Biar (who is 'excellent in terms of communication, evaluation of issues and implementing strategy') in Abu Dhabi and Hussain Abdel Ghaffar in Dubai, both qualified in Sudan, are notable senior associates. Tarek Shrayh is now a partner at Fletcher Day in London.

Hadef & Partners LLC represents clients in a diverse range of litigation - it is 'able to deal with both civil and criminal cases, with very well-connected local partners who are able to understand local approaches and provide valuable strategic advice'. Abdulrahman Juma shares leadership of the practice with Omar Al Shaikh; Juma's caseload includes civil fraud and customs matters crossing over with internal investigations, as well as matters such as shareholder disputes and trade mark litigation. Mohammed Al Dhaheri also handles civil fraud matters. Walid Azzam is another key contact - he has experience in cases involving challenging asset tracing issues. Omar Al Heloo has a focus on construction litigation. Khaled Al Hayyas, who is qualified in the UAE, and Dina Mahdi, who is admitted in Ontario, were recently promoted to the partnership. Khalid El Derderi is a notable senior associate.

Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla covers the full range of UAE law litigation, including employment disputes, debt recovery and property litigation. Andrew Mackenzie - a new hire from Hogan Lovells (Middle East) LLP and now heading the arbitration team - is acting for Rotana Media Group in Dubai Court proceedings over its recruitment of broadcaster Olga Fares from MBC in Lebanon. Mohamed El Khatib, who is qualified in Egypt, heads the firm's UAE litigation practice; his workload includes fraud cases and various other civil litigation. Mohammad Al Shraideh has banking litigation expertise and represents HSBC in a case against a solar company in Fujairah to recover over AED100m. Habib Al Mulla is the firm's managing partner and the key UAE-qualified lawyer in the practice; his caseload includes internal investigations work. Tarek Saad is notable for insurance work.

Galadari, Advocates & Legal Consultants is, for some, 'a top-flight local practice with genuine expertise in local litigation'. Abdulla Galadari is 'one of the UAE's stand-out lawyers - his expertise justifiably means he is the lawyer many international firms turn to when they require it'; he defended two individuals in a number of financial crime cases brought by over 15 banks alleging over a billion dirhams of fraud; the relevant documents were found to have been forged by their employees. Ahmed Galadari is another notable member of the team and his work includes debt recovery litigation. Ziad Galadari acts for government-backed clients, among others.

Al-Kabban Advocates & Legal Consultants has 'a team of professional lawyers with a very good grasp of different areas of law'. Reyadh Al Kabban has 'strong expertise in criminal and civil cases' - he represented a private client in a dispute concerning the inheritance of his son, whose widow transferred the funds from his account into the matrimonial joint account on the day of his death. Real estate litigation and banking matters are another source of work. Senior legal consultant Mohammed Lamloum Ratieb is another key contact.

BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP's head of litigation Asim Ahmed is a name to note for construction litigation cases. The firm also has a track record handling commercial, clinical negligence and employment matters. Senior associate Mohammed Nedal Dajani is also active in the space.

At Fatma Al Mutawa Advocates and Legal Consultants, Talal al Qaisi represented MENA College of Management in a shareholder dispute, as well as handling a real estate finance matter for Middle East Real Estate Group. Fatma Al Mutawa is a key UAE-qualified lawyer. Construction litigation is another area of expertise. Notable clients also include Navigant Consulting, which the firm acts for in debt recovery claims.

Horizons & Co's managing partner Ali Al Zarooni is a key contact for local litigation work.