Afridi & Angell > Dubai, United Arab Emirates > Firm Profile
Afridi & Angell Offices
JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, OFFICE TOWER, LEVEL 35
SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD
PO BOX 9371, DUBAI
United Arab Emirates
Afridi & Angell > The Legal 500 Rankings
United Arab Emirates > Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation Tier 2
Afridi & Angell Legal Consultants has a team of 'great commercial litigators' with expertise in acting in commercial and financial litigation, as well as DIFC-specific litigation and construction-related arbitration. Practice head Haider Afridi has 'vast experience' handling disputes in the automotive, construction, real estate, and financial services sectors. Chatura Randeniya focuses on dispute resolution in the financial services and shipping space and Stuart Walker is another key name for financial services disputes. Senior associates Mevan Bandara and Sulakshana Senanayake are also noted.Practice head(s):
Haider Afridi
Other key lawyers:
Chatura Randeniya; Stuart Walker; Mevan Bandara; Sulakshana Senanayake
Testimonials
‘Great commercial litigators – very switched on and very responsive to clients.’
‘Stuart Walker: excellent commercial judgement, knows which points are worth taking and how to present them attractively to the Court.’
‘Sulakshana Senanayake: an excellent senior associate who works exceptionally hard and is always responsive to client needs.’
‘Haider Afridi is very calm in his approach, yet sharp in understanding the nuances of the case before him. His vast experience enables him to think out of the box, yet be practical in his advise to his clients.’
‘Best combination of competence and service delivery.’
‘Both partners and associates are very responsive and open the client ideas and suggestions. Dispute ownership is very real. Proactive considerations and strategy.’
Work highlights
- Representing on a pro-bono basis the parents of a baby born prematurely in an AED43 million medical negligence case against a Dubai-based hospital.
- Acting for an American manufacturer of large electric vehicles in the US proceedings in obtaining a judgement from the DIFC Courts.
United Arab Emirates > Employment Tier 2
Afridi & Angell focuses on employer side representation and typically handles cases that involve wrongful termination and fraudulent activities. Company restructurings and whistleblowing are key areas of focus on the firm’s non-contentious side. Charles Laubach heads the practice and is very ‘practical in his approach‘; many of his clients are in the public, automotive, energy and aviation sectors. Stuart Walker is also noted and advises on both the employer and employee sides of contentious matters.Practice head(s):
Charles Laubach
Other key lawyers:
Stuart Walker; Sulakshana Senanayake
Testimonials
‘The firm is not large but very responsive, knowledgeable and cost-effective.’
‘Charles Laubach is very seasoned, practical in his approach and always available. He brings an American sensibility and responsiveness to the firm, which is not always common in the UAE.’
United Arab Emirates > Real estate Tier 2
Afridi & Angell‘s real estate team is particularly known for its work in the hospitality space. Practice head Shahram Safai is a ‘stellar lawyer‘ and is ‘razor sharp‘; he handles all aspects of real estate transactions, from sale and purchase agreements to construction agreements. Anna White left the firm.Practice head(s):
Shahram Safai
Testimonials
‘They are hands on and well versed in their individual fields and provide well researched options and consolidated advice, which enables the company to make quicker decisions.’
‘Shahram Safai – sound knowledge of the market in his field.’
‘Afridi & Angell as a team are always well organized, accurate as per market and very supportive for our business. Also, the team has great knowledge in Real Estate and Arbitration.’
‘Afridi & Angell is one of the most established law firms in the UAE. They are known throughout the country at most levels of government and business..’
‘Shahram Safai has impressed us again and again, year over year. He is a stellar lawyer.’
‘Shahram Safai – Highly knowledgeable of real estate laws but also of government policies that effect our business. He predicts most major legal trends, advises us and prepares us strategically for what is to come.’
‘Shahram Safai understands the business of real estate, is razor sharp and as a legal advisor he is practical, value driven and to the point.’
‘Shahram is at the top of his game. A true star in the legal industry, a pleasure to work with. We are proud to work with him.’
United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Corporate finance (including Islamic lending) Tier 3
Afridi & Angell has a full service banking and finance practice and advises on matters relating to structured finance, acquisition finance, Islamic finance, project finance and regulatory work. Senior consultant Amjad Ali Khan co-heads the practice alongside Bashir Ahmed, who specialises in loan and credit facilities, syndications, Islamic finance and regulatory matters. Senior associate Rahat Dar is also noted and has expertise in Islamic and conventional financing structures.Practice head(s):
Bashir Ahmed; Amjad Ali Khan
Other key lawyers:
United Arab Emirates > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 3
Afridi & Angell is a ‘solid independent firm‘ with an experienced M&A, joint ventures and private equity transactional practice. Bashir Amed, who combines his transactional work with advising on competition matters, and Charles Laubach, who also handles government procurement matters, are the practice heads. Danielle Lobo is the go-to contact for private equity transactions. Senior associates Abdus Samad and Silva Pretorius are also noted.Practice head(s):
Bashir Ahmed; Charles Laubach
Other key lawyers:
James Bowden; Danielle Lobo; Abdus Samad; Silva Pretorius
Testimonials
‘Solid independent firm.’
‘Amjad Ali Khan – most helpful and competent.’
Work highlights
- Advised Bee’ah on its joint venture with Polygreen Limited.
- Advised Dubal Holding LLC on the acquisition of a 60 per cent stake in OSE Industries.
- Advised Almarai Company on its acquisition of frozen bakery manufacturer and producer Bakemart in the UAE and Bahrain.
United Arab Emirates > Infrastructure and projects (including project finance) Tier 3
Afridi & Angell has in-depth knowledge of the power sector and frequently acts as project counsel on large-scale projects. Masood Afridi specialises in project finance and has expertise advising on projects involving power generation and transmission, mining, and oil and gas. Senior associate Adite Aloke is also noted and frequently advises sponsors on the development, investment and financing of renewable energy and utilities projects.Practice head(s):
Masood Afridi
Other key lawyers:
Adite Aloke
Testimonials
‘Core competency and experience in power projects (IPPs) differentiates them from other firms. Our experience is generally good with people in the firm, there have been changes at certain levels, however, there is continuity.’
‘At partner level, we primarily deal with Masood Afridi; his exposure to the IPP sector clearly differentiates him from others. We also appreciate his collaborative approach as you have at times multiple legal firms working on a given transaction and or projects (if you have multiple stakeholders).’
‘Adite Aloke is another resource we have been dealing with, very diligent and thorough with her work.’
‘What makes Masood Afridi unique in his field is his ability to review the many documents in a project and to identify discrepancies that, if unnoticed, might damage the viability of the project.’
‘What makes Masood Afridi indispensable to my projects is his ability to find solutions to problems which other attorneys might deem project killers. I cannot express the comfort that it gives me to know that Mr. Afridi is looking after my project.’
‘Commercial, market specific expertise in the regional infra space combined with deep understanding/knowledge of subsectors (wind, solar, distributed generation, etc) sets the team apart from other firms who it seems operate at a more generic level and are followers to Afridi Angell in developing their practices.’
‘Ability to bridge legal and commercial elements easily is the main quality – the value-add is a lot more than competitors I have worked with. Access, speed of work and attentiveness to details are also factors that enhanced my reliance on the individuals I worked with.’
Work highlights
- Advising Marubeni Corporation on the development and financing of the Fujairah F3 Independent Power Project.
- Advising Emirates District Cooling LLC (Emicool) on its district cooling plant for the Expo 2020 site.
- Advising Emirates District Cooling LLC (Emicool) on the establishment of a district cooling plant for the Fujairah Business Centre.
United Arab Emirates > Shipping Tier 3
Afridi & Angell showcases particular experience in advising clients on ship financing and M&A transactions. Maritime disputes are another key area of focus and the team has expertise handling collisions and cargo claims. Managing partner Bashir Ahmed and Chatura Randeniya advise ship owners and P&I Clubs, dry docks and ship repair companies on a range of shipping mandates.Practice head(s):
Bashir Ahmed
Other key lawyers:
Chatura Randeniya
Work highlights
- Advised at least half a dozen ship owners and operators, as well as bunker suppliers, on claims filed by the bunker suppliers seeking to obtain payment by arresting or threatening to arrest the vessels as a consequence of the financial collapse of the OW Bunker Group in November 2014.
Afridi & Angell > Firm Profile
The firm: Afridi & Angell is a leading full-service law firm in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The firm was set up in 1975. Its lawyers are trained in international jurisdictions and bring with them international experience and the world’s business languages. The firm’s clients range in size and sophistication from start-ups to some of the region’s largest public and private companies and government institutions.
Afridi & Angell is the exclusive member firm for the UAE of a number of the top legal networks and associations, most notably Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent law firms with preferred access to more than 21,000 lawyers in 100+ countries worldwide. Afridi & Angell is also a member of World Services Group (WSG). The WSG network brings together more than 19,000 professionals in almost 400 offices spanning 100 countries globally.
Areas of practice
Banking and finance: Afridi & Angell’s banking and finance practice is recognised as one of the strongest and most experienced in the region. Clients include domestic and international banks, financial institutions, borrowers and investors. The firm regularly advises on project finance transactions, structured finance, capital markets, investment products, acquisition finance, Islamic finance, asset finance and structuring, trade, consumer and treasury products.
Commercial, corporate and M&A: Afridi & Angell’s full-service corporate/commercial practice covers the full range of matters from M&A, joint ventures, private equity transactions, funds and corporate restructurings to general day-to-day corporate matters. The team has been involved in transactions of every size and scope in various industry sectors and is renowned for handling first-time and innovative transactions.
Energy, infrastructure and project finance: The infrastructure and project finance team sets the pace for the energy industry in the region. The firm has successfully advised stakeholders on all aspects of infrastructure projects from inception to financing and implementation, often in challenging circumstances. Many of the projects on which the team has advised have been groundbreaking in terms of the particular type of infrastructure in question and the financing backing the project.
Dispute resolution: Afridi & Angell’s dispute resolution team is recognised as one of the strongest in the UAE. It represents clients in civil and criminal matters with a number of lawyers having advocacy rights to appear before the DIFC Courts. In the local courts, the team assists and coordinates litigations with local advocates to develop strategies, evaluate facts and formulate legal positions for clients in the enforcement of awards and judgments. The firm also represents clients in international and ad hoc arbitrations.
Real estate: The real estate team’s in-depth understanding of the legal and business environments in the UAE and the region, combined with its strong relationships with government authorities, enables it to provide commercially astute and trusted advice to clients. The team regularly represents master developers, sub-developers, property owners, architects, engineers, contractors and government entities in all stages of the real estate and construction processes.
Shipping: Afridi & Angell’s shipping practice is one of the most established and reputable practices in the region. It represents and advises ship owners, P&I Clubs, dry docks, freight forwarders, courier companies, and banks. The firm advises on arrest of vessels, shipbuilding contracts, cargo claims, and regulation including environmental regulation relating to or affecting transportation.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking and finance | Amjad Ali Khan | akhan@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Banking and finance | Bashir Ahmed | bahmed@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Capital markets | Stuart Walker | swalker@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Corporate and M&A | Amjad Ali Khan | akhan@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Corporate and M&A | Charles S Laubach | claubach@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Corporate and M&A | Bashir Ahmed | bahmed@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Corporate and M&A | James Bowden | jbowden@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Corporate and M&A | Danielle Lobo | dlobo@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Employment | Charles S Laubach | claubach@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Employment | Stuart Walker | swalker@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Energy | Masood K Afridi | mafridi@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Financial services regulation | Stuart Walker | swalker@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Financial services regulation | Amjad Ali Khan | akhan@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Infrastructure and project finance | Charles S Laubach | claubach@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Infrastructure and project finance | Masood K Afridi | mafridi@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Insurance | Amjad Ali Khan | akhan@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Insurance | Bashir Ahmed | bahmed@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Litigation support and arbitration | Haider K Afridi | hafridi@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Litigation support and arbitration | Chatura Randeniya | crandeniya@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Maritime and transport | Bashir Ahmed | bahmed@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Maritime and transport | Chatura Randeniya | crandeniya@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Private equity | Danielle Lobo | dlobo@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Privatisation | Charles S Laubach | claubach@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Privatisation | Masood K Afridi | mafridi@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Real estate, venture capital | Shahram Safai | ssafai@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Restructuring | Charles S Laubach | claubach@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Restructuring | Bashir Ahmed | bahmed@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Restructuring | James Bowden | jbowden@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
| Sports, entertainment and media | Masood K Afridi | mafridi@afridi-angell.com | +971 4 330 3900 |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 30 at this office : 26Languages
Afrikaans Arabic English Farsi French Hindi Japanese Sinhalese UrduMemberships
Lex Mundi World Services GroupOther
Other offices : Abu Dhabi Other offices : Sharjah Other offices : Dubai International Financial CentrePress Releases
Afridi & Angell Announces New Partners
4th February 2019DUBAI - Monday 14 January 2019 - Afridi & Angell is pleased to announce that Chatura Randeniya and Danielle Lobo have been admitted to the partnership, effective 1 November 2018.
Afridi & Angell receives honourable mentions at The Oath Middle East Legal Awards 2018
3rd January 2019DUBAI - Sunday 16 December 2018 - At The Oath Middle East Legal Awards on Wednesday 5 December 2018, Afridi & Angell received multiple honourable mentions including Regional Law Firm of the Year, Banking & Finance Team of the Year, and Employment Team of the Year.
Significant Precedents from the DIFC Courts
12th November 2018Historic precedents from the DIFC Courts after Afridi & Angell successfully defended an anti-suit injunction, an application to exclude evidence and obtained a document production order.
Legal Developments
DIFC Workplace Savings Scheme (with effect from 1 February 2020)
17th January 2020 On 14 January 2020, the Employment Law Amendment Law (DIFC Law 4 of 2020) and the Employment Regulations (the Amendment) were enacted. The Amendment introduces a new mandatory workplace savings scheme, which replaces the current end-of-service gratuity regime. The new scheme commences on 1 February 2020.Slightly more clarity: Economic Substance Regulations in the DIFC
23rd December 2019 The DIFC has provided slightly more clarity as to how UAE Cabinet Decision 31 of 2019 (the Economic Substance Regulations, or ESR) will apply within Dubai's financial free zone. Helpful as the guidance is, significant questions remain.The use of experts in the UAE municipal courts: Seven things you need to know
13th December 2019 1. There is a high possibility that you will have to present your case to an expert: Although the appointment of experts is more likely in technical disputes (e.g. maritime disputes, construction disputes, etc.), it is increasingly common for the UAE courts to refer disputes which, on the face of it do not require expert assistance, to experts.Regulatory Authorities of UAE Economic Substance Regulations announced
12th November 2019 Further to our previous inBrief dated 7 July 2019, which disucssed UAE Cabinet Resolution 31 of 2019 Concerning Economic Substance Regulations (the UAE Economic Substance Regulations or the Regulations), and inBrief dated 10 October 2019, which discussed the Guidance on UAE Economic Substance Regulations issued by the UAE Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2019 has now designated the regulatory authorities (the Regulatory Authorities) to regulate compliance with the UAE Economic Substance Regulations.UAE Ministry of Finance Issues Guidance on Economic Substance Regulations
12th November 2019 A previous inBrief dated 7 July 2019 discussed UAE Cabinet Resolution 31 of 2019 Concerning Economic Substance Regulations (the UAE Economic Substance Regulations or the Regulations).Emirates Development Bank appointed to maintain Register of Finance Leases
12th November 2019 Pursuant to UAE Federal Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2019, Emirates Development Bank has been appointed to maintain the register of finance lease contracts created pursuant to UAE Federal Law No. 8 of 2018 on Finance Lease (the Finance Lease Law or the Law).New Administrative Fines Imposed by the UAE Insurance Authority
11th March 2019On 6 January 2019, UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 7 of 2019 Concerning the Administrative Fines Imposed by the Insurance Authority was published in the UAE Official Gazette, which lists a total of 204 items that are considered to be violations by the Insurance Authority and their corresponding penalties. This resolution will come into force on 6 April 2019 and will apply to any person, company or insurance-related professional that commits any of the violations listed in the resolution.
New Long Term Residency Visas
19th February 2019After much media coverage, Cabinet Decision 56 of 2018 (the Decision) has been gazetted which introduces new long term residency visas to, amongst others, four categories of persons in the UAE.
Significant Changes to Civil Procedure Code
19th February 2019Significant changes to Federal Law No 11 of 1992 (the Civil Procedure Code) will soon be coming into effect. These changes are introduced through regulations (the Regulations ) issued under the Civil Procedure Code and will come into effect on 16 February 2019.
Merger Clearance Matters
19th February 2019The United Arab Emirates (the UAE) promulgated legislation to specifically address the regulation of competition (being Federal Law 4 of 2012, or the Competition Law) several years ago but until recently, it has been the case that the requisite implementing regulations and processes were not in place. This is no longer the case. Not only have the much anticipated implementing regulations been issued, the UAE Ministry of Economy (the Ministry) (being the regulator in charge of administering the UAE competition regime) has now formed the required committee and issued the anticipated guidance and forms to allow concerned parties to make merger clearance submissions to the Ministry where required to do so pursuant to the Competition Law.
New Promotion Regime for Domestic Funds
4th February 2019In late November 2018, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) announced that they had reached agreement on facilitating the licensing of domestic funds by each authority for promotion across the UAE.
Federal Penal Code Amendments
3rd January 2019In the latest development in an eventful year, Federal Decree-Law 24 of 2018 introduces amendments to the Federal Penal Code, originally enacted as Federal Law 3 of 1987.
The amendments are designed to make the Penal Code consistent with other recent federal legislation and current federal enforcement policies. Only ten provisions of the statute have been affected, out of the more than 400 total articles contained in the statute.
Click here for more information.
New Anti-Money Laundering Law
10th December 2018 The new anti-money laundering (AML) law of the UAE took effect at the end of October 2018. Containing features recommended by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the new law introduces subtle but important changes to the AML landscape in the UAE.Confidentiality Under Renewed Focus
10th December 2018The UAE federal government has recently issued a raft of important legislation, addressing and in many ways updating areas of law that are key to businesses in the jurisdiction. Amongst this legislation is Federal Decree-Law 14 of 2018 concerning the central bank and the organisation of financial institutions and activities (the New Banking Law) and Federal Decree-Law 20 of 2018 concerning anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing (the New AML Law). Both the New Banking Law and the New AML Law repeal and replace the previous legislation on their respective subjects. Importantly, the New Banking Law and the New AML Law have together enhanced the protection afforded to confidential information under UAE law, in particular where financial and legal service providers and their customers and clients are concerned.
Read more...The New Foreign Direct Investment Law
14th November 2018News on the new federal law on foreign direct investment in the UAE has many people asking: Does this mean I can now form a new company with majority foreign ownership?
The answer is the same as previously, "No, not yet". Read more...
ADGM Announces Tech Start-Up Licensing Regime
13th November 2018The Abu Dhabi Global Market (the ADGM) recently announced the launch of a commercial license specifically catered towards tech start-ups that allows entrepreneurs to obtain an operational license in the ADGM and access to a Professional Services Support Program aimed at allowing entrepreneurs entry to a community of businesses, financial services and professional advisors. Read more...
Application for an Anti-Suit Injunction: Dismissed
13th November 2018Legal update on the dismissal of the anti-suit injunction in the groundbreaking DIFC case of ED&F Man Capital Markets MENA Ltd v RJ O'Brien MENA Capital Ltd (and others). Read more...
New Services by Dubai Rental Disputes Centre
13th November 2018On 8 October, the Rental Disputes Centre in Dubai launched the Rental Good Conduct Certificate service.
Netting arrangements in Qualified Financial Contracts made enforceable
12th November 2018Federal Decree-Law 10 of 2018 on Netting (the Netting Law) was published in the UAE Federal Gazette on 30 September 2018 and will take effect on 30 October 2018 (the Effective Date). It is a significant development to the derivatives framework in the UAE, in terms of both the legal enforceability of such arrangements and the ability to implement close-out netting (i.e., netting of obligations following an event of default or termination event), particularly following the bankruptcy of one of the parties.