Mr Charles Laubach > Afridi & Angell > Dubai, United Arab Emirates > Lawyer Profile
Afridi & Angell Offices
JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, OFFICE TOWER, LEVEL 35
SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD
PO BOX 9371, DUBAI
United Arab Emirates
- Firm Profile
- Go to...
Mr Charles Laubach
Work Department
Corporate and Commercial, Banking and Finance, International Trade Controls and Sanctions
Position
Partner
Career
Charles has been practicing as a legal consultant in the UAE since 1986. He advises on general corporate matters, contracts and government procurements, project finance, employment, and international trade controls.
Charles has been involved in numerous high monetary value financing and re-financing transactions. In addition, he provides specialised expertise regarding US, UN, and other sanctions, boycotts, and controls affecting exports to, investments in, and transactions with certain designated countries and with regard to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other bribery prohibitions.
Charles has an active project’s and project finance practice, dating back to the beginnings of the privatization of Abu Dhabi’s power and water sector in the 1990s, with the Taweelah A-1 and Taweelah A-2 projects, and including the first Sharia-compliant asset-backed securitization in the UAE. He also advises international defense contractors on legal matters in the UAE involving negotiation and performance of contracts with the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces, compliance with the “Khalifa Directive” and other integrity obligations, establishment of local offices for the support of programs with the GHQ and other customers, and assistance with offset programs, relying on experience gained since the creation of the UAE’s offset program in 1990.
Since the late 1990s, Charles has been the author of the standard industry UAE law opinions on the various financial agreements used by the ICMA and the ISLA, enabling ICMA and ISLA members to enter into complex financial transactions with counterparties in the UAE.
Charles is well versed in all aspects of UAE and DIFC employment matters and assists clients in preparing employment documentation, and advises on compensation schemes, incentive schemes, confidentiality and non-compete clauses, and workforce reduction programmes. He assists with the employment aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate restructurings, and handles contentious matters.
Languages
English, Arabic, Urdu, French
Memberships
- Pennsylvania Bar
- District of Columbia Bar
Lawyer Rankings
United Arab Emirates > Employment
Particularly active in company restructurings, team moves, and whistleblowing regulations, Afridi & Angell is noted for its capabilities in UAE labour law mandates. The practice is principally focused on employer side representation and is led by ‘seasoned professional and problem solver’ Charles Laubach, who is proficient in compensation schemes, the employment aspects of M&A, and workforce reduction programmes. Stuart Walker advises multinational entities on their UAE branch establishment and is a key contact for corporate and financial services clients. Sulakshana Senanayake is well-regarded for his experience in DIFC court litigation.
United Arab Emirates > Commercial, corporate and M&A
Afridi & Angell provides ‘tactical advice’ on agreements and disputes and also handles M&A, joint ventures and restructuring. Charles Laubach jointly leads the team alongside Bashir Ahmed, who has over 35 years of experience in the market and is a go-to for cross-border transactional matters. The ‘professional’ Danielle Lobo is chiefly noted for her work on private equity transactions, active on both the buyer and seller side. Abdus Samad is a key name for corporate advisory work.