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
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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
Primarily focused on employer-side representation but also handling some work for senior executives, Afridi & Angell handles compliance, immigration, and whistleblowing matters. Charles Laubach leads the team and is knowledgeable of the employment aspects of M&A as well as corporate restructuring. Stuart Walker is experienced in restrictive covenant disputes, while Sulakshana Senanayake and Nazim Hashim are other key team members.
United Arab Emirates > Commercial, corporate and M&A
Afridi & Angell fields a team of ‘experienced legal experts across all fields‘, advising on a diverse range of transactions – particularly in the manufacturing, logistics, and energy sectors. The firms broader offering encompasses data protection, digital assets, licensing and regulatory advice, as well as funds-related work. Leading the team alongside Charles Laubach is Bashir Ahmed who is well-placed to advise on corporate, commercial and regulatory instructions. Danielle Lobo is notably active on M&A and private equity transactions. Abdus Samad provides robust capabilities in tech, digital assets and venture capital transactions. Saurbh Kotahri and Stincy Joseph also come recommended.
United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Financial services regulation
Afridi & Angell has a long track record of providing multinational investment banks and financial service providers with legal opinions on the enforceability and validity their agreements and transactions with parties in the UAE, including termination and close-out netting provisions and title transfer collateral arrangements. The firm also advises on engagement with regulators and the development of financial products. Practice head Charles Laubach is lauded for his ‘commercial and client-oriented’ approach, while co-head Bashir Ahmed offers specialist advice on Shari’ah-compliant matters. Abdus Samad also comes recommended.
Lawyer Rankings
- Banking and finance: Financial services regulation United Arab Emirates
- Employment United Arab Emirates
- Commercial, corporate and M&A United Arab Emirates