ADG Legal > Dubai, United Arab Emirates > Firm Profile

ADG Legal > Firm Profile

The firm: One of the only UAE law firms to have a dedicated representative London office, ADG Legal (ADG) is a full-service Emirati firm, headquartered in Dubai. It also has an office in Alexandria, Egypt.

ADG works hard to promote and develop Emirati talent. It also employs a collaborative approach, working hard to discover, develop and cement relationships with other high calibre lawyers and professionals worldwide. The firm then combines in-depth local knowledge with international expertise and provides responsive and bespoke legal services and strategic advice both directly to its own clients and to foreign law firms.

Established following the 2017 merger of Mohammed Al Dahbashi Advocates and Kingsgrove Partners, the firm is proud of its experienced and diverse team (including Emirati, British, Egyptian, Australian, Sudanese, and Kazakhstan members).

ADG’s aim is to continue to develop and connect exceptional local and international legal talent for the benefit of the region and beyond. Local and international clients as well as foreign law firms regularly commend ADG for its responsive, clear and commercial advice

Areas of practice: ADG is a full-service firm.

ADG offers clients the full spectrum of corporate services and commercial advice, for on-shore and offshore companies, partnerships, sole traders and free zones. By way of example, the firm drafted distribution agreements for a new shopping centre in Dubai, advised the Emirati partner of a major fast food outlet on renegotiating contracts with the company, and advised a Qatari authority in relation to acquisition of assets valued at QR 6.7bn.

The firm’s dispute resolution team is committed to resolving disputes (regional and international) in the most efficient and practical manner.  The firm’s advocates have full rights of audience before all UAE courts (including the DIFC Court), free zone authorities and tribunals.  Many of the firm’s lawyers have vast experience in dispute resolution beyond the UAE. The firm has also built up a network of leading firms and individuals in numerous other jurisdictions, enabling ADG to provide a seamless dispute resolution service for all clients, regardless of jurisdiction.

In the area of financial crime, ADG has the capability to effectively assist with internal, forensic and criminal investigations. The firm has particular expertise in obtaining and defending applications for freezing orders in local and foreign jurisdictions. ADG has in-depth understanding of the regulatory environment and of regulatory bodies in the UAE and MENA.

ADG also provides strategic advice and consultancy services to a wide range of clients, including governments. By way of example, ADG advised the Puntland State of Somalia in negotiations with P&O Ports for the $400m Bosaso Port Project.

ADG’s lawyers have vast experience relating to construction and infrastructure projects across multiple jurisdictions, including the UAE, DIFC, MENA region, Europe and East Africa. Experience ranges from acting for a high-net-worth individual in a dispute with a co-investor in an Abu Dhabi property project to advising a Bahraini bank in litigation concerning a $150m real estate development contract in Dubai.

ADG has extensive experience in defending criminal charges in the UAE. Whether a UAE or foreign national, the firm seeks to protect clients’ interests and rights, and guides them through understandably difficult times with compassion, understanding and sensitivity.

For clients with family-related matters, ADG is able to provide expert advice and guidance. From wealth management and succession planning to inheritance disputes, divorce and custody matters, ADG provides responsive and clear advice.

Lawyer Profiles

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Walid Abu El Matty	Associate	View Profile
	Jaber Al Ameeri	Senior Associate	View Profile
	Mohammed Al Dahbashi	Managing Partner	View Profile
	Ahmed Al Kotby	Partner	View Profile
	Paul Bugingo	Partner	View Profile
	Francesco Bulleri	Senior Associate	View Profile
	John Leopoldo Fiorilla Di Santa Croce	Of Counsel	View Profile
	Abdelmaguid Fouad	Associate	View Profile
	Abdulrahman Junaid	Partner	View Profile
	Josh Kemp	Partner	View Profile
	Scott Lambert	Partner	View Profile
	John Podgore	Partner – Head of Transactional Practice	View Profile

Spotlights

COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE AND M&A

Commercial disputes across the globe are becoming increasingly onerous to navigate. International business expansions and cross-border transactions carry risks of complexity, increased corporate scrutiny, and changing geopolitical and regulatory environments. Whilst clients look to proactively mitigate their risks, the attending stakes can be significant for businesses with potential global impact.

Complex commercial disputes can often present an array of serious profitability, reputation, and sometimes existential issues for businesses. Our approach is straightforward: understanding the dispute, proactively working with the client to provide tailor-made strategies, and then implementing them to achieve the desired outcomes. Recognizing that business objectives can evolve (and sometimes rapidly), we keep flexibility at the core of our approach.

From the onset of a dispute through to its resolution, we employ bespoke and creative dispute resolution strategies, often leading to satisfactory outcomes. Once retained, we work with our clients to immediately identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case. Our commercial disputes team takes an integrated approach from the very earliest stage to assess risk, with or without other professional advisors (as necessary), enabling our clients to avoid a costly dispute. Our integrated practice structures enable our commercial disputes team to collaborate with our non-contentious lawyers for providing our clients with strong support, regardless of their location.

Our team is committed to resolving complex commercial disputes (regional and international) efficiently and practically, whether it be litigation, arbitration, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Our lawyers have full rights of audience before all UAE courts (including the DIFC Court), free zone authorities, and tribunals. We have also carefully curated a network of leading firms and individuals in numerous other jurisdictions, enabling us to provide a seamless dispute resolution service for all clients, regardless of jurisdiction.

Be it complex trans-national or high-stakes regional disputes, our lawyers attend to each client’s case focused on strategies that will yield the most optimal outcome. With our wide international and regional network of partners, we ensure to take into due consideration all aspects of the matter, including the prospects of successful enforcement. In doing so, our commercial disputes lawyers regularly represent clients on mandates involving asset tracing and asset recovery, mutual legal assistance, and other national or international barriers to enforcement.

Our experience also extends to assisting our clients with formulating and implementing ingenious strategies in alternative dispute resolution and out-of-court settlements. Our lawyers both prevent and resolve disputes by providing practical, creative, and cost-effective advice to achieve our client’s strategic and commercial objectives.

Our commercial disputes team, of high-caliber and dynamic lawyers from international and local backgrounds, is known for its expertise in banking and finance, construction and infrastructure, real estate, intellectual property, insolvency and bankruptcy, product liability, joint venture, and shareholder disputes.