ADG Legal

Managing Partner of ADG Legal’s Abu Dhabi office, David McCoy, explains the firm’s reasons for opening in Abu Dhabi and his plans for expansion over the next three years. What do you see as the main points that differentiate ADG Legal from your competitors? ADG Legal is known by its ability to bridge UAE legal complexities with international client expectations through a fully integrated disputes practice. Our Dispute Resolution team combines strong local capability with international legal standards, supported by a balanced group of local and international lawyers, including practitioners trained at leading US and Magic Circle firms. This enables us to deliver advice that is both technically strong and commercially practical. Our practice covers UAE onshore litigation, arbitration, and international litigation, with a focus on high value and strategically significant disputes where legal issues are closely linked to commercial, operational, and reputational risk. We are regularly instructed on shareholder and joint venture disputes, board and management liability claims, contractual and financial disputes, and enforcement and asset recovery matters. This approach is particularly effective in the UAE, where disputes often involve both onshore and offshore elements, multiple stakeholders, and parallel proceedings. Clients usually need joined-up solutions rather than separate advice from different firms. Our structure allows us to manage forum analysis, procedural positioning, evidentiary strategy, and cross-border workstreams in a consistent and efficient manner, giving clients clear direction and effective representation across the full dispute lifecycle.   Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that? The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) will remain a significant driver of legal demand over the next 12 months. Its continued growth is already generating increased activity in funds, employment, and court related matters. Arbitration is also likely to expand, particularly in the digital assets sector. Following changes to Binance’s terms of use mandating ADGM arbitration, we expect more disputes to move into private forums. That reflects a broader market preference for confidentiality, specialist tribunals, and procedural flexibility. Green finance is another area to watch. Capital is increasingly sensitive to sustainability themes, and institutions are responding accordingly. That trend is likely to create further demand for advice linked to climate finance and investment structures.   What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients? The most significant recent development was the opening of our Abu Dhabi office two years ago. It reflected a clear market reality: clients operating in the capital increasingly wanted advisers with a genuine local presence. We now have 10 full time lawyers based in Abu Dhabi, including Emirati and international lawyers with UK and US qualifications. That investment has strengthened our ability to advise clients on the ground, closer to key institutions and decision makers. It has also supported strong growth, with double digit year on year performance since launch. Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them? Technology has materially changed how legal services are delivered. Secure messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram have made communication faster, more direct, and more practical, especially in cross border matters involving multiple advisers. That speed is particularly important in disputes, where strategy can shift quickly and urgent relief may be required.  Artificial intelligence is also beginning to influence delivery models across the profession. Like many firms, we are integrating AI into our systems and training our lawyers to use it effectively. The real value lies in improving efficiency while preserving the quality of legal judgment.  ADG Legal has invested in technology that enhances delivery rather than replacing judgment. AI assisted research and case management tools have reduced research and documentation time, while integrated workflows across offices support efficient handling of multi jurisdictional mandates. For clients, this results in faster response times, greater predictability, and uninterrupted service on complex matters.   Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business? We approach client relationships as long term partnerships built on consistency, responsiveness, and a clear understanding of each client’s business operations. Every engagement is led by a dedicated relationship partner who remains actively involved throughout, ensuring continuity, accountability, and clear communication. Our teams are then structured to match the scale and nature of each mandate, enabling efficient management of transactions, disputes, projects, and ongoing advisory work. This approach often allows us to identify wider legal and commercial issues beyond the immediate scope of instruction. For example, while representing a client in an employment dispute connected to a larger commercial arbitration, we identified that the underlying issue had arisen from weaknesses in the drafting of the client’s standard employment contracts. We subsequently carried out a broader review of its employment documentation, identified further areas of risk, and revised the relevant contracts and related agreements to strengthen protections and reduce future exposure. Given the client’s multi-jurisdictional operations, the updated templates were implemented across several offices, subject to local legal requirements. To our knowledge, the issue has not reoccurred. We complement this work with tailored training, targeted legal updates, and early issue spotting to help clients anticipate risks and opportunities. Our advice is commercially focused, clearly delivered, and supported by direct access to senior lawyers who understand the client’s priorities.   Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time? Clients increasingly expect their law firms to offer more than technical advice. They value consistency, commercial judgment, and advisers who understand broader business priorities. ADG Legal has grown significantly over the last five years and now has more than 120 employees across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Egypt. The next stage should be disciplined growth rather than growth for its own sake. We continue to assess opportunities in jurisdictions such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but expansion must be justified by client demand and strategic fit. In Abu Dhabi, our focus is to continue building on the momentum already established, including outgrowing our current office and doubling revenue within the next three years.

Partner Francesco Bulleri discusses how ADG Legal combines local expertise with international transactional experience to support businesses operating in the UAE and across the wider region.   What do you see as the main points that differentiate ADG Legal from your competitors? What distinguishes ADG Legal is the way we combine strong local foundations with international experience. In the UAE legal market, many firms tend to sit at one end of the spectrum. Some are international firms operating through regional offices, while others are domestic firms focused primarily on local mandates. Our model sits somewhere between those two approaches. We are a UAE‑headquartered firm with Emirati partners and lawyers who understand the legal and regulatory environment here in a very practical way. At the same time, a number of our lawyers trained and worked in international law firms or multinational organisations across Europe, Asia and Africa. That combination allows us to support businesses both locally and on cross‑border matters. It means we understand the regulatory and commercial realities of the UAE while also being familiar with how international transactions are structured. In practice, we often act as a bridge between the local regulatory framework and the expectations of international investors entering the region. A significant part of our work involves supporting international businesses establishing or expanding their operations in the UAE. Our Corporate team reflects that international perspective. The team spans more than 11 jurisdictions and collectively speaks more than 11 languages, which is particularly helpful when advising on regional investments and cross‑border transactions. Across the wider firm we also bring together lawyers and professionals from 25 nationalities, collectively speaking more than 20 languages, with varied cultural and legal backgrounds allowing us to better serve our clients, particularly in the UAE’s multicultural environment, which hosts so many nationalities. Clients also value the way our services are organised internally. Our corporate lawyers work closely with our notary and corporate services teams, allowing us to assist clients from the initial structuring stage through to company formation and project implementation. Having those capabilities working closely together tends to make transactions easier to manage and more efficient overall. Our focus is always on advice that works in practice for the client’s business.   Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that? The UAE continues to attract international investment, and that is reflected in the type of work we are seeing. Venture capital and technology transactions remain particularly active. The country has become increasingly attractive to founders, venture funds and technology companies, particularly in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence and digital platforms. This is creating steady demand for advice on investment structuring, shareholder arrangements and regional expansion. Cross‑border mergers and acquisitions are also continuing to grow. Many investors from Europe and Asia are using the UAE as a base for entering markets across the Middle East and Africa. More broadly, we are seeing investors increasingly view the UAE as a stable platform for regional expansion. This is leading to more sophisticated transactions that involve multiple jurisdictions and regulatory considerations. We are also seeing a rise in regulatory advisory work in developing sectors such as consumer products, hospitality concepts and digital services. As these industries expand, companies often need guidance on navigating evolving regulatory frameworks. Much of this activity reflects the continued internationalisation of the UAE economy and the increasing complexity of transactions taking place in the region.   What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients?  In recent years we have focused on strengthening the senior leadership within our corporate practice. We have expanded the team with senior lawyers who bring experience from leading international law firms and multinational corporations. This has broadened our capabilities in areas such as cross‑border M&A, venture capital transactions and infrastructure and energy projects. For businesses operating in the region, the ability to access that level of international transactional experience within a locally embedded firm can be very valuable. We have also worked to improve coordination across the firm. Our corporate lawyers collaborate closely with colleagues in dispute resolution, regulatory advisory and corporate services. This allows us to support clients more effectively across the full lifecycle of a transaction or investment.   Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them? Technology is certainly changing the way law firms interact with clients and manage legal work. We have implemented cloud‑based practice management systems and secure client portals that allow clients to access documents, monitor the progress of matters and communicate with the team in real time. For businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions, this level of accessibility can be very helpful. We are also exploring the use of artificial intelligence tools to support certain internal processes such as document review, knowledge management and legal research. These technologies can improve efficiency and allow lawyers to focus more of their time on analysis and client advice. At the same time, we approach the use of AI carefully, ensuring that any tools used by the firm are implemented responsibly and always under appropriate legal supervision. Virtual collaboration tools have also become a standard part of how transactions are managed. They make it easier for lawyers and clients in different locations to work together efficiently, particularly on cross‑border matters. At the same time, technology supports the delivery of legal services rather than replacing the human element. Legal judgement, experience and commercial understanding remain central to the value that lawyers provide.   Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?  A recent example involved advising an international investor entering the UAE through a joint venture with a regional partner. Our role went beyond drafting the agreements. We worked closely with the investor to structure the joint venture in a way that balanced regulatory compliance, operational control and long‑term flexibility. This included designing the governance framework, setting out shareholder rights and decision‑making processes, and considering potential exit options from the outset. We also guided the client through the regulatory process and coordinated with our corporate services team to ensure that the operational structure could be implemented smoothly. By approaching the transaction from a broader commercial perspective, we were able to establish a structure that mitigated potential risks while supporting the investor’s long‑term plans in the region.   Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time? Many clients are looking for advisers who can offer stability and clear judgement. Businesses today operate in an environment shaped by rapid technological change, evolving regulation and geopolitical uncertainty. In this context, clients increasingly value lawyers who can add far more than a strict interpretation of the law. They seek advisers who understand the commercial landscape and can help them navigate decisions in a structured, pragmatic way, particularly when operating across multiple jurisdictions. Over the next three years, I see ADG Legal further strengthening its position as a leading UAE‑headquartered firm with an international outlook. Our focus will remain on developing exceptional legal talent, deepening our expertise in areas such as technology, venture capital and international investment, and continuing to enhance the way we deliver our services through improved systems and stronger internal coordination. At the same time, we remain committed to the principles that have shaped the firm: strong local foundations, diverse leadership, and practical legal advice aligned with the commercial objectives of the businesses we assist.