Habib Al Mulla & Partners

Arbitration, ADGM and DIFC Litigation, Banking, Financial Services and Insolvency

Partner, ADGM and DIFC Litigation

William is one of the leading common law advocates in the Middle East. He has appeared in precedent setting cases including Sandra Holding in the DIFC, A17 v. B17 in the ADGM, as well as the first ever case in the DIFC’s Digital Economy Court.

He has represented major financial institutions, media and technology companies and various firms operating in the energy and marine sector. He has acted as counsel in arbitrations under various institutional rules and currently included on the Dubai International Arbitration Centre’s panel of arbitrators.

Representative Matters -  Injunctive Relief

• A17 v. B17 [2025] ADGM CFI 0001: Acted for international conglomerate in seeking to overturn $250 million freezing injunction made in support of an LCIA arbitral award. Case is the leading authority on the power of the ADGM Court to issue injunctions in support of foreign proceedings.

• NAATIQ v. NABEEH [2024] DIFC CFI 018: Acted for an international passenger airline in bringing an injunctionin the DIFC Courts to enforce an arbitration agreement. Dispute involved proceedings in the onshore Dubai Courts as well as an application to the Conflicts of Jurisdiction Tribunal. Personally appeared before Justice Rene Le Miere who delivered the first written judicial analysis of the effect of Decree 29 of 2024 and in doing so, effectively granted an anti-suit injunction in favour of the airline.

• Now Money v. Commercial Bank of Dubai [2024] DIFC DEC 001: Successfully obtained mandatory injunction from DIFC Courts requiring Commercial Bank of Dubai to keep thousands of prepaid debit cards used by low income workers operational. Personally appeared before Justice Michael Black KC in what was the first case heard before the Digital Economy Court.

• Selective Marine Services Limited v. Delta Offshore International FZE [2023] DIFC ARB 020-2023: Represented the claimant, the provider of services in the oil, gas and shipping industries, in obtaining a worldwide freezing order (USD 8,100,000) and proprietary injunction in support of an ongoing DIFC seated DIAC arbitration. The injunction prohibited the defendant from dealing with an oil rig registered under the flag of Panama until further order of court. Personally appeared before H.E. Justice Shamlan Al Sawalehi on 20 December 2023 to obtain the interim injunction. Responsible for drafting relevant affidavits, pleadings and skeleton argument.

• Sandra Holding v. Al Saleh [2021] DIFC CFI 092: Represented the defendants, four individuals from Kuwait, in application to vacate a freezing injunction issued by Justice Sir Jeremy Cooke in the sum of $45 million. Vacation application heard over two days in November 2022. Responsible for all oral and written advocacy, and made detailed submissions of the jurisdiction of the DIFC Court.

• Gulf Petrochem FZC LLC v. Petrochina International (Middle East) Company Limited [2023] DIFC CFI 040: Represented the Third Defendant, a member of the Intertek group of companies, in successfully setting aside a judgment in the sum of USD 10,553,253.29 on an emergency basis. The underlying dispute concentered the provision of two cargoes of fuel oil (high and low sulphur) to a company established in Singapore. Justice Rene Le Miere delivered a written judgment on 23 November 2023.

Representative Matters - Banking, Financial Services and Insolvency

• AMAN PJSC v. Abu Dhabi National Takaful Company PSC (ICC Case No. 29235/KFH): Represented for Abu Dhabi National Takaful Company in resisting a claim for specific performance of a portfolio transfer agreement (consisting of more than 10,000 policies) brought by AMAN PJSC. Arbitral tribunal consisted of Lara Hammoud (President), Hussam Sameer Al Talhuni and Alec Emmerson. Claim valued in excess of AED 37.5 million.

• MAD Atelier International v. Axel Manes [2022] DIFC CFI 030: Represented the receiver of a trading DIFC business in the apportionment of funds to creditors following a major asset sale.

• Bank of Baroda v. Neopharma [2020] DIFC CFI 043: Represented the defendant in a $24,254,022.92 corporate guarantee claim issued by a leading financial institution.

Representative Matters - Regulatory experience

• Elnaggar v. ADGM Registration Authority [2023] ADGM CFI 0016: Successfully represented the ADGM Authority in the first public law challenge of an administrative decision. Written judgment of Justice Stone outlines key duties of public regulators under ADGM law.

• Re Avadel Pharmaceuticals PLC 2017/59COS: represented the applicant company in a proposed €317 million reduction of share capital pursuant to section 85 of the Companies Act 2015. The application was necessitated because of a merger between Avadel and Flamel Technologies SA, a French incorporated public company listed on the NASDAQ.

English

St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom Bachelor of Arts in Law, June 2014 Master of Arts in Law, May 2019 Columbia College, Columbia University, New York, United States Bachelor of Arts (Cum Laude), May 2012 Major: History, specialising in Modern European History GPA: 3.87 (1st)