Eversheds Sutherland LLP > Dubai, United Arab Emirates > Firm Profile
Eversheds Sutherland LLP Offices

PO BOX 74980
EMAAR SQUARE - BUILDING 6
LEVEL 8, UNIT 803, BURJ KHALIFA
United Arab Emirates
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Eversheds Sutherland LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
United Arab Emirates > Dispute resolution: compliance and investigations Tier 2
Eversheds Sutherland LLP's Rebecca Copley heads the firm's corporate and investigations practice in the Middle East and has extensive experience advising on cross-border investigations. Key areas of focus for the practice are handling allegations of fraud and corruption. Senior associate Shibani Kapur has a strong background in regulatory enforcement, corporate crime and investigations.Practice head(s):
Rebecca Copley
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The Eversheds fraud team has a strong presence in the Middle East.’
‘They approach investigations with tenacity and quickly give clients the confidence that investigations will be conducted both thoroughly and fairly.’
Key clients
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC
United Arab Emirates > Employment Tier 2
The employment team at Eversheds Sutherland LLP is praised for its ‘personable‘ and ‘pragmatic‘ approach. Led by firm Abu Dhabi managing partner Geraldine Ahern, the practice represents a number of leading multinationals and has a broad scope of practice that includes business expansion, crisis management, redundancy and more. Ahern also heads the firm’s Middle East commercial offering; recent mandates have involved advising on the DIFC pension reforms. Former co-head Sarah Anderson has now left the firm.Practice head(s):
Geraldine Ahern
Testimonials
‘The team is personable and available above all else which makes working with them an absolute pleasure! Every matter is responded to with excellent time management, competence, comprehensiveness and practical critique, evidencing a personal understanding of the client’s unique concerns, capacity and commercial objectives.’
‘Always available, pragmatic, concise and personable! A real pleasure to work with.’
‘The team replies promptly and provide comprehensive answers based on our specific requirements.’
‘Eversheds is very competent. I have been working with Eversheds since 2019 and, based on the guidance received during this period, I trust they are a reliable source.’
United Arab Emirates > Real estate Tier 2
Eversheds Sutherland LLP has a broad real estate practice and has particular experience advising on fund investment and property development. Steven Henderson heads the practice following his arrival from Habib Al Mulla & Partners, a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International in early 2022. Melissa Younan and Kevin Fidler both left the firm.Practice head(s):
Steven Henderson
Testimonials
‘The team has proven to be very solid in their understanding of the different aspects of real estate which provides the clients with a comprehensive approach towards their matters.’
‘The team covers all aspects starting from ownership and tenancy relationships to licensing and regulatory aspects. The level of responsiveness was very good and consistent. The quality of the work product was very good in being straight forward and business friendly.’
Key clients
University of Central Lancashire
Emirates NBD REIT
Saudi Telecom Company
Heriot-Watt University
Gulf Islamic Investments
Arcapita
Regus
Birmingham City University
Jumeriah Group
Hilton Hotels
United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Financial services regulation Tier 3
Eversheds Sutherland LLP assists clients in the public and private sector with a range of regulatory investigations, from employee misconduct to criminal investigations. Rebecca Copley heads the practice and has expertise in dealing with regulators on cases with allegations of non-compliance. Clint Dempsey is another point of contact and heads the banking and finance practice. On the junior end, associate Gillian Flannighan is noted and is praised for her 'brilliant work-ethic'.Practice head(s):
Rebecca Copley
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The Eversheds team has an excellent practice acting for both banks and individuals. They are particularly well-known for enforcement of securitised borrowing in the Middle East, negotiating complex jurisdictional challenges with aplomb.’
‘Gillian Flannighan is an associate to watch for the future: a brilliant work-ethic and highly intelligent.’
Key clients
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC
United Arab Emirates > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 3
United Arab Emirates > Construction Tier 3
Eversheds Sutherland LLP has a full-service construction offering and has an experienced domestic and cross-border arbitration practice led by Paul Taylor. Taylor is the managing partner of the Dubai office and primarily focuses on construction and engineering disputes. Shalagh Massingham also has a broad international construction disputes practice. Abu Dhabi-based legal director Roberta Wertman is also noted. The team is praised by clients for its 'expertise, practicality and tenacity'.Practice head(s):
Paul Taylor; Shalagh Massingham
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Paul Taylor (managing partner of Dubai office) has been working in Dubai for many years and therefore has as much longevity & experience as any contemporaries in the market. He has built a successful award winning team in 3 years at Eversheds.’
‘Vast experienced in construction disputes, client oriented approach, very high level of thinking, close cooperation with the client and deep understanding of their needs, situation and prospects, which delivers very good integration with the client.’
‘Paul Taylor is great to work with and a clever lawyer.’
‘Paul Taylor and Roberta Wertman are a pleasure to work with, thoroughly recommended for their expertise, practicality and tenacity. Paul and Roberta possess immense depth of knowledge up and down the construction/engineering supply chain. Given a problem Paul and Roberta can work out a comfortable route to a solution from the outset, without diversions or back-tracing. Paul’s experience as an arbitrator also gives him the ability to consider a client’s case and expert evidence through the lens of the tribunal and potential opposition tactics.’
‘Paul Taylor – a truly excellent construction lawyer. Client friendly and provides advice in a clear and precise manner.’
‘A well drilled unit with great diversity mixing experience with youth. Communication second to none with robust practices and processes in place. Innovative online Eversheds case software makes it easy to track updates.’
United Arab Emirates > Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation Tier 3
Eversheds Sutherland LLP has substantial experience representing clients in local UAE, DIFC and ADGM courts. Rebecca Copley heads the firm's litigation offering in the Middle East and has extensive experience representing banks and financial institutions. Managing partner Paul Taylor heads the arbitration practice and focuses on construction-related work. Shalagh Massingham also specialises in construction and is a 'ferocious litigator'. Nasser Ali Khasawneh is the go-to contact for IP and TMT-related dispute resolution.Practice head(s):
Rebecca Copley; Nasser Ali Khasawneh; Paul Taylor; Shalagh Massingham
Testimonials
‘The disputes team at Eversheds has a really good reputation in arbitration and international litigation.’
‘They absorb a huge amount of complex and high value disputes across both the commercial and construction spheres, and are able to tap into an excellent international network.’
‘The quality of the team ultimately speaks for itself: their results for clients are never less than brilliant.’
‘Of real note is Shalagh Massingham, who is simply brilliant: a ferocious litigator with excellent judgement.’
‘The ability to provide practical, business orientated advice.‘
‘Shalagh Massingham – Focused partner who is happy to spend time to break down complex issues and explain the basics for those not that familiar with litigation. You get the impression that you are her only case, even when you know that’s not the case.‘
Key clients
Philip Morris International Management S.A. (PMI)
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC
United Arab Emirates > Infrastructure and projects (including project finance) Tier 3
The UAE energy and infrastructure practice at Eversheds Sutherland LLP is involved in a broad range of projects across the region, from clean energy projects to sewage treatment plants. Middle East head of projects Ashley Halewood has a wealth of experience in the petrochemicals, power and water space. Iwan Walters left the firm.Practice head(s):
Ashley Halewood
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Alfanar Energy Company
China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation
FCC Aqualia
International Water Distribution Company
Haji Abdullah Alireza & Co. LTD
Acciona
Al Ayuni Investment & Contracting Co
Tamasuk Holding Company
Alinma Bank
HSBC Saudi Arabia
Siemens Bank
Riyadh Bank
MUFG Bank
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Warba Bank
Voltalia
Qatar General Electricity and Water Co (Kahramaa)
Public Works Authority of Qatar
SABIC
Amaala
Red Sea Development
Marubeni Corporation
Al Jomaih Energy & Water Company Limited
Desert Technologies Industries Factory CJSC
United Arab Emirates > Intellectual property Tier 3
Eversheds Sutherland LLP's team is 'commercial' in its approach and has a broad practice that covers transactional matters, as well as litigation and arbitration. Nasser Ali Khasawneh co-heads the global TMT practice. Commercial practice head Geraldine Ahern has expertise advising on mandates involving agency, distribution and franchising issues. Principal associate Christine Khoury has a broad TMT and intellectual property practice.Practice head(s):
Nasser Ali Khasawneh
Other key lawyers:
Geraldine Ahern; Christine Khoury; Andrew Garbett
Testimonials
‘The swift turnaround with feedback and action always impresses me.’
‘The team is very commercial in their approach and take their time to understand my organisation and our needs.’
United Arab Emirates > TMT Tier 3
Eversheds Sutherland LLP has a global TMT offering that is ‘agile, efficient‘ and delivers with ‘exceptional speed‘. The team has a broad practice; from assisting multinationals with corporate TMT, to advising government entities on the regulatory framework. Practice head Nasser Ali Khasawneh has a ‘deep understanding‘ of the TMT sector, with experience advising a regional central bank on aspects of cryptocurrency regulations and governance. Principal associate Christine Khoury and associate Ricardo Christie are also noted. Erica Werneman Root is also noted.Practice head(s):
Nasser Ali Khasawneh
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The firm truly understands our business despite it being niche.’
‘They are able to deliver concise advice and with exceptional speed on any matter be it corporate, commercial, IP etc.’
‘They possess a great team working ability, i.e. able to efficiently liaise with different branches globally.’
‘Christine Khoury is our main contact point for all matters handled by Eversheds. She has all the qualities of a great lawyer in private practice. Responsive, meticulous, technically astute and proactive are just a few of her merits.’
‘Christine Khoury is different because she will never compromise on the quality of work or her integrity no matter how ridiculous our requests were. A definite value adding counsel.’
‘Eversheds team is always available, ready to help, agile, efficient and able to deliver a great work product.’
‘We often work against very tight deadlines and I am always impressed to see how Nasser allocates the right resources at very short notice and gives his personal time to make sure we move fast and deliver very high quality input to our stakeholders.’
‘They are curious to understand our business model, provide practical and concise advice that I can literally “plug and play” which alleviates a lot of strain on our in-house team.’
Key clients
Dimension 14
United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Corporate finance (including Islamic lending) Tier 4
Eversheds Sutherland LLP advises a range of domestic and international banks and has expertise in assisting clients with both the borrower and lender side. The practice has a strong focus on the renewable energy space and is regularly instructed by developers and lenders. Practice head Clint Dempsey focuses on project finance, trade finance, real estate and development finance and Islamic finance.Practice head(s):
Clint Dempsey
Testimonials
‘Overall I would call out Eversheds for being super responsive on our last transaction. The team fully aligned with the client side and we avoided the need for lengthy video calls to explain the commercial position.’
‘We worked primarily with Clint Dempsey. Clint was on hand at all times leading the team and his inputs gave us a high level of confidence that we had bankable documentation for an end-user start up.’
‘Quick response and efficient.’
‘Clint is very responsive.’
Key clients
Classic Fashion Apparel Ltd Co
HSBC Bank Middle East
Omnix International Co. LLC
Voltalia
Bank Julius Baer
Scatec
Rasmala Investment Bank
Rasmala Real Estate Fund
Qatar > Banking, finance and capital markets
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP demonstrates strong capabilities acting for borrowers and lenders on a myriad of complex shari’ah-compliant and conventional finance transactions. Its work in this space spans areas such as real estate finance, project finance, syndicated and bilateral loans, acquisition finance, trade finance and asset finance. Elsewhere, capital markets transactions are another key driver of mandates, as are fund structurings. Doha managing partner Dani Kabbani has been active in the local market for 25 years. Dubai-based partner Clint Dempsey is the overall head of the banking practice in the Middle East.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Samer Sarkis
Work highlights
- Advising Investment House (IH) on new acquisitions relating to its private equity fund, targeting Qatari investors in the alternative asset class of commercial shipping.
- Advising QInvest on a structured real estate acquisition for the purpose of acquiring six buildings from a Qatari listed entity.
- Advising IH on five series of issuance of a Shariah Global Certificate Programme involving a Shariah structured real estate acquisition of income generated offices in Europe.
Qatar > Dispute resolution
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP’s dispute resolution practice is now led by ‘excellent‘ legal director Alexander Whyatt, following the retirement of former head Richard Ward. Whyatt handles a steady stream of domestic and international construction disputes for clients operating in the industry in Qatar and across the Middle East. His experience includes arbitration (ICC, LCIA, QICCA), Qatar court litigation, expert determination and mediation. Elsewhere, other key contacts at the firm include managing partner Dani Kabbani and Dubai-based partner Shalagh Massingham.Practice head(s):
Alexander Whyatt
Other key lawyers:
Dani Kabbani
Testimonials
‘Alex Whyatt is a clever and hard-working lawyer. He produces excellent written work and is an engaging and effective advocate.’
Key clients
Qatar Foundation
Sidra Medicine
Qatar Free Zones Authority
China Gezhouba Group
Yuanda Aluminium Industry Engineering Company
Qatar Navigation (Milaha)
Mowasalat
United Bank Limited
Work highlights
- Close project support to Sidra Medicine’s in-house legal team, including assistance with contentious disputes and contract negotiations.
- Close project assistance to Qatar Free Zones Authority in contentious and noncontentious matters.
- Representation of Qatar Foundation in respect of a large industrial dispute.
Eversheds Sutherland LLP > Firm Profile
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration | Rebecca Copley | ||
Litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration | Nasser Ali Khasawneh | ||
Litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration | Paul D Taylor | ||
Litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration | Roberta Wertmen | ||
Banking and finance | Clint Dempsey | ||
Commercial | Geraldine Ahern | ||
Corporate and M&A | Zeid Hanania | ||
TMT | Nasser Ali Khasawneh | ||
TMT | Geraldine Ahern | ||
Construction | Paul D Taylor | ||
Construction | Roberta Wertman | ||
Corporate crimes and investigations | Rebecca Copley | ||
Employment and labour | Geraldine Ahern | ||
Energy | Clint Dempsey | ||
IP | Nasser Ali Khasawneh | ||
Antitrust and competition | Nasser Ali Khasawneh | ||
Regulatory and legislative advice | Nasser Ali Khasawneh | ||
Regulatory and legislative advice | Rebecca Copley | ||
Insurance | |||
Shipping | |||
Islamic finance | Clint Dempsey |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Maysoon Afyouni | Associate | View Profile |
![]() | Rebecca Copley | Partner | View Profile |
![]() | Erica Crosland | Associate | View Profile |
![]() | Clint Dempsey | Principal Associate | View Profile |
![]() | Zeid Hanania | Partner | View Profile |
![]() | Nasser Ali Khasawneh | Managing Partner Middle East | View Profile |
![]() | Atousa Mahmoudpour | Atousa’s main practice is corporate law and commercial law in the Middle… | View Profile |
![]() | Shalagh Massingham | Partner | View Profile |
![]() | Hani Nassef | Partner | View Profile |
![]() | Andrew Thomson | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 2,400+ in this country : 36Languages
Arabic Armenian Bulgarian Dutch English Farsi Filipino French German Hindi Latvian Malay Marathi Norwegian Polish Punjabi Russian Swedish Telugu UrduMemberships
Eversheds Sutherland the global law firm that sets the standardsOther
Other offices : Please see www.eversheds-sutherland.com for details of offices around the worldPress Releases
Eversheds Sutherland: Wenzel Röhsner has been admitted to the Vienna bar
26th April 2022 Wenzel Röhsner, LL.M. (29) has been admitted to the Vienna bar in March 2022 and appointed Legal Director at Eversheds Sutherland in Austria. He specializes in intellectual property and litigation law with a focus on tort, civil and corporate law.Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to announce the admission of Michael Röhsner to the Vienna bar
24th January 2022 Michael Röhsner, LL.M. (26) has been admitted to the Vienna bar in December 2021 and has been promoted to Legal Director at Eversheds Sutherland in Austria. He focuses on data protection, IT law and cybersecurity.Eversheds Sutherland berät Reconomy bei Übernahme der deutschen Noventiz-Grupp
7th January 2021 München, 10. Dezember 2020 - Die globale Wirtschaftskanzlei Eversheds Sutherland hat Reconomy, den führende Anbieter von Entsorgungs- und Rücknahmelösungen in Großbritannien, bei der Übernahme des deutschen Entsorgungsfachbetriebs Noventiz beraten. Verkäufer ist das deutsche PE-Haus SEAFORT Advisors.Legal Briefings
Corporate reorganisations: key considerations on a global reorganisation project
Robin Johnson, Christian Mense and Nicola Evans continue their series of papers on corporate reorganisations. In this article, they look at the key considerations on a multinational reorganisation project.The deal is done – what happens next?
In the third of their series of articles on corporate reorganisations, Robin Johnson, Christian Mense and Nicola Evans of Eversheds Sutherland consider what to do once an agreement is signed When a company buys a business or group of companies, a lot of work, time and cost goes into due diligence of the target. Due …Recent motives and trends for corporate reorganisations
In the fourth of their series of articles on corporate reorganisations, Robin Johnson, Christian Mense and Nicola Evans give on overview on the most recent motives and trends for corporate reorganisations.Why employers should engage more with employee mental health
For several years, employers have been urged to do more to look after the mental health of their workforce. Even before the pandemic, in January 2019, mental health at work was a primary discussion topic at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting accompanied by huge estimations of the financial impact, globally, in terms of lost …
Comparative Guides
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Sweden: International Arbitration
Published: November 2022
Authors: Jonas Löttiger Hans Forssell Kim Ödlund
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to International Arbitration laws and regulations that may occur in Sweden.
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Finland: Intellectual Property
Published: June 2022
Authors: Petteri Häkkänen Kati Rantala Lassi Lepistö Fanny Pajuniemi
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Intellectual Property laws and regulations that may occur in Finland.