Interview with: Ayman Abu Sharkh, Senior Partner

Senior Partner Ayman Abu Sharkh outlines how the firm is responding to emerging regulatory demands and aligning its services with evolving client priorities across all practice areas.

 

What do you see as the main points that differentiate Abu Sharkh & Shammout from your competitors?

 Abu Sharkh & Shammout stands out through a firm-wide commitment to proactive legal alignment with client strategy. Rather than addressing legal issues in isolation, we work across all departments to provide integrated solutions that support long-term business continuity. Our unified structure allows for coordination between corporate, regulatory, dispute resolution, and commercial teams. This ensures that every matter is handled with sector-specific insight, legal precision, and operational efficiency.

 

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

 The rapid development of the legal sector has made digital legal services an essential requirement. With the growing number of laws related to data, privacy, and cybercrime, regulatory compliance has become a key concern for companies. There is increasing demand for internal policies and procedures that ensure customer data protection and align with legal frameworks. This has shifted the role of law firms toward guiding clients through preventive legal strategies that minimise risk and regulatory exposure. Intellectual property is also expected to grow significantly, as it becomes a strategic asset for companies operating in the era of digital innovation. The key drivers behind the growth of these practices are accelerating technological developments, including artificial intelligence and digital transformation, as well as new legislation introduced to keep pace with those changes. Clients, whether individuals or companies, now require more sophisticated legal expertise to remain compliant and competitive.

 

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

We have restructured the firm to operate through a fully digital platform for case and workflow management. This change has streamlined our operations across all departments, enhanced internal coordination, and improved the speed and clarity of communication with clients. In parallel, we established dedicated legal units focused on key sectors, allowing us to provide anticipatory legal advice rather than reactive support.

 

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Technology has changed how we engage with clients across every practice area. Digital collaboration tools now allow for secure and efficient communication, including contract sharing, consultations, and case tracking. Internally, our team uses digital tools to improve workflow, document accuracy, and deadline management. Clients expect this level of access and responsiveness, and our systems ensure we consistently meet that expectation.

 

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

We supported a client seeking to expand into a foreign market that imposed nationality-based restrictions on company formation and the registration of commercial agencies. These restrictions initially prevented the client from registering its agency rights under its own name. After detailed legal analysis and engagement with the relevant authorities, we secured a legal interpretation confirming that if a foreign investor establishes a local company in accordance with national laws, that company is entitled to register commercial agencies in its own name regardless of the shareholder’s nationality. This outcome enabled the client to enter the market while retaining full agency rights, significantly increasing the long-term commercial value of its operations.

 

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Clients increasingly seek law firms that offer both consistency and foresight. They rely on us not only for legal accuracy but also for informed judgment in navigating market shifts and regulatory change. In the next three years, Abu Sharkh & Shammout aims to expand its institutional advisory capacity, grow its cross-border client base, and continue delivering sector-driven legal solutions that align with national and regional development agendas.