Justin Carroll

Senior Associate at Al Tamimi & Co

Justin Carroll is a Senior Associate in the Transport and Insurance practice in Dubai. Justin is also a member of the Healthcare group.

Justin has practiced insurance law for over 10 years.  Justin’s practice includes acting for and advising GCC and multinational companies based in the UAE on insurance coverage, regulatory compliance and policy interpretation with a particular focus on the aviation and transportation industry.  Justin also regularly acts for UAE and multinational insurers operating in the UAE in subrogated recovery actions.

Naief Yahia

Partner at Al Tamimi & Co

Naief Yahia joined Al Tamimi & Company in 2009.  He is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Department. Naief has been working in Dubai since 2006 with two of the local firms before he joined Al Tamimi & Company. He gained experience in various areas of practice (including: construction and commercial, banking, property and corporate related matters). He received his Bachelor of Law degree from Cairo University, English Section. Naief uses his wide knowledge of local laws, commercial and legal acumen and practical experience to the best of his abilities in conducting all commercial and civil litigation cases with the commercial reality and the clients’ interest in mind.

Naief is heading up the construction litigation team in our Dubai office. In his role, he acted and advised major construction players in the region in relation to highly complex construction disputes before local courts and arbitral tribunals. He regularly provide expert’s evidence on construction local law issues in international arbitration concerning cross-border and landmark construction disputes.

In addition, Naief is also leading our banking litigation practice in our Dubai office and regularly advises many local and international banks on all types of banking disputes in the region. In this role, he acted as the lead lawyer in securing the first successful judgments issued by the Dubai Courts in relation to foreclosure cases under both conventional and Islamic finance arrangements.

Dino Wilkinson

Partner, Clyde & Co Abu Dhabi LLP

Dino is recognised as one of the leading technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) lawyers in the Middle East. He has more than ten years’ experience of advising clients throughout the region on a range of transactional and advisory TMT matters, including data protection and privacy, cyber and data risks, IT contracting, emerging technology regulation and related issues. Dino has also worked with regional governments and regulators on a number of significant legislative developments in this area, including the drafting of electronic commerce laws, data sharing policies and privacy legislation. Dino is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers Global 2020 for TMT, with one source praising him as “the leading expert on [privacy and data protection] subjects in Dubai.”

Ali Al Hashimi

Managing Partner of Global Advocates, Dubai

Mr. Ali Al Hashimi is a UAE National and is licensed to appear before all UAE Courts as well as the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) Courts. Mr. Al Hashimi received his Bachelor of Law degree from the Dubai Police College while concurrently working for the Dubai Police. He obtained his Master of LLM Degree from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. specializing in International Banking and Securities Law.

Mr. Al Hashimi possesses a deep understanding of the financial markets and sectors in the Gulf region and also understands how the interplay of global financial markets can affect business transactions in the UAE. His experience includes over 21 years of high stake commercial litigation and legal consultation acting on behalf of high profile local and international clients.

Mr. Al Hashimi is also a member of the DIFCA Legislation Committee (LegCo). Sits as an Arbitrator in different Arbitration proceedings whether Ad Hoc or Institutions. Also is often asked to act as a legal expert in Arbitrations and before the Courts. Was an ex-member of the Arbitration Tribunal of the Appeal and Cassation stages of the UAE Football Association. Mr. Al Hashimi is fluent in Arabic, English and Hindi.

Mr. Al Hashimi’ s areas of specialization includes: Civil & Commercial Litigations, Banking and Securities, Commercial/Corporate Transactions, Real Estate Disputes & Transactions, and Arbitration.

Sarah Kadhum

Associate, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP

Sarah is an Associate with the Corporate and M&A Practice in our DIFC office in Dubai. She joined BSA in 2013, her principal areas of experience are in commercial contracts and corporate transactional work, including commercial agencies, distribution arrangements, franchising, cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions, corporate set-ups and restructuring, joint ventures, strategic investments and regulatory compliance.

She advises clients in a range of industries, including education, energy, healthcare, hospitality, IT, media, retail and technology.

Sarah holds an LLB (Hons) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK, and is admitted to the New York State Bar.

Rima Mrad

Partner, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP

Rima is a Partner with the Corporate and M&A Practice in our DIFC offices in Dubai. She is an experienced corporate and insurance lawyer who has practiced in the UAE for over fourteen years.

She specialises in advising insurance companies, corporate organisations, financial institutions, energy companies and private equity funds on a wide range of legal issues. These include M&A transactions, due diligence, commercial agreements, commercial related disputes, IT related transactions and various regulatory matters.

She has also advised and assisted international clients in developing their business throughout the GCC, particularly in relation to regulatory and compliance matters. She also provides employment advice to companies in relation to policies, structuring and breach of contract.

Rima was recently recognized by Financial News as the 50 Most Influential Women in the Middle East Finance – 2019

Rima holds a Masters Degree in Public Law and Sustainable Development Law from Universite Paris Descartes.

Adnan Doha

Senior Associate, King & Spalding

Adnan Doha has extensive experience in public and private mergers, acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, restructurings and corporate finance matters. A Senior Associate in King & Spalding’s award-winning Middle East Corporate, Finance and Investment group with significant cross border expertise, Adnan represents corporate, private equity and financial institution clients on a range of key strategic transactions. His sector focus spans consumer goods and retail, industrials, real estate, technology and e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality and leisure.

Prior to joining our firm, Adnan worked in the London office of Clifford Chance LLP for a decade, with a year on secondment to the Dubai office. Adnan has also spent time leading an Africa focussed private equity house working on a range of acquisitions, joint ventures and disposals from deal origination to deal execution.
Adnan has advised NBK Capital Partners on its investment in an e-commerce business operating in Kuwait and Egypt as well as Baker Hughes, a GE Company in its acquisition of a 5 per cent interest in ADNOC Drilling for an initial consideration of US$550 million, valuing ADNOC Drilling at US$11 billion. Adnan also advised Legal & General on its disposal of interests in UK shopping centres for £150m to a Japanese bank and subsequent joint venture arrangements.

Osama Audi

Partner, King & Spalding

Osama Audi specializes in private equity, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, complex corporate structuring, and corporate finance. As a partner in our award-winning Corporate, Finance and Investments Group.  Mr. Audi works with clients doing business in the Middle East and Africa, with a particular focus on the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

With region-specific expertise in mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate finance, Mr. Audi represents private equity and alternative investment funds, closely held businesses, multi-nationals and sovereign wealth funds in sectors such as consumer goods and retail, oil & gas, technology and e-commerce, healthcare, education, real estate, hospitality and leisure.

Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Audi worked in the Dubai office of Clifford Chance and, for approximately two-and-a-half years prior to that, was seconded to Clifford Chance’s partner-firm in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Al Jadaan & Partners Law Firm, where he focused his practice on mergers and acquisitions transactions, and the establishment and successful operation of joint ventures.

Previously, Mr. Audi worked with Istithmar, the private equity arm of the Dubai World sovereign wealth fund. There, he was a member of the international acquisitions group, focusing on real estate, hospitality and leisure acquisitions, and joint ventures.

Graham Lovett

Graham Lovett, Board Director, Dubai International Arbitration Centre

Graham leads the Middle East disputes practice of Akin Gump and specializes in high-value, complex and cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration. He regularly appears as an advocate before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts and sits as an arbitrator in both domestic and international arbitrations. Graham also appeared regularly before the Dubai World Tribunal, a specialist Court set up by Decree to hear cases involving Dubai World and its subsidiaries during its restructuring. He also sits as an arbitrator in both domestic and international arbitrations. In October 2021, His Highness the Ruler of Dubai appointed Graham as a director of the board of the recently expanded Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).

Mhairi Main Garcia

Partner, Dentons Dubai

Mhairi is a partner in Dentons’ Dubai office who specialises in UAE and energy and infrastructure projects, advising on project development, M&A and capital markets in the energy and infrastructure sectors. With over 21 years’ experience practicing in the Middle East, Mhairi’s expertise in renewable energy and infrastructure spans a range of utilities projects, including conventional power, wastewater, solar, wind, waste-to-energy, and upstream oil and gas. Predominantly acting for multi-national corporates, sponsors, lenders, contractors, infrastructure companies, high net worth individuals and public sector clients in numerous jurisdictions. Mhairi has also been an author to various publications such as MENA renewables- powering ahead. She is a member of the Clean Energy Business Council, Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Emirates Solar Industry Association, Law Society of England and Wales. Mhairi is also a registered legal consultant at Dubai Legal Affairs Department. She has advised on a number of award-winning and ground-breaking deals in the MENA region. Mhairi was recognised as the leading UAE- based international lawyer by Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) 2011.