Karl Masi

Karl Masi specialises in complex cross-border financial crime disputes and investigations, usually involving allegations of fraud, corruption and dishonesty.

Karl is a barrister with over ten years’ experience advising individuals and corporates on a broad range of financial services, regulatory and white collar crime issues. These include matters related to regulators within the UAE (DFSA and FSRA) and multi-jurisdictional matters involving foreign agencies (SFO, DOJ, SEC, BaFin, OFAC and the FCA). He is experienced in large investigations into bribery and corruption, fraud, money laundering, as well as advising individuals on extradition and INTERPOL related matters (including Red Notices).  Karl has particular knowledge of whistleblowing investigations ( for both the individual and corporate) as he was previously seconded for a year to the Global Investigations team of an international investment bank advising on whistleblowing cases.

Karl has also acted in relation to criminal confiscation, civil asset recovery and related enforcement proceedings.

Prior to joining the Dubai office, Karl worked in London for a boutique Tier 1 Financial Crime firm, prior to which he practised at the UK Bar for seven years during which he was instructed as junior counsel to a Barclays’ derivatives trader charged by the SFO with conspiracy to manipulate LIBOR, and instructed as part of the FCA investigation into global FX trading.

Max Davis

Max specialises in complex, multi-jurisdictional disputes involving claims of civil fraud and asset recovery for High-Net-Worth individuals, liquidators, and corporates. His practice has a particular focus on digital assets. He is part of the team acting for the Claimants in the landmark cryptocurrency case that is listed for appeal in the DIFC in January 2024.

He has litigated in the courts of the DIFC and ADGM in the Middle East, in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council in England, and as far afield as in the Cayman Islands, Tanzania and Singapore. He also has extensive experience of complex multi-party LCIA arbitrations.

Max is a founder member of the Middle East chapter of the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery Group (CFAAR) and co-author of the UAE chapter of the Law Review’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Review. He regularly speaks and writes on all aspects of digital asset law and regulation across the Middle East.

Max is admitted to practise in England and Wales and before the courts of the DIFC and ADGM.

Caroline Greenwell

Caroline is a Partner in the commercial disputes and fraud team, who has substantial experience in complex, high profile and multijurisdictional disputes, and financial crime investigations.  The disputes she acts on typically involve breaches of contract and  misrepresentations, tortious / wrongful acts, civil fraud and asset tracing, and / or allegations of bribery and corruption; and regularly involve the need for injunctive relief which she has great experience in obtaining.

By way of illustration, Caroline defended corporate clients in the $9 billion AHAB / SAAD in which she was granted limited admission to the Cayman bar. She successfully defended a former employee of a multi-national oil company from high-profile allegations of bribery and corruption in Nigeria before the Milan Court of Appeal. She is currently acting for an individual in connection with the SFO’s prosecution of GPT and others involving allegations of bribery and corruption allegedly occurring in the contracts to supply telecommunications equipment to the Saudi Arabian National Guard. And she is bringing proceedings on behalf of liquidators of various companies against a bank for fraudulent trading in assisting a VAT carousel fraud in the carbon credit market.

Caroline is also one of the founding members of the network of fraud and asset recovering practitioners, ACROSS Fraud, and is a regular conference speaker and thought leadership author on issues of fraud, asset recovery, bribery and corruption.

Ben Jones

Ben Jones, Partner, Simmons & Simmons LLP 

Ben specializes in corporate restructuring and insolvency. His focus is on situations where businesses are distressed, providing strategic advice to boards and stakeholders.

Ben is a partner in our Restructuring and Special Situations team in London. He is experienced in advising in situations where companies are, or are likely to become, subject to formal insolvency proceedings, undertaking contingency planning and providing strategic advice to stakeholders, most recently in the airline, real estate and infrastructure sectors. He also has extensive experience in refinancings and distressed M&A.

Ben is named as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 and is a ranked lawyer in Chambers.

Chambers 2021 says: “Ben Jones is a true technician who has genuine expertise in cross-border restructurings and the offshore market. He is very quick to grasp the issues and find practical solutions. He’s a delight to deal with and very reassuring under pressure.” “He brings the same level of energy on issues whether small or big and he thinks about everything.”

Ben is a Fellow of INSOL International, a member of the International Insolvency Institute and IWIRC.

Sami Ben Dechiche

Sami Ben Dechiche, Managing Associate

Sami is a New York Bar qualified lawyer with over nine years’ experience in investment funds spent in Europe and the Middle East. He advises on fund structuring, including the drafting of funds relevant documentation such as private placement memoranda and limited partnership agreements, as well as on investments by private and institutional investors into regulated investment structures.

Matthias Ng

Matthias Ng, Associate

Matthias has a broad experience advising a variety of financial institutions on DIFC, ADGM and “Onshore UAE” regulatory issues, including banking, market infrastructure and payments related matters. Given the growth of the region’s virtual asset sector, he has also assisted a range of virtual asset service providers, such as exchanges, brokers and wallet providers, with navigating the complex virtual asset regulatory space in the UAE and across the GCC.

Nina Fischer,

Nina Fischer, Supervising Associate

Nina specialises in advising leading global asset managers on the provision of cross-border financial services across the GCC as well as advising on general UAE regulatory matters. In particular, her practice focuses on offering an integrated approach throughout the whole lifespan of investment funds, for example, from initial structuring advice, to fund formation, advising on fund raising activities and providing ongoing support throughout the life of the fund. She brings a diverse range of previous experience to Simmons’ Financial Markets team which goes beyond pure financial regulation and adds to the breadth of advice the team can provide.

Adam Wolstenholme

Adam Wolstenholme, Managing Associate

Adam specialises in advising clients on complex international, cross-border and sensitive areas of law, with a particular emphasis on financial crime and financial services regulatory matters. He has gained a strong background in the local and regional framework and practicalities that are vital to understanding the international and domestic sensitivities in the Middle East. He provides current and pragmatic advice on the region’s anti-money laundering legislation, boycott provisions, anti-bribery legislation, and sanctions regimes. In addition, Adam is regularly instructed to advise both local and international clients on the effects of the recent amendments to the UAE Penal Code and Human Resources Law and how they impact the anti-bribery framework in the UAE.

Muneer Khan

Muneer Khan, Regional Head, Partner

Muneer heads Simmons & Simmons’ award-winning Middle East financial markets and services regulatory practice, in addition to our international Islamic finance practice. He is also a member of our international FinTech team. He specialises in financial services regulatory matters and advises both regional and international financial institutions and asset management groups on a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters. In particular, Muneer helps international banks and asset management firms to navigate complex cross-border regulatory issues relating to the provision of financial services, including structuring and licensing issues, across the Middle East and the wider regions. Muneer also has significant experience and has recognised expertise in structuring a wide range of complex and innovative funds, financial products and services.