Robert Whitehead

Practice Areas

Maritime Disputes

Property Disputes

Professional Negligence

Regulatory Disputes

Shareholder Disputes

Corporate and Commercial Disputes

Civil Fraud

Technology and Construction Disputes

Banking Disputes

Intellectual Property Disputes

Career

2008 – 2010 Business Consultant

Senior Business Consultant, CSG Talent

2010 - 2012 Trainee Solicitor, Clarion Solicitors

2012 – 2014 Junior Solicitor, SAS Daniels LLP

2014 – 2016 Solicitor, BLM (merged with Clyde & Co)

2016 – 2017 Associate, Clyde & Co

2017 – 2019 Associate, KBH

2019 – 2020 Mid-Level Associate, Global Advocacy & Legal Counsel

2020 – 2025 Head of Department and Partner Hamdan Al Shamsi Law Firm

2023 Arbitrator, Dubai International Arbitration Centre

2024 Arbitrator, Russian International Arbitration Centre

Professional Memberships

2004 Alumni Member, Grey College, Durham University

2007 Alumni Member, York College of Law

2018 Member, Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department

2021 Member, BNI Emperor, Dubai

2022 Member, MCIArb Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

2022 Member, Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution

2023 Member of AIJA

2024 ICC Member

Publications

“The New DIFC Amendment Laws for 2024”, HAS Law Firm, 18 March 2024.

“Out of Time? Limitation Claims in the UAE”, Chambers and Partners, published on 01 December 2023.

“Litigation Dispute Resolution – Comparative Guide”, Mondaq, in collaboration with Hamdan Al Shamsi, published in May 2023

“Lending to a Company in the UAE: Regulatory Issues”, Practical Law Company, published on 01 April 2023.

“Legal Consultants in the UAE – Trends in Litigation and Arbitration”, Gulf News, published on 31 October 2022.

“Recognition and Enforcement in Insolvency Proceedings – an Onshore and Offshore”, in collaboration with 4 Stone Buildings, published on 21 June 2022.

“Changes to the UAE Arbitration Landscape”, Mondaq, published on 17 February 2022.

“Enforcing Arbitration Awards and Foreign Judgments in the UAE”, Lexis Middle East, published on 18 October 2021.

“Interim Measures in Arbitration in the UAE”, Gulf News / GN Focus, published on 24 May 2021.

“UAE Arbitration”, Gulf News / GN Focus, published on 24 May 2021.

“The Re: NMC Healthcare Decision”, the Oath, published on 30 April 2021.

“DIFC Data Protection Law – Actions Required by Businesses”, Global Law Experts, published on 25 November 2020.

“How the UAE Became a Hub for Arbitration”, Gulf News, published on 15 November 2020.

“Interim Measures in Arbitration”, Emirati News, published in 2021.

Work Highlights

Acting for a leading financial services entity in a claim for USD 90 million based on fraud allegations made in DIFC proceedings relating to equity commitment letters filed in support of a “go private” bid to acquire a global internet gaming company, Amaya Inc: KBC Aldini Capital Ltd v. (1) David Baazov (2) Canaccord Genuity Corp [2017] DIFC CFI 002 (14 October 2018)

Acting for the liquidators of various DIFC and US companies in successfully resisting a jurisdiction challenge brought by a Swiss bank in resisting claims by the liquidators to have certain pledges made by fraudulent directors declared invalid: (1) Orion Holdings Overseas Ltd (2) Orion Global Financial Services LLC (3) Orion Capital Ltd v (1) Mohammed Abdel Khaleq Mohammad (2) Nidal Abdel Khaleq Mohammad (3) Privatbank Ihag Zurich AG [2015] DIFC CFI 033 (8 February 2018)

Acting and advising a former Managing Director following a DIFC Court judgment that was secured in the Court of First Instance in respect of the Article 18 penalty provision under the DIFC Employment Law (CFI-015-2014 Asif Hakim Adil -v- Frontline Development Partners Limited).

Advising an international businessman regarding the existence of a lease of two units named LP5 and LP6 within Limestone House, DIFC: Vegie Bar LLC v Emirates National Bank of Dubai Properties Pjsc [2016] DIFC CFI 009

Acting for the Claimants’ seeking to Re-Amend its Particulars of Claim pursuant to Rule 18.2(2) of the DIFC Courts (Ilyas Gaffar Saboowaka v (1) Soman Kuniyath Kunjunni Nair (2) Mini Soman Thoruvil Veluthedrath (3) RAG Foodstuff Trading LLC – CFI-037-2017)

Acting for the Defendants in an application for the hearing of a preliminary issue in respect of the applicability of Article 40(2) of the Law of Damages and Remedies (DIFC Law No. 7 of 2005) to the case and a challenge to the jurisdiction of the DIFC Courts to hear and determine the claimant’s claim for damages for breach of contract (Tavira Securities Limited v (1) Re Point Ventures FZCO (2) Jai Narain Gupta (3) Mayank Kumar (4) Saroj Gupta – CFI-026-2017)

Representing an international businessman in claims for defamation, trespass, and nuisance in separate multi-track claims before the Vice Chancellor in the Technology and Construction Courts.

Advising a Fortune 500 multinational corporate conglomerate in a complex multi-party claim against an electrical contractor.

Industry Sector Expertise

• Banking & Financial Institutes

• Consumer Goods & Retail

• Education

• Energy & Infrastructure

• Food & Beverage

• Hospitality & Leisure

• Insurance

• Maritime, Shipping and Logistics

• Real Estate & Construction

• TMT

Languages Spoken

English

Education

Awards