Sherif Hikal

Practice Areas

Sherif Hikal is one of the UAE's most prolific and respected litigators. Over more than 25 years of practice in the UAE and Egypt, he has personally tried over 500 cases across the full spectrum of UAE courts — a record that places him in a very small category of senior practitioners who combine strategic depth with sustained, hands-on courtroom output at the highest levels. LegalCommunity MENA named Sherif Lawyer of the Year — Litigation in 2025, and Business Today listed him among the Top 10 UAE Dispute Resolution Lawyers.

Sherif's practice spans general commercial disputes, company and shareholder litigation, insolvency and restructuring, construction, real estate, shipping, banking, and white-collar crime. His banking practice is particularly exceptional: he has acted for major international and local HSBC in more than 40 cases (combined claims exceeding USD 250 million), and for National Bank of Fujairah, Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Noor Bank and Standard Chartered. He led a six-bank simultaneous coordination in the Union National Bank matter, demonstrating the commercial and logistical sophistication that complex multi-creditor situations demand.

Selected Client Recognition

“Sherif Hikal is highly responsive, commercially minded and excellent on complex disputes.” — Chambers Global 2026

“Sherif is a strategic litigator who combines technical strength with practical advice.” — Chambers Global 2026

“Sherif Hikal is extremely knowledgeable, dependable and a pleasure to work with.” — Legal 500 EMEA 2026

“An outstanding practitioner with strong advocacy skills and excellent client service.” — Legal 500 EMEA 2026

Sherif has specialist knowledge in the areas of company disputes, banking, Islamic finance disputes, insolvency and liquidation regimes. He was an ad-hoc litigation practitioners’ committee who reviewed the related draft local laws, which puts his clients at a considerable advantage in understanding the laws and their application given them recently coming into force.

Before founding OGH Legal, Sherif Hikal headed up litigation teams at two of the largest local law firms in the UAE, consecutively.

Career

Before co-founding OGH Legal, Sherif consecutively headed litigation teams at leading regional and local firms - building a market-wide reputation as a senior heavyweight litigator and a widely respected mentor to the next generation of UAE practitioners. He served on the ad-hoc practitioners' committee that reviewed and provided formal input on UAE banking and insolvency legislation prior to promulgation, giving him a depth of legislative understanding that is unique among private practitioners.

Professional Memberships

Egyptian Bar Association

Egyptian Society of International Law