Dispute Resolution | Global

Al Tamimi is a leading regional law firm that acts on a variety of domestic and international disputes throughout the Middle East. It remains a respected presence in the region's courts, including those of the DIFC. The team acts for significant regional organisations including government entities, international financial institutions and multinational business conglomerates. It possesses a unique footprint across the Middle East, with teams of locally qualified lawyers in nine countries. It has strengths in cross-border litigation and arbitration, and advises on disputes occurring in a wide array of sectors, from shipping and construction to banking and insurance.

This firm is a significant presence in regional arbitration and is a major player in DIFC litigation. It is especially noted for its experience handling financial services and securities disputes, frequently representing major global investment banks. On the arbitration side, the firm is also active on investment treaty claims, and has a strong track record representing Middle Eastern states. In 2024, Allen & Overy is set to merge with US law firm Shearman & Sterling, giving a boost to its arbitration practice in certain key areas, such as construction.

Clifford Chance is known throughout the Middle East for its well-established and highly experienced disputes team in Dubai. The department advises a range of clients, including leading banks and government agencies. It receives the highest praise for its handling of matters within the UAE but also possesses experience of cases originating throughout the GCC. It remains a well-recognised presence in the DIFC Courts and is noted for its expertise in contentious regulatory matters, construction cases, and oil and gas disputes. The team also maintains a notable corporate investigations practice that is especially active on white-collar fraud and negligence matters.

Freshfields offers a dynamic regional disputes practice with respected teams in Saudi Arabia and the UAE supported by Middle Eastern expertise located throughout the firm's global network. The firm possesses a pre-eminent arbitration team with especially strong capabilities in construction disputes. It represents global entities in disputes arising from regional projects, especially in the energy sector, while finance is another sector that generates work for the team.

White & Case is known for its highly specialised construction disputes team, which acts for a number of key regional companies and government entities. The team also has a notable focus on disputes in the oil and gas sector. It acts on cases across the GCC, drawing upon the resources of offices in the UAE, Egypt and Qatar as well as London.

Addleshaw Goddard is a respected law firm with a growing and much-admired Middle East practice. The firm is noted for its strengths in financial fraud and insolvency cases, as well as its extensive capabilities in construction disputes. The team in the UAE is complemented by notable disputes practices in Oman and Qatar.

Dentons has a diverse regional disputes practice undertaking a wide range of arbitration and litigation work. The team is especially noted for its skill in multi-jurisdictional construction disputes and is also acknowledged for its work in the oil and gas sector. The firm maintains a broad reach, with offices and local associations across the region, including in Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

DLA Piper maintains a very active Middle East dispute resolution team drawing on the resources of several offices across the region. The team is frequently instructed on multi-jurisdictional matters, and is well versed in coordinating parallel litigation and arbitral proceedings. It undertakes a variety of cases in sectors such as finance, construction, real estate, and oil and gas. It also has a much-admired regional corporate investigations practice.

Norton Rose Fulbright maintains a broad, experienced disputes team which is prominent in an array of contentious matters throughout the Middle East. The team advises clients from a range of sectors and typically handles region-spanning disputes from the UAE, supported by lawyers based in its London and Riyadh offices. In the UAE, the firm is known for its strong capabilities in corporate investigations and financial crime cases and demonstrates a growing strength in insurance disputes.