In its second annual list, ALB puts the spotlight on 50 lawyers from the MENA region who have stood out on the basis of client service. The lawyers were selected based on a client survey that was sent directly to ALB. The list is in alphabetical order, and some of the lawyers have been featured below.
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KUSHAGRA ASHOK ARORA
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A promising name in disputes resolution practice, has been regularly dealing with large commercial, construction, franchise, insurance, investments, intellectually property rights and real estate matters, Arora features for the second consecutive time in the ALB MENA Super 50 Lawyers list. Arora has been a part of a trail of significant matters. Among these, he successfully advised clients in a few multiple million-dollar claims and/or counterclaims on investments in Dubai; wherein the firm successfully executed judgments to recover the investments and legal interest through honourable Dubai Courts. Coupled with various commercial disputes including overseas transactions have been successfully resolved. He continues to advise one of the largest construction groups in the region on multiple high stakes litigation and arbitration matters. Additionally, Arora is currently advising a European UHNI and an overseas public-listed pharmaceutical company along with his colleagues in the corporate practice for the group’s proposed venture in the UAE. Besides this, he is regularly called upon to advise one of the largest West African business groups’ UAE offices. Shedding light on his approach to client service, Arora says, “While it is a compliment to be approached for strategy, advisory and negotiations; and one could elect to act as a custodial of the client’s confidence and remain accountable for tasks entrusted upon us. It has always helped to indulge in brainstorming with the senior management of the client and let them independently appreciate the rationale behind a suggested course. We are expected to timely identify potential red flags and assess the most viable legal recourse(s). Further, it helps to have experienced practical implementation and limitations of one’s own advice and procedural nuances. Lastly, efficient mining of voluminous documents for crucial events and information is basic, but it works. It enables our side to be armed with a surer strategy and be mindful of the pitfalls.” Besides advising clients, in the past, Arora has been invited to talk about Dubai and UAE on radio talk shows, and at World Litigation Forums and ICC Conferences and is recognised as a natural negotiator by clients and co-counsels. “He is sharp and articulate; always armed with original ideas. Goes the extra mile and ensures providing top-notch service,” says a client about Arora. “Even though he never declines a just request, he is very firm in rejecting every suggestion that could be detrimental to our stand. Most importantly, he cares, and we feel like he is not only there for the money.” “He cares and will always go the extra mile to make sure he provides top-notch service,” says a client about Arora. “He never says no to a request and will always seek to assist. He lets us feel like he is not only there for the money.” |
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SANDEEP DHAMA
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Dhama, who has 20 years of legal experience, is a corporate partner at Stephenson Harwood, based in the United Arab Emirates. His areas of expertise include M&A, private equity, venture capital, joint ventures, foreign direct investment, and general corporate advisory. Dhama has been in the Middle East region for over a decade and has regularly worked on market-leading cross-border inbound and outbound M&A transactions involving regional heavy-weights and high-profile global clients. He has also spent much of his career in the City of London and also spent time in Singapore where he helped launch the office of a Silver Circle firm, giving him a wealth of experience in advising clients from the Middle East, Europe and South-East Asia. Further to advising the General Partner and its directors of the $1 billion Abraaj Growth Markets Health Fund in relation to TPG’s takeover of the fund and its restructuring arising from the collapse The Abraaj Group, Dhama has advised on several significant mandates in the past year. This has included advising: (i) an Abu Dhabi Royal Family owned entity concerning the sale of 50 percent of its stake in a group agriculture business to a sovereign wealth fund, (ii) EnTrust Global’s Blue Ocean Fund on the financing of United Overseas’ ground-breaking acquisition of United Arab Chemical Carriers, (iii) the owners of TSA Group, a global hotel and hospitality consultancy, with operations in Singapore, Dubai, U.S. and UK, on its sale to Frontline Performance Group a U.S.-based strategic performance consultancy group, and (iv) several Asian based clients in relation to their corporate requirements in the region and structuring of digital assets in the UAE. “Since my formative years as a lawyer, it was drilled into me that we are a premium service industry, not simply legal advisors. That is a lesson that has never left me, and I try and put the solution, rather than merely the advice, at the centre of all my client relationships,” Dhama says about his approach to client service. “At times this region can appear daunting for the uninitiated – but it needn’t be. I try and guide my clients to navigate the challenges that may face them so that they can take advantage of the fantastic opportunities that the region represents and have confidence in advising their businesses of the path forward.” A client describes Dhama as, “superb! Sandeep is commercial, thoughtful, into the details, and understands client needs.” Another client refers to him as being “concise, clear, practical, and knowledgeable.” |
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MOHAMED HASHISH
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Hashish specialises in corporate, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, restructuring, telecom, media and technology, and public procurement matters. He also makes the list for the second year in a row. Hashish has acted for various multinational clients on many notable matters. He has advised a number of these clients on restructuring/structuring of their subsidiaries in Egypt (such as General Electric, DXC Technology, Wabtec, Flour Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, Babcock & Wilcox, SABIS Holding, Univar Inc.), and also acted for Computer Sciences Corporation for the acquisition of its business in Egypt by CSRA Inc. He represented also Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG) on its merger with Dubizzle and OLX in Egypt. Furthermore, Hashish has guided clients in matters including: GE Healthcare on launching of its first-ever e-commerce platform in Egypt; Promethean World and NetDragon Websoft on implementing the first-ever online education platform in Egypt, Edmodo; acted for a client on its participation in El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt; General Electric on the construction of solar power plants in BenBan, Aswan; Africa Crest Education Group on a FIDIC-based contract for construction of two new international schools in Egypt; MAPEI on developing a mega construction chemical project in Egypt. He was also the local legal counsel to Alstom on the acquisition of its grid and power sectors by General Electric; legal counsel to Arizona State University on establishing the first-ever dual degree programs in Egypt between an American public university and an Egyptian public university, Galala University, and legal counsel to BRF with respect to a major international trade transaction. Talking about his motivation, Hashish says, “The real success, for me, is when I provide my clients with the type of legal advice that they never had before, especially for complex projects. This will never happen without always putting our client’s interest before anything else including us. Most importantly, when I see how our team is being proud of their remarkable achievements and growth this is considered to be one of my endless happiness.” A client praises Hashish for his “ability to clearly communicate the legal procedures and foresee next steps with confidence.” Another says he is “very accessible. Takes into consideration commercial realities and does his best to find a solution to achieve client’s objective.” |
THE LIST
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ALB MENA SUPER 50 2022 |
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MOHAMED ABDELGAWAD HAMZEH M. ABDELHADY MAHMOUD ABUWASEL BASHIR AHMED KOKILA ALAGH MOHAMMED ALDHABAAN MOHAMMED ALSUWAIDI SARA KOLEILAT ARANJO KUSHAGRA ARORA GIL BRANDES NICK CARNELL TIM CASBEN NAGIB HAGE CHAHINE ADNAN CHIDA SANDEEP DHAMA MAC FADLALLAH JASMIN FICHTE ROY GEORGIADES AMIR GHAFFARI SARAH GONEM CHRISTOPHER GUNSON RAN HAI MOHAMED HASHISH MATTHEW HEYWOOD NABIL A. ISSA |
RAVI JAWANI CELINE ABI HABIB KANAKRI MOHAMED KHODEIR ZEYAD KHOSHAIM SLAVA KIRYUSHIN IBTISSEM LASSOUED LOWRI LLWYD RICHARD MANN CHADIA EL MEOUCHI ABDULLA MUTAWI JONATHAN NOBLE JERRY PARKS PRIAMVADA PRINCETON CHATHURA RANDENIYA EYAD REDA JOEY T. SHABOT SHEILA SHADMAND NICK SHARRATT IBRAHIM SHEHATA MOHAMMMAD AL SHRAIDEH THOMAS R. SNIDER RAD EL TREKI ALESSANDRO TRICOLI JAMES WILLN LEEN ZAZA |