Profile of Partners and Associates

Dr. Hadef J. Al Dhahiri Dr Hadef Al Dhahiri founded the Firm in 1980 in Abu Dhabi. He was appointed as the Minister of Justice for the United Arab Emirates in February 2008. LLB, Kuwait University; LLM, Comparative Law, Harvard University; PhD, Constitutional Law, Cambridge University.

Dr. Faraj A. Ahnish
Managing Partner. Licensed to appear before all Federal Courts of Appeal of the UAE. Responsible for the Firm’s day to day direction and administration since 1990. Has extensive experience in various company and commercial affairs. LLB, University of Benghazi, 1978, LLM, International Law, Hull University, 1984, PhD, International Law, University of Cambridge, 1989. Dr. Ahnish has authored many publications, including a book under the title “The International Law of Maritime Boundaries and the Practice of States in the Mediterranean Area”, published by Clarendon Press of Oxford, 1993.

Sadiq Jafar
Managing Partner of the Firm’s Dubai office. Has extensive corporate and commercial law experience, particularly in respect of inward investment, joint ventures, banking and finance, and mergers and acquisitions. Has special expertise in the energy, infrastructure, and contracting sectors, including a range of major projects and related financings. Legal Director, Dome International, Dubai, 1997-2001. Legal Counsel, Crescent Petroleum, Sharjah, 1991-1996. Clifford Chance, London & Sharjah, 1987-1993. Qualified as a Barrister of Gray’s Inn, London, 1987, and subsequently as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. LLB (Hons.), London School of Economics, London University, 1986.

Richard Briggs
Partner. Has extensive experience in maritime, transportation, trade and insurance law in the UAE and the Middle East, and has practiced contentious business law in the UAE for most of his career. Graduated from the University of Warwick, England (LLB) and the College of Law, Guildford. Trained with Clifford Chance in London from 1990 to 1992 and practiced law as a qualified solicitor with Clifford Chance in London, Dubai and London again from 1992 to 1996. Joined Al Tamimi & Company in Dubai as partner in 1996 until 2004. Practicing Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, and member of the International Bar Association and World Jurist Association.

Dr. Adil Sinjakli
Senior Legal Consultant and Managing Partner of the Iraqi law firm, Sinjakli & Associates. Has extensive experience in commercial and corporate, construction, insurance and international trade law, as well as in litigation and international arbitration. Admitted to the Baghdad Bar Association in 1961. Practiced in Baghdad with the Iraq Petroleum Company (the International Oil Companies’ consortium in Iraq). Legal Director for International Agreements and Contracts, Ministry of Oil, 1972-1977. Legal Advisor to Iraq External Development Fund, 1977-1980. Legal Advisor to Iraq National Oil Company, 1980-1981. Owned and managed private law practice in Baghdad, 1981-1998. Part-time lecturer in International Trade Law, College of Law, Baghdad. Senior Legal Consultant with Al Tamimi & Co. law firm in Dubai, 1998-2004. LLB, University of Baghdad. Postgraduate Diploma in Law, King’s College, London University. Postgraduate Diploma and LLD Law, Ain-Shams University, Cairo.

Murad Abida
Partner. Head of the Firm’s corporate practice in Dubai. Murad has extensive corporate and commercial experience, particularly in respect of establishing various corporate vehicles, corporate structuring & restructuring, corporate governance, joint ventures, offshore jurisdictions and free zone regulations. He specialises in corporate finance and corporate advisory, private placements, initial public offerings as well as listings of debt and equity instruments within the Middle East. BA in Law, Jordan University, 1997. Passed the CPA examinations of the AICPA – Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy,1998. LLM (Hons.) Arab Institute for Research & Studies, Cairo, 2003. Member of the Jordan Bar Association since 1997.

Saleh A. Ahnaish Partner. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice, responsible for commercial matters. Before joining the Firm, Senior Counsellor Ahnaish occupied a number of senior positions including Chairman of the Court of Appeal and associate professor of comparative law in Derna, Libya. LLB, University of Benghazi and LLM, Hull University, UK.

Omar H. Ali
Associate. Member of the Firm's corporate and commercial practice in Abu Dhabi. Omar is experienced in corporate law and litigation. Previous firms include Johnson & Aceto LLP in Boston, Ali & Zhangabylova in Boston, Baker & McKenzie in Cairo, and Crowell & Moring LLP in Washington. Awarded American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Award for Commitment to Legal Advocacy, 2006. J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 2000; Member, Vanderbilt Moot Court Board; B.A., Boston College, 1992; Admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as before numerous U.S. federal courts and federal courts of appeal. Member of the American Bar Association.

Saladin Aljurf
Associate. Member of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice. Between 2000 and 2005, Saladin was an associate with a Washington, D.C. law firm primarily handling UAE Embassy and corporate affairs. Saladin was previously an associate with Hadef Al Dhahiri and Associates, Dubai, from 1999-2000. He is a member of the Bars of the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. BA in English and Religion, University of Iowa, 1992. MA in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin, 1993. Juris Doctor, University of Iowa College of Law, 1998.

Salah Al Dein Al Nahas
Partner. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Counsellor Al Nahas has previously occupied a number of senior positions in the Courts of Abu Dhabi, including Chairman and Appellate Judge in the Civil Court of Appeal. Licensed to appear before the UAE Federal Courts. Member of the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre. Member of the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation & Arbitration Centre. LLB, (Damascus).

Amna Sultan Al-Owais
Associate. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Licensed to appear before all Federal and Local Courts. Attended the Legal Practice Course at the Ministry of Justice, 2004. Intellectual Property Course held by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, April 2004. LLB, Sharjah University, 2003. LLM, International Commercial Law, Kingston University, UK, commencing September 2005.

Yara Mazen Al Saleh Associate. Member of the Firm's corporate practice. In particular, Yara is active in business incorporation and licensing in the UAE. LLB, Amman University, 1997. Diploma in English Legal Studies, Alia Centre for Education, 2000. Member of the Jordan Bar Association.

Omar Al Shaikh
Senior Counsel within the firms dispute resolution practice. Licensed to appear before all Federal Courts and Local Courts of Dubai. Omar was a Judge in Sudan for 12 years, and has more than 15 years experience in litigation in the UAE. Has broad knowledge in litigation and extensive experience in handling various types of lawsuits before the federal and local courts of the UAE, particularly in the areas of corporate, commercial, construction, insurance, agency, shipping, banking, trademarks, and labour disputes. Senior Litigator and Head of Civil Litigation Department, Al Shamsi and Partners, 1995-2004. Senior Advocate, Al Tamimi and Company, 1989-1995. Judge in Sudan, 1978-1989. Member of the Sudanese Bar Association, 1994. Licensed Advocate, UAE.

Armita Araghi
Associate. Member of the Firm's Commercial / Real Estate practice. Armita was admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia in 1999. Since her admission, Armita has practiced in the areas of general corporate and commercial law, contractual transactions and franchising. She has represented clients across a broad range of industries. Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Arts (BA in Languages and Linguistics) from Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. Armita is fluent in German and Farsi.

Walid Azzam
Associate. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Practiced in Chicago and Boston, handling matters relating to corporate law, real estate, engineering, medical, immigration, political asylum, labor, domestic relations, bankruptcy, real estate, and criminal law. BA Political Science (with minor in Economics), American University in Cairo, 1999. Juris Doctor, Valparaiso University School of Law, Indiana, USA, 2003. Admitted to the Massachusetts State Bar.

Colleen Wen-Ling Tsai
Associate. Member of the Firm's corporate practice in Dubai. Colleen has extensive experience in international security offerings as well as cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint venture transactions. Prior to joining the firm, Colleen worked as a lawyer at US firm K&L Gates in Taiwan. LLB in Law, National Taiwan University, 1998. LL.M., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2002. Admitted in Taiwan and New York.

Sayed Abdul Rahman Court co-ordinator. Member of the Firm's dispute resolution practice in Abu Dhabi. Sayed joined the firm in 1992. Prior to joining the firm he was a trial lawyer in the city of Port Saeed, Egypt, where he appeared before competent courts dealing with civil and commercial matters. LLB, University of Cairo, 1983. Member of the Egyptian Bar Association.

Adrian Chadwick
Associate. Member of the Firm's dispute resolution practice in Dubai. Adrian has extensive experience in shipping and international trade matters, general commercial litigation/arbitration disputes and ship financing and sale/purchase. He graduated in England from the University of Essex and the College of Law, Chester. Adrian qualified as an English Solicitor in 1987 and subsequently practiced in London with Horrocks & Co. In 1989 he joined Clyde & Co London and shortly thereafter transferred to their Hong Kong office. Adrian qualified as a Hong Kong Solicitor and also as a Solicitor and Barrister of the Australian Capital Territory and as a Barrister of the High Court of Australia all in 1990. In 1993 he joined the Hong Kong associate office of a Canadian law firm and in 1995 returned to London and rejoined Waterson Hicks (formerly Horrocks & Co.) where he stayed for 12 years prior to relocating to Dubai.

Tarik El-Bakri Partner. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice, with substantial experience in Intellectual Property Law. Head of legal group of Talal Abu Ghazaleh intellectual property practice, Dubai, 1994-1998. BA, Indiana University, USA, 1983. LLB (Hons.), University of Wales, UK, 1990.

Tarek El-Khoury
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Practiced in Lebanon, handling matters in relation to commercial and corporate law as well as litigation. Legal Consultant to a Beirut-based major commercial conglomerate, 2000-2003. LLB, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon, 1999. LLM, International Private Law, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon, 2001. Member of the Beirut Bar Association, 2004..

Mohammad M. El-Qudah
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate practice. Prior to joining the firm, Mohammad worked as a lawyer at one of the leading law firms in Jordan for 2 years and has extensive corporate and commercial law experience. LLB, Mu’ta University, Jordan, 2001. LLM, International Commercial and European Law,University of Sheffield, UK, 2003. Member of the Jordan Bar Association and the Jordan Intellectual Property Association.

Gloria Estolano
Associate. Member of the Firm’s employment practice. Has extensive experience in handling federal civil rights, education, employment, disability and age discrimination cases. Attorney advisor and trainer for university and college managerial staff. Federal Special Assistant for USA Department of Justice, prosecutor. Handled employment and immigration cases. Moot court instructor at Boalt Law School, University of California at Berkeley, California, USA. Juris Doctor, University of San Francisco, California, USA, 1986. Admitted to the United States Court of Appeal for the 9th Circuit, 1991. Admitted to the State Bar of Hawaii and to the United States District Court, District of Hawaii, 1989.

Gayatri Gupta
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Admitted to the State Bar of California, 2002. Juris Doctor, University of San Diego, California, 2002. Master of International Business, University of San Diego, California, 1999. Member, Beta Gamma Sigma. Member, the San Diego International Law Journal. Contributing Author, the Encyclopedia of American Business (Facts on File, Inc., 2004).

Hiramai Rogers
Associate. Member of the Firm's mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice. Hiramai has spent the last 8 years working in the corporate/commercial division of Brookfields, New Zealand. He has experience in a wide range of corporate and commercial work, particularly contract drafting for M&A projects, joint ventures, supply and distribution, and intellectual property. Prior to this, Hiramai worked in-house with a direct lending and finance institution which followed on from his initial experience in a law office dealing with civil and criminal litigation, property and estate work. LLB, University of Auckland, 1995. Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, September 1996.

Sameer Huda
Partner. Head of the Firm’s mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice in Dubai. Has broad experience in all areas of corporate and commercial work including mergers & acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures and commercial contracts. Trained with Denton Wilde Sapte. Subsequently worked as an in-house lawyer for Granada plc and returned to private practice eventually joining within the corporate department of Eversheds LLP in London. BSc (Hons.) Mathematics with Management, Imperial College, London, UK, 1992. Common Professional Examination, College of Law, York, UK, 1994. Legal Practice Course, College of Law, York, UK, 1995. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1998.

Andrea Jafar
Associate. Member of the Firm’s banking and finance practice. Has extensive experience in the areas of banking and finance, including a wide range of project and corporate financing transactions, and commercial law, with particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions and joint venture projects. Andrea graduated from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1991 and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1993. Andrea practiced law as a qualified solicitor in Brisbane until 1996, joining Key & Dixon Legal Consultants, Dubai, in 1997 and practicing in Dubai as a partner of that firm until 2005.

Abdulrahman Juma
Partner. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Licensed to appear before local and federal courts, namely, the Dubai Court of First Instance, Court of Appeals and Court of Cassation, and the UAE Federal Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal. Prior to this, Abdulrahman was an officer of the Immigration Department of the UAE Ministry of Interior. Dubai Police College, 1997.

Ayesha Karim
Associate. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution and construction and engineering practice, dealing in both non-contentious and contentious matters. Ayesha practiced in the Supreme Court of India at New Delhi and its subordinate courts (including the High Court of Delhi, the Trial courts, the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practice Commission and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at New Delhi) where her main areas of practice were in respect of criminal law, women’s rights issues and consumer protection. Ayesha has practiced in the UAE since 2000 and has substantial company and commercial law experience. Economics Degree (Hons), Sriram College of Commerce, Delhi University, 1985. LLB (Hons), Aligarh Muslim University, India, 1988. Member of the Delhi Bar since 1988.

Nisrine Assi
Associate. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. From 2003 until 2006 Nisrine practiced with two major Lebanese law firms in the areas of corporate law, labour law, general commercial litigation criminal and civil law. Nisrine then specialized in shipping and marine insurance law in Cyprus in 2007 with the firm of Elias Marine Consultants. Admitted to the Lebanese Bar Association in 2003. Bachelor of Law from the Lebanese University in Beirut.

Alex Longdon Associate. Member of the Firm’s mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice. Before completing his studies in the UK, Alex lived in the UAE for eight years. BA (Hons), Law & Government, University of Manchester, 2002. Legal Practice Course, College of Law, Guildford, 2003. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2005.

Michael Lunjevich
Partner. Head of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice in Dubai. Michael has extensive experience in real estate and property, company, information technology, intellectual property, commercial contracts and airline law. Prior to moving to Dubai, he was Commercial Director and General Counsel for a software technology company based in London for 4 years and spent 5 years as Company Solicitor for Air New Zealand. Bachelor of Commerce, Auckland University, New Zealand 1995. Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Auckland University, New Zealand 1996. Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.

Alexander McGeoch
Associate. Head of the Firm’s employment practice in Dubai. Graduated in Arabic from Oxford University and subsequently qualified as a member of both the English and Scottish Bars. Alex has extensive experience in banking and finance, corporate and commercial, and is a leading specialist in UAE employment law. Has practised in the Gulf region for 20 years, primarily in the UAE. Previous firms include Al Tamimi & Company, Key & Dixon and Fox & Gibbons.

Roger Morris
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Qualified in England and Wales. Extensive corporate and commercial experience. Clifford Chance, Moscow 1997-2000. Clifford Chance, Hanoi 1994-1997. Clifford Chance, London 1987-1993 (counsel for Kuwait oilfields emergency reconstruction programmes 1990-1992). Legal Consultant, BTR plc, London, 1985-1987. Solicitor and General Counsel, Dunlop Group 1968-1985. LLB, Bristol, 1961. MA, London, 1986.

Isam Mu’men Associate. Head of business licensing & corporate advisory within the Firm’s corporate practice, dealing in both contentious and non-contentious matters. LLB, University of Jordan (First Class Hons.), Jordan, 1997. LLM, Business Law (First Class Hons. with Distinction), University of Jordan, Jordan. Member of the Jordan Bar Association, 1997.

Shereen Okkeh
Associate. Member of the firm's banking & finance practice. Prior to joining the firm, Shereen worked for three years in the corporate and commercial department of Ali Sharif Zu’bi Law Firm, Jordan, dealing with a range of business law issues. Between 1998 and 2002, Shereen worked as a legal advisor for refugees at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees based in Jordan. LLB, University of Bristol (Hons.), Bristol, UK, 1997. LLM in International Business Law, King’s College and London School of Economic and Political Sciences, University of London, UK, 1998. Member of the Jordan Bar Association.

Khalifa Yousef Bin Omair Associate. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Licensed to appear before local and federal courts, namely, the Dubai Court of First Instance, Court of Appeals and Court of Cassation, and the UAE Federal Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal. Previously, Officer of the UAE Ministry of the Interior. LLB, Abu Dhabi Police Academy.

Alan N. Rodgers
Partner. Head of the Firm’s banking and finance practice in Dubai. Has extensive major projects and financing experience. Partner, Bryan Cave, Dubai, 1999-2000. Senior Associate, Allen & Overy, Dubai, 1998-1999. Legal Advisor, Said Al Shahry Law Office, Oman, 1996-1998. Partner, Fox & Gibbons, 1986-1995. Associate, Linklaters & Paines, London, 1980-1986. MA (Hons.), University of Dundee, 1980. Part I and II Law Society Exams, admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1980.

Haider A. Saeed Associate. Head of the Abu Dhabi office’s Commercial Registration and Coordination Section. Has extensive experience in corporate requirements, formalities and licensing and registration procedures at, both, the municipal and federal levels, as well as commercial mortgaging. Head of Commercial Register Division, Abu Dhabi Municipality, 1988-2003.

Sherina Saji Associate. Practiced in various courts in India including the High Court of Kerala and the High Court of Chennai. Sherina has been working as a legal consultant in the UAE since 2004. LLB, Mangalore University, Karnataka State, India, 1995. LLM, Annamalai University, State of Chennai, India, 2004.

Ashraf Sayed Associate. Member of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice. Prior to joining the firm, Ashraf was a Legal Assistant at the London office of a leading international law firm. LLB (Hons), Brunel University, London, 2003. Legal Practice Course, College of Law, London, 2005. Specialised in banking and debt finance, commercial law and dispute resolution.

Sherry Sheibani
Associate. Member of the Firm’s mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice. BSc. Management (Hons.) London School of Economic and Political Sciences, University of London, 2002. Common Professional Examination / Post Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP Law School, London, 2003. Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, London, 2004. Specialized in corporate law focusing on equity finance, debt finance and private acquisitions.

Katayune Ehsani
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate practice. Katayune has experience as a legal assistant in the Chicago office of a top US law firm. BA (Hons) in Political Science and International Studies, Washington University 2000. Juris Doctor, St. Louis University 2005. MA in Near and Middle East Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, London University 2006. Admitted to the State Bar of Illinois.

Wassel Issa Al Fakhoury
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Prior to joining the firm, Wassel practiced in Jordan, handling matters in relation to commercial and corporate law as well as litigation. Partner in Dallal and Associates, 2003–2006. LLB, Yarmouk University, 2000. LLM, Intellectual Property Rights, University of Jordan, 2005. Member of the Jordan Bar Association and the Jordan Intellectual Property Association.

Omar Abdullah Al Heloo Associate. Graduated from the College of Shari’a and Law (LLB, First Class Hons. with Distinction) of the United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 2006. Attended a 2 month training course with the Dubai Court and the Dubai Public Prosecutor, Summer 2006. Prior to this, Omar attended a legal course at Yarmouk University in Jordan, Summer 2005.

Jonathan Brown
Associate. Head of International Litigation and Arbitration within the firm's dispute resolution practice. Jonathan graduated from Cambridge University in History and qualified as an English solicitor in 1991. He gained extensive experience of maritime, insurance and general commercial litigation in the City of London, before becoming Head of Shipping and Litigation for Clifford Chance in Dubai between 1998 and 2002. Jonathan was Senior in-house Counsel in France for one of the world`s largest shipping groups from 2002 to 2006 where he was heavily involved in the group`s major commercial and corporate transactions and gained wide experience of the commercial working of the industry. Jonathan returned to Dubai in 2006 to join the Firm.

Lori-Ann Campbell
Associate. Member of the Firm's banking and finance practice. Between 2000 and 2005, Lori trained and worked as a solicitor with Irish firm Arthur Cox Solicitors, specialising in banking and finance. Lori has a broad general banking experience having acted for major institutions and has specialist experience in derivatives and ISDA work, corporate finance, and financial regulatory experience. Bachelor of Civil Law (European Legal Studies), 1999. Admitted as an Attorney to the New York Bar in 2003, and as a Solicitor to the Law Society of Ireland in 2004.

Anthony Edwards
Associate. Head of the Firm’s construction and engineering practice in Dubai. Anthony has specialised in this practice area for over 30 years, having commenced his career at the leading London construction law firm, Masons, where he was a partner for 7 years until 1978. Practicing in dispute resolution and non-contentious contract preparation, Anthony thereafter became partner and Head of Construction at the City of London law firm, D J Freeman, a practice that focused on the commercial UK property sector, where he directed a number of substantial disputes to successful client outcomes, as well as undertaking a range of major contract negotiations for leading UK developers. From 2000 to 2006, Anthony was a partner, Head and then Consultant in the Construction Law Group of the London firm of McGrigors (which, for a time, had an association with KPMG, UK). Anthony is highly experienced in all aspects of contracts and claims in the construction and engineering sector, particularly as they relate to the primary issues of delegation of risk and the impact of time, cost and quality in the property development and construction and engineering projects. BA, Cambridge University, Law degree, 1972. MA, Cambridge University, 1976. Qualified as a Solicitor in England & Wales, also in 1976.

Elsie Habib
Associate. Prior to joining the firm, Elsie worked as a legal consultant at one of the leading law firms in the United Arab Emirates for 2 years. During this time, Elsie gained extensive experience in intellectual property policies and procedures especially with respect to trade marks and commercial agencies. BA in Law, Lebanese University/Faculty of Law & Political Sciences, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998.

Khansa Khalil Elkarib
Associate. Member of the Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Khansa has extensive experience in general litigation with particular emphasis on corporate and business law, employment law, real estate law and international immigration and human rights law. LLB, University of Khartoum, Sudan, 1991. Common Professional Examination, London Guildhall University, UK, 1998. Legal Practice Course, London Guildhall University, UK, 1999. Sudanese Solicitor Practicing Certificate obtained in 1992. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales in 2003.

Marie-Therese El Mondalek
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate practice. Prior to joining the Firm, Marie-Therese worked as a legal consultant for Trench and Associates and has substantial experience in Free Zone regulation, corporate restructuring, corporate governance and offshore jurisdictions. Previous experiences include summer placements at Habib Al Mulla and Clifford Chance. A member of Street Law, a pro-bono legal organisation based in the UK. BA in Law (Hons) De Montfort University, Leicester, England 2004. Currently studying to sit for the New York Bar Exam.

James Farn
Associate. Member of the Firm’s banking and finance practice in Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining the firm, James was a partner at Manchester firm Pannone LLP 1996-2006 where he headed up the firm’s banking and finance practice, specialising in all aspects of corporate banking and finance, including property development, acquisition and project finance. Banking associate at Addleshaw Goddard, Manchester 1993-1996: Lawrence Jones, London 1988-1993. Bsc (Hons) University of Southampton: Common Professional Examination, College of Law Chester 1986, Law Society Finals, College of Law Guildford 1987. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales 1988.

Anja Frederikson
Associate. Member of the Firm's banking and finance practice. Prior to relocating to Dubai, Anja worked for Citigroup Corporate and Investment Bank in their legal and compliance team. Anja has broad experience including general corporate banking and equities & futures trading compliance. Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws (Victoria University, Australia, 2003). Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia.

Bianca Gracias
Associate. Member of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice. Bianca trained with Chamber Practice, Advocates & Solicitors, Bombay (a division of LEX Nexus), and has extensive Middle East legal experience through her most recent position with leading Middle East property developer Emaar Properties PJSC. Bachelors Degree in General Law (2001), Goa University, Goa, India. LLB (Hons) (2003) (major in arbitration and civil and commercial jurisprudence), Goa University, Goa, India. Admitted as Advocate of the High Court of Bombay and a member of the Bar Council of India.

Barton Hoggard
Associate. Member of the Firm's mergers & acquisitions/ private equity practice. Barton has considerable transactional experience and has been involved in significant acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures. Barton spent five years at Dickson Minto W.S. in London working for some of the leading private equity firms in Europe and their portfolio companies. He has also worked in the corporate department at Chapman Tripp in New Zealand and immediately prior to joining the Firm acted as the sole legal counsel at New Zealand Steel Limited, New Zealand's largest steel producer. B.Com/LLB University of Auckland, New Zealand 1992 to 1997. Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1998, and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2004.

Sameena Hanif
Associate. Member of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice. Sameena has extensive experience in real estate and commercial agreements. Sameena trained with a law firm in the United Kingdom and most recently spent three years as in-house counsel for Rank Group Plc in London. The Rank Group is a world leader in leisure, gaming, entertainment, media and products, and its assets included high profile interests such as Hard Rock cafes, hotels and casinos, blue square and Deluxe film and media interests. Master of Laws (LLM), University of Nottingham, United Kingdom 1998. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2002.

Humaid Gulam Darwish Ibrahim
Associate. Member of Firm’s dispute resolution practice. Licensed to appear before all local and federal courts, namely, the Dubai Court of First Instance, Court of Appeals and Court of Cassation, and the UAE Federal Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal. Prior to joining the firm, Humaid worked as a legal researcher for Al Gharib & Co. and Bin Shabib legal consultants, and prepared several research papers on e-management, medical waste and other topics. LLB, Emirates University, 2004.

Jeremy Ingham
Associate. Member of the Firm’s banking and finance practice. Jeremy acts for both banks and borrowers in property finance, development finance and acquisition finance. Jeremy is experienced in providing corporate support for private company acquisitions and has acted as a company secretary. As a member of the banking and finance team at Pannone LLP (Manchester, England) from 2001 – 2006, Jeremy acted extensively for Texaco/Chevron in the retail petroleum sector. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2001 and is a practising English Solicitor.

Rachel Jackson
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Prior to joining the Firm, Rachel was working for local government in the UK in Staffordshire and Greater Manchester from 1998-2006, specialising in dispute resolution. LLB (Hons) European and English Law, University of Essex, 1997. Legal Practice Course, University of Staffordshire, 2002. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2003 and is a practising English Solicitor.

Valeriya Lysenko
Associate. Member of the Firm’s banking and finance practice. Graduated with honours from the Moscow Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) as a lawyer specialising in international law. Following a brief service with the Russian Embassy in Nicaragua, Valeriya practised international and Russian tax law with Ernst & Young in Moscow before continuing her legal career in Dubai. In the UAE Valeriya has over a decade of substantial experience in corporate and commercial law with a focus on banking and finance in particular, including advising project sponsors, export credit agencies and commercial banks in asset finance and landmark project financings across various industry sectors including water and electricity, aluminium and alternative energy. Valeriya is fluent in English and Russian.

Jeremy Miocevic
Associate. Member of the Firm’s mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice. Jeremy has broad experience in all areas of corporate and commercial work including mergers & acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures and commercial contracts. Trained with the Judges of the Supreme Court of New Zealand and subsequently worked in the corporate and commercial department of Allens Arthur Robinson in Australia. Appointed as in-house counsel for a European based private equity company before returning to private practice with the Firm. BA Philosophy, University of Auckland, New Zealand 1996, LLB (Hons) University of Auckland, New Zealand 1999. Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1999, and as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia, in 2001.

Melissa Murray
Associate. Member of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice. Melissa has extensive experience in real estate and commercial transactions including the acquisition and disposal of small/medium sized enterprises. Trained from 2001 to 2003 and practiced law as a qualified solicitor from 2003 to 2004 with Dibbs Abbott Stillman Lawyers. Worked as an in-house lawyer for A.B.C. Learning Centres Limited in Australia from 2004 to mid-2006. Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Queensland University of Technology, Australia 2000. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia 2003.

Erik Muthow
Associate. Head of Maritime & Transportation within the firm's dispute resolution practice. Trained and qualified at one of the largest specialist maritime law firms in South Africa. Erik has extensive experience in all matters related to shipping, aviation, insurance, international transport and trade, as well as trade and ship finance. Erik’s practice spans a wide range of contentious and non-contentious work; acting for major international, UAE, GCC and wider regional clients. Shepstone & Wylie, Durban and Cape Town, 1998 to 2000. Hammond Suddards Edge, London, 1998 & 2000 (locum). Al Tamimi & Co, Dubai, 2001 to 2005. B. Juris, Free State University, 1994. LLB, University of Stellenbosch, 1996. LLM, University of Cape Town, 1997. Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Erik speaks at both national and international conferences, including the IBA and his articles are published in both local and international shipping and international trade periodicals. Speaks fluent English, German and Afrikaans.

Bilal Snaineh
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate practice. Prior to joining the firm, Bilal worked as an associate in Abu Ghazaleh Legal Consultants in Dubai where he provided general corporate and commercial law advice to clients and gained considerable experience in intellectual property laws, particularly, trademarks, patents, copyrights and designs. LLB, Applied Science University, Amman, Jordan, 1999. LLM, Commercial Law, UWE, Bristol, 2004. Member of the Palestinian Bar Association.

Steven Travers
Associate. Member of the Firm's banking and finance practice. Former Head of Legal at the London Stock Exchange plc. During his time at the Exchange, 1987-2001, Steven was responsible for a range of commercial work, including leading the negotiations for the pan-European market, advising on financial services and regulation, compliance, competition law, disciplinary matters and intellectual property. Before 1987, Steven was a commercial litigator at Deacons in Hong Kong and with Stanleys & Simpson (now Beachcroft Wansbroughs), City of London. He has also worked in the public sector, including as chef de cabinet for a UK MP in Westminster and manager of the British Council in Gaza. Between 2001 and joining the Firm in 2006, Steven acted as a legal consultant and adviser on securities and financial services matters. BA (Hons) Law & Psychology, University of Keele.1979. Qualified as a Solicitor in England & Wales in 1982, and as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1985.

Tim Travers
Associate. Member of the Firm’s banking and finance practice. Over 20 years’ experience of working in legal professional services firms. Previously a banking / capital markets solicitor in London, Amsterdam and Birmingham for Clifford Chance, Watson Farley & Williams, Allen & Overy, Wragge & Co and DLA Piper (where he was a partner). Areas of practice include general banking, acquisition finance, structured finance, project finance, debt capital markets and derivatives. Qualified as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales in 1987. BA in Law in 1984 and MA in Law in 1989, both from Churchill College, Cambridge University. Common Professional Examination, College of Law, Guildford in 1985. Maintains a strong interest in knowledge management, innovation, technology and communications within a law firm context.

Basil H. Siddiqi
Partner. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial and dispute resolution practices since 1998. Senior Legal Consultant, Al Tamimi & Company, Dubai, 1993-1995. Counsel on the original side of the Bombay High Court, Bombay, India, 1983-1992. Part time lecturer at KC Law College, Bombay, 1987-1992. LLB, University of Bombay, 1981. BSc (Hons.), LLM, University of Bombay, 1983. Admitted to the Bar of Ontario, Canada.

Dr. John W. Turner
Associate. Member of the Firm's commercial, corporate and dispute resolution practice specialising in financial services, construction contracts and disputes, general commercial and contractual advice, aviation, insurance and arbitration. John has extensive experience in these areas. He was formerly a senior partner and head of department at Buddle Findlay, Barristers and Solicitors, Auckland, New Zealand and was a partner in that firm from 1989 to 2006. Prior to that he was Principal Legal Officer (Commercial) for the Attorney General's Office of the State of Papua New Guinea 1983-1986 responsible for the commercial and corporate work of the state. He began his legal career with the New Zealand law firm of Russell McVeagh in 1977. Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand 1978; Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea 1983; Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia 1985; Solicitor, Supreme Court of England and Wales 1986; Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Fiji 2006; Holder of the Law Society of England and Wales Higher Courts Rights of Audience qualification 2006 ; Legal Practitioner of the DIFC Court, Dubai, 2007; part time university law lecturer in the subjects of commercial law, banking law and law and economic regulation 1991-2002; LLB(Hons), MJur University of Auckland 1977 and 1981 (Senior Prize in Law 1977); LLM Dalhousie University Canada 1987 (Dalhousie Graduate Scholar); PhD University of London 1998 (ORS postgraduate research scholar).

Jennifer Caldwell
Associate. Member of the Firm’s commercial / real estate practice, specialising in regulatory, environmental and town planning aspects of major infrastructure and development projects. 1996-2006 Senior associate and subsequently partner of Buddle Findlay, Barristers and Solicitors, Auckland, New Zealand practising in the environmental and regulatory areas; 1995-1996 Deputy Editor, All England Reports, Butterworths Legal Publishers, London; 1992-1994 Senior Solicitor, Chapman Tripp, Auckland, New Zealand; 1988-1992 Solicitor, McElroy Milne, Auckland; Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand 1988 and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court, England and Wales 1995; BA, LLB (Hons) University of Auckland 1988 (Senior Prize in Law); LLM University of Virginia, specialising in Environmental Law 1990 (Fulbright Scholar).

Doris Matlok
Knowledge and Technology Manager. Admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court, Australia, 1994. Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Hons), University of Wollongong, Australia. Practised as a property lawyer before working for 5 years as a legislative drafter for the NSW Parliamentary Counsel’s Office. Her most recent experience was as a knowledge manager at a leading Australian law firm.

Sumati Menda
Associate. Member of the Firm's mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice in Dubai. BA in Political Science and Psychology, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, 2003. Juris Doctor, Hofstra University School of Law, USA, 2006 with concentration in corporate and commercial law. Sumati passed the July 2006 New York State bar examination and is currently pending admission to the Bars of New York and Washington D.C. Previous experience includes summer placements at Baker Botts LLP and Nixon Peabody LLP.

Michael N. Webb
Partner. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Has extensive experience in the international oil and gas and corporate and commercial sectors, with particular emphasis on international mergers and acquisitions. Legal Manager, Lundin Petroleum AB, Geneva, 2000-2002. Legal Consultant to various major international oil and gas companies, 1991-2000. Legal Adviser, Amerada Hess, London, 1990-1991. Senior Legal Adviser, Marathon Oil, London, 1989-1990. Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court, England and Wales, 1985. MA (Hons.) in Law, University of Cambridge, 1985.

Melissa Younan
Associate. Member of the Firm's commercial / real estate practice. Melissa has experience in real estate, property, banking and finance and commercial contracts. From 2005 until 2007 Melissa practiced as a solicitor within the property section of a Sydney based law firm. Admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court in New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Bachelor of Media, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, 2005. Bachelor of Laws, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, 2005. Melissa is fluent in Arabic

John R. Partridge
Head of the firm's Private Wealth practice in Dubai. John was born in London and educated at St. Paul's School, where he was awarded a RAF Flying Scholarship. John was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1971. Until 1990, John was in general legal practice specialising in real estate, trust and estates, and corporate and commercial law, and was head of practice for the last 15 years of such period. In 1990, he joined Slaughter and May as a senior associate, practising in the area of corporate trusts before relocating to Dubai.

Mohamed Rouchdi
Member of the firm's dispute resolution practice. Mohamed specialises in litigation and maritime law, he also has experience in civil law, commercial law, labour law, banking & finance, trade mark law and real estate. Mohamed practised with El Dib Advocates from 1993 until 2004 where his main focus was maritime law, he was also a court litigator and legal correspondent. From 2004 until 2007 Mohamed was senior legal consultant in the litigation department of Habib Al Mulla & Co prior to joining Hadef Al Dhahiri & Associates. LLB, Egyptian Faculty of Law, Alexandria University. Admitted to the Egyptian Bar Association 1994. Registered before the Egyptian Court of Appeal.

Olaide Esan
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice in Abu Dhabi. Olaide is experienced in Litigation and previously practiced in England as a Senior Crown Prosecutor. She also has experience working in private practice, in civil litigation, property and commercial litigation cases. She received her law degree from Nigeria and was called to the Bar. She was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England after taking the Qualified Lawyers’ Transfer Test and is a member of the Law Society of England & Wales.

Francois Chemaly
Associate. Member of the Firm’s corporate and commercial practice in Abu Dhabi. Francois is experienced in Corporate Commercial law and Litigation. He also has experience in banking, maritime, criminal and arbitration. He received his degree in law from Saint Joseph University and his Master’s degree in business law and arbitration from Saint Joseph University. He is a member of the Beirut bar association. Francois is fluent in English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

Dr Muna Nimer
Member of the Firm’s knowledge management team. Prior to joining Hadef, Muna worked as a part-time tutor at the University of Leicester, UK, teaching Contract Law to undergraduate students. Muna practised in Jordan, specialising in banking, insurance, corporate and commercial law as well as litigation. LLB, University of Jordan, 1995. LLM, International Business Law, University of Western Sydney Australia, 2002. PhD, International electronic Banking Law, University of Leicester, UK, 2008. Member of Jordan Bar Association 1997.

Ahmad Sergieh
Associate. Member of the Firm’s mergers & acquisitions / private equity practice. Ahmad was admitted as a lawyer in 2004 in Canada. Since his admission, he has practiced in the areas of corporate and commercial law with a focus on mergers & acquisitions and tax for a major law firm and the largest institutional investor in Canada. Masters Corporate and Commercial Law, University of Montreal, Canada, 2003. Graduate diploma in Taxation (D.E.S.S.), University of Montreal, Canada, 2002. Bachelor of Civil Law, University of Sherbrooke, Canada, 2001. Ahmad is fluent in French and Arabic.