Biography

In 1989, Essam Al Tamimi established what is now the largest law firm in the Middle East, Al Tamimi & Company and currently holds the position of Chairman at the firm. Essam has over thirty four (34) years of experience in litigation and arbitration in the UAE and the GCC countries covering almost all fields of law, both private and public law, including matters relating to corporate and commercial law, banking and financial law, real estate and property law, across several industries and sectors.

He has been involved in drafting laws and regulations and has assisted federal and local governments in drafting laws and regulations relating to a range of sectors. These have included the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Dubai Internet and Media City free zones, the Abu Dhabi government in privatization of water and electricity and played a major role in drafting the privatization and ADWEA laws and regulations, assisted the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry in drafting the Federal Industrial law and implementing regulations, contributed to the drafting of the relevant laws for establishing several Free Zones in the UAE, assisted Dubai International Financial Centre Authority in drafting number of laws and regulations relating to the DIFC Authority, the DIFC Court and the DIFC Arbitration Centre and have been actively involved in commenting and reviewing most of the federal laws including the Arbitration law, Commercial Companies law and the Consumer Protection law. He has extensive experience in regulatory matters and has assisted local and federal governments on regulatory issues.

Essam’s principal place of practice is Dubai, United Arab Emirates but he also has extensive experience in advising and assisting clients throughout the Arab region where he has worked and advised and attended to projects in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Iraq.

In addition to his role as counsel in numerous arbitration matters, Essam has also acted as an expert witness in a wide array of litigious matters. Essam has also been appointed as an arbitrator and chair of arbitral tribunals in arbitration proceedings under ADCCAC, CRCICA, DIAC, LCIA, ICC and PCA Rules.

Essam was on the ICC Court and formerly acted as Vice-Chair of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, Paris and is the former Chair of the ICC UAE Commission on Arbitration and ADR. He is now a member of the Steering Committee of the ICC UAE Commission on Arbitration and ADR, served as Chairman and is Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is the Founder and Patron of the UAE Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, member of the International Bar Association, served as member of the LCIA Court, served as President of the LCIA Arab Users Council. He has served a number of years as member of the board of The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). He is actively involved in development of arbitration laws in the region and for the training and development of arbitration in the UAE and the region. His practice focuses primarily on local and international clients in shipping, banking, intellectual property, commercial agency, joint venture, construction and commercial litigation. Essam has published a number of articles and books on litigation and arbitration in the UAE and setting up business in the region. He has received Gulf Legal Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to the Gulf Legal Market. He is on the editorial advisory board of the ICLR and GAR, former Co-Chair of the IBA Rule of Law Forum, member of the Review Committee of Energy Arbitrators List, member of the Advisory Board of IBA’s Eyewitness to Atrocities, member of the Advisory Board of the BCDR International Arbitration Review, member of the FIAA Board of Trustees, member of the American Law Institute(ALI), member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), member of the Board of Trustees of Ajman University, received Lifetime Achievement Award from International Financial Law Review (IFLR), is a member of the Arab Arbitration Group of the ICC,  member of the SIAC Users Council and is a fellow and faculty member of the International Dispute Resolution Academy (IDRA). Essam is an appointed member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board, which has been established to consolidate, represent and protect the interests of Dubai-based companies.

Thought Leadership

Professional memberships, publications and speaking engagements
Essam Al Tamimi’s international expertise has been enhanced and recognised through membership of key regional and international arbitration panels including:
•    GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre, Manama, Bahrain
•    Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
•    Centre for Dispute Resolution (CEDR), United Kingdom
•    International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration, Paris, France
•    UAE Representative of the International Chamber of Commerce
•    Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) 2009-2012
•    Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA)  2017-2020
•    Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA) 2014-2017

Essam is the author of a number of leading UAE dispute resolution publications including Arbitration Law in the United Arab Emirates (1997), A Practical Guide to Litigation and Arbitration in the UAE (2003), United Arab Emirates Court of Cassation Judgments 1989-1997 (2003) and United Arab Emirates Court of Cassation Judgments 1998-2003 (2005). He is also the author of The Practitioner’s Guide to Arbitration in the Middle East and North Africa (2009) and has written extensively on arbitration matters in leading international publications.

Education

•    Arabic
•    English

Education

1984 – LL.M., Harvard School of Law
1983 – LL.B., Al Ain Law School

Education

Languages

Experience

Hassan Arab is a leading expert in all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution, with particular expertise in cases relating to banking, commercial law, insurance, construction law, contract law, intellectual property rights and Arbitration.

As Partner and Regional Head of Litigation for the region at Al Tamimi & Company, Hassan has spent his career building one of the strongest litigation teams in the Middle East which Legal 500 has recognised as “having a great reputation for local court work with a number of really good practitioners”.

Chambers Global has commended Hassan as a “real winner who gives excellent advice and solutions”. Hassan Arab has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the field of asset recovery and commercial litigation by the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers.

Professional memberships and speaking engagements

Playing a leadership role in many professional organisations, Hassan is a past Chair of the Arab Regional Forum and has been appointed a Member of the IBA’s Legal Practice Division Council and Council Liaison Officer to the Arab Regional Forum. Hassan is also a Member of the Steering Committee of the ICC-UAE Commission on Arbitration, Member of Geographical Advisory Board of Business law International, Editorial Member of the International Journal of Arab Arbitration. Recently, Hassan has been appointed as a Councillor of the LCIA Arab User’s Council and as Member of the DIFC Court Users Committee.

Hassan is a regular presenter at conferences and seminars speaking on the many aspects of litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution in the Middle East.

DIAC Arbitration

Hassan serves as an arbitrator in complex and commercial cases with a nationwide practice. As an arbitrator he has arbitrated many claims and provided advice on arbitration and construction. He is registered with Dubai International Arbitration Centre and Sharjah International Commercial Arbitration Centre.

Publications

Hassan has written and lectured extensively on various topics which include arbitration, dispute resolution, enforcement of judgments, Specialised Court and Committees in UAE. He has also authored a number of books including

Hend Al Mehairi
Associate, Private Client Service

Hend is a highly skilled and experienced Associate in both the Private Client Services Department and Dispute Resolution Department of Al Tamimi & Company, with a strong background in handling a wide array of legal matters. Her expertise spans corporate, contract, family, and construction law disputes, as well as arbitration, making her a versatile and valuable legal professional.

In 2020, Hend accomplished her academic journey with distinction, earning a coveted degree in Law from Saint Joseph University. Her commitment to legal excellence is further exemplified by her possession of a certified license to practice law in the United Arab Emirates.

Before joining Al Tamimi & Company in 2022, Hend served as an in-house counsel for a highly regarded regional company. During her tenure there, she demonstrated a keen ability to manage diverse legal responsibilities. She played a pivotal role in the negotiation, drafting, and review of various commercial contracts, ensuring that her organization’s interests were protected at all times.
Additionally, Hend provided comprehensive legal advice on a wide range of business-related legal
matters, contributing to the company’s informed decision-making processes.

Hend’s commitment to fostering a legally compliant business environment was further evidenced by her active involvement in the design and delivery of legal training to company employees. This not only promoted a deeper understanding of relevant legal considerations but also equipped the team to better navigate the legal landscape. Moreover, she worked diligently to manage and mitigate legal risk by designing and implementing robust company policies and procedures.

In her capacity as an Associate at Al Tamimi & Company, Hend continues to illuminate the legal field with her proficiency, dedication, and strategic insight, consistently delivering exceptional results and contributing to the firm’s reputation as a legal powerhouse.

Recent experience

•    Successfully navigated intricate shareholder disputes, offering expert guidance and strategic solutions to resolve conflicts among high-profile clients, bolstering the reputation of the firm as a trusted mediator in complex corporate conflicts.
•        Collaborated closely with senior counsels and partners to draft and review intricate contracts, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with legal best practices, thus safeguarding clients from potential legal pitfalls.
•    Handled substantial inheritance disputes involving billions, offering strong legal analysis and negotiation strategies to achieve positive outcomes.
•    Developed and delivered comprehensive legal training sessions to clients, enhancing their understanding of legal implications and promoting proactive legal compliance.
•    Expertly managed a diverse array of arbitration cases, showcasing versatility in dispute resolution across various sectors. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to devise effective arbitration strategies, resulting in favorable outcome.

•    Played an instrumental role in navigating divorce cases, custody battles, and post-divorce rights etc. Leveraging a compassionate and knowledgeable approach, provided families with tailored legal guidance during emotionally challenging times.
•    Expertly assisted clients in creating comprehensive wills that accurately reflected their wishes, along with crafting prenuptial and postnuptial agreements that safeguarded their individual and shared assets, setting a solid foundation for their future.

Languages

•  Arabic
•  English

Education

2020 – Bachelor of Law, Saint Joseph University – Dubai

Admission

2022 – Certified Lawyer, Ministry of Justice, United
Arab Emirates (Federal)

2022 – Certified Lawyer, Dubai Legal Affairs
Department

2023 – Certified Lawyer, Abu Dhabi Judicial
Department