Corporate & Commercial
Corporate & Commercial
Key highlights
All aspects of corporate and commercial transnational work are covered by our specialists, which includes mergers and acquisitions, inward investment, private equity and venture capital, joint ventures, corporate structuring and restructuring.
Our specialists have successfully represented major clients in a wide range of industries including energy, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, construction, insurance, hospitality, automotive and real estate.
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Litigation & Disputes
Litigation & Disputes
Key highlights
Our highly qualified litigation practice team bring the breadth and depth knowledge in litigation driven by our right to appeal before local courts. No litigation case is too small or too big for our team, whether civil, commercial, banking, real estate, commercial or family cases. Through a tailor approach, MAS Advocates team handles all types of litigations in a timely fashion.
Our team of qualified lawyers are experienced and knowledgeable of the local laws and regulations and courts procedures and have successfully represented clients in landmark disputes before local UAE courts in a range of industries such as energy, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, construction, insurance, hospitality, automotive, banking, rental disputes and real estate.
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DIFC
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Litigation
Key highlights
Recently, DIFC courts have gained tremendous traction as a result of growing international investments in the Dubai area. This has boosted investors’ confidence and trust in DIFC legal system.
In particular, judgement from DIFC courts is recognized by local onshore courts. From this perspective, MAS Advocates staff are highly skilled in tackling DIFC litigation-related cases in DIFC courts.
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Arbitration
Arbitration
Key highlights
Our Arbitration team bring a track record of representation in both domestic and international markets including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), the Dubai International Financial Centre – London Court of International Arbitration (DIFC-LCIA) and the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre (ADCCAC). Our team is frequently appointed as counsel in arbitrations and we act on complex and high value arbitrations spanning across various sectors in the economy.
Our extensive range of practice areas include the following:
- Construction
- Insurance
- Corporate and commercial, and
- Banking and finance
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Financial Crime
Financial Crime
Key highlights
At MAS Advocates, our staff share the drive, capability and expertise to offer clients with the best legal advice in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the provision of advisory and litigation services in white collar crimes. This stems from our diverse team which maintains a multijurisdictional understanding of financial crimes that are often instructed by international law firms, government entities, high net worth family/individuals and businesses.
Our staff continue to work collaboratively with local and international public sector entities across the MENA region and internationally while leveraging these connections in advising on contextual and regulatory frameworks related to financial crime.
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Criminal Law and White Collar Crime
Criminal Law and White Collar Crime
Key highlights
Our lawyers and counsels are experts in defending clients in criminal related matters. Our Chairman has served over 9 years in the Criminal Investigation Department and has solid exposure and experience in the criminal matters. Our local licensed lawyers are qualified to defend and represent before the Public Prosecution and Police Stations bringing a successful track record of criminal representation. Our lawyers are sought after to represent clients before such bodies.
We also have in depth knowledge and understanding of the criminal laws and regulations and we are also experts handling a wide of criminal matters from assaults to bounced cheques, DUI and many more.
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Employment Law
Employment Law
Key highlights
The employment sector is rapidly evolving in today’s day and age presenting exciting challenges and opportunities. Accordingly, our expert employment law team understands the complexities and intricacies involved in this sector. This is why we provide expert, practical and relevant legal advice for various international and regional employers in all sectors.
We advise on all aspects of employment work, including transactional work, day-to-day employee relations, employer-employee relationship cycle, advice and employment litigation within public and private sector entities.
As we guide our clients through the complex and changing employment environment in the region, we aim to provide advice and assistance that is practical, commercially viable and cost effective. Some of our highlights in this sector include:
- Preparation and enforcement of individual or collective dismissals, employment-related consequences of work schedule reductions,
- Negotiation, drafting and review of employment contracts, termination agreements, secondment, personnel handbooks, relocation and expense policies, and all contractual documents related to laws and regulations,
- Handling labor law litigation before courts and governmental committees,
- Advising on employment contracts for executives, including compensation packages, and non-compete covenants,
- Advising on labour-related matters in the events of business transfers, mergers and acquisitions,
- Structuring of remuneration and bonus schemes such as deferred compensation, employee participation (share or stock option plans, etc.), or other schemes, and
- Conducting administrative investigations in relation to labour dismissal cases.
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Banking & Finance
Banking & Finance
Key highlights
Our multidisciplinary legal team has a long standing history in the banking and finance sectors in advising national and international banks, who are based in the UAE. Pivoting off of such expertise, we advise on the full spectrum of banking and financial matters ranging from financial regulation, product development, cross border finance transactions, and structured finance, and both local and international companies on their finance in both conventional and Islamic transactions and litigation and banking.
Our team has unparalleled depth and breadth of expertise advising prominent financial institutions, borrowers, and sponsors across our regional network on the restructuring, documentation and negotiation of finance transactions (whether Islamic or conventional).
A significant component of our expertise in this area comes from our deep understanding of the UAE market, its policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Further, some of our other services in this practice area, include the following:
- Compliance and anti-money laundering,
- Syndicated and bilateral lending transactions,
- Insolvency and regulatory matters,
- Private equity financing and other commercial transactions,
- Trade and export finance,
- Merchant banking transactions,
- Project finance,
- Acquisition finance,
- Asset finance, and
- Debt capital market transactions
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Private Wealth
Private Wealth
Key highlights
Our team recognizes that the UAE business community and various economic entities are governed by family-owned businesses. That is why at MAS Advocates, our team is highly qualified to handle the complexities and nuances of wealth management. Our legal experts adhere to local laws and design unique corporate legal structures and agreements that allow family-owned businesses to grow and reach their strategic goals.
Our team is well-versed in the complete 360 investment scheme spanning from all fund types, including:
- Debt,
- Equity,
- Incorporation and licensing of investment special purpose vehicles,
- Investment exits/portfolios,
- Liquidations,
- Family investment,
- Corporate structuring,
- Commercial advice,
- Board and management advice,
- Regulatory advice,
- Trust arrangements,
- Infrastructure,
- Sovereign wealth funds and
- Strategic investments into privately/publicly-held targets and endowments.
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Private Equity
Private Equity
Key highlights
At MAS Advocates, we bring a thorough understanding of the complexities in private equity to our practice. Our highly expert legal team advises clients on all segments of the business operations, including screening, due diligence, portfolio development, exit planning, structuring and presenting bids, negotiating and drafting acquisition agreements and financing documents, offering guidance and insight from the beginning to the end of a transaction. At MAS Advocates, we support clients through all stages of a deal including:
- Initial fundraising, creating and building the private equity investment fund,
- Investment decisions/exits/portfolios,
- Day-to-day operations of portfolio companies, including but not limited to restructurings, existing debt refinancing, add-on acquisitions and management incentive structures and
- Investment exits either by sales or recapitalizations of portfolio companies or by taking them public
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Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property
Key highlights
Transformative innovation in the digital space, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and infrastructure to name a few are at the core of our lives everyday in the UAE. However, protecting these transformations require a deep understanding in the intellectual property space. At MAS Advocates, our expert legal professionals advices local and international clients the protection of copyrights and patents and designs.
Some of our highlights in this practice include intellectual audit and transactions, trademark prosecution, enforcement and litigation. Whether new to the region, expanding a business, or entering into new commercial sectors in the region, we provide expert intellectual property advisory services to support clients in their business journey.
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Insurance Law
Insurance Law
Key highlights
Insurance laws, regulations and frameworks continue to evolve, both in international and local contexts in the UAE. That is why our dedicated insurance law team consistently advises on insurance considerations whether contentious or none-contentious matters as the firm is constantly sought after to represent major insurance companies operating in the UAE before local courts.
Our highly qualified insurance law team regularly advises on insurance matters in support of various practice areas and industries, particularly in banking and finance, construction, energy, real estate and maritime. This includes, but is not limited to, providing advice on product liability, health insurance or compensation.
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Construction & Real
Estate Law
Construction & Real Estate Law
Key highlights
Construction
The pace of construction development in the Middle East and North Africa Region is unparalleled anywhere around the world. At MAS Advocates, we understand that and continue to dedicate our time in representing the entire spectrum of the construction industry client base which includes contractors, developers and state-owned entities in large-scale construction-related arbitrations and provide expert advice in various infrastructure and construction disputes.
Real Estate
Real estate is one of the fastest growing sectors contributing to the vibrancy of the UAE economy. That is why at MAS Advocates, we understand the significance of representing and managing a range of property and real estate law related matters.
Our dedicated staff bring the breadth and depth of expertise in all aspects of property law and the entire real estate life cycle acting for regional and international developers.
Our team is consistently involved in major infrastructure projects and the development of mixed-use and industrial projects.
We have a track record of expertise in real estate disputes. Our team has traditionally represented the following groups:
- Local and international developers,
- Investors,
- Contractors,
- Financial institutions,
- Investment funds,
- Operators,
- Retailers,
- Landlords,
- Tenants and
- Government entities
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Maritime Law
Maritime Law
Key highlights
At MAS Advocates, we have a dedicated team of maritime and international trade specialist lawyers who bring a wealth of expertise handling contract negotiations and transactions. Our team has access to an established network of technical experts and maintains excellent relationships with regulatory authorities and government entities. We adopt a specialist approach to all matters of trade and transport. This enables us to provide clients with an expert team who fully understands the commercial specificities of the industry. We advise on the following areas:
- Trade and transport law,
- Asset finance, mortgages, registrations and transfers,
- Bills of lading, international sale and commodity contracts,
- Trade finance and documentary credits,
- Marine insurance and collisions,
- Shipbuilding, repair and conversion contracts and
- Offshore engineering and construction businesses
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Capital Markets
Capital Markets
Key highlights
At MAS Advocates, we leverage our long standing strategic relationships with the Middle East’s financial services regulators, stock exchanges and government bodies to address any transactions to ensure that we close the deal.
Our vastly experienced capital markets team brings a wealth of expertise in the primary and secondary equity offerings in advising on regulations and protocols in both local and international capital markets. Our highly experienced team provides outstanding specialized industry sector advice. Some of our highlights in this sector include:
- Financial licensing issues,
- Stock exchange listings,
- Mergers and acquisitions,
- Capital raising,
- Corporate governance,
- Regulatory compliance,
- Restructuring,
- Incentive programmes,
- Financial licensing issues and
- Damages and losses incurred for failure to comply with relevant regulations
Further, our expertise in the full spectrum of capital markets locally and internationally include:
- Expertise in primary and secondary equity offerings (IPOs, equity fundraisings, debt securities and Sukuk)
- Expertise in debt and equity raises on stock exchanges thoroughout the region
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Tax Law
Tax Law
Key highlights
Our dedicated leading tax law practice focus on the MENA region advises clients across a full spectrum of industries including infrastructure, investment management, real estate, telecommunications, healthcare and real estate. Our full-service tax practice regularly advises on all areas of tax including merges and acquisitions (tax structuring, due diligence, and sales and purchase agreement support), corporate tax, value added tax, customs duties and transfer pricing.
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