Watson Farley & Williams LLP — United Arab Emirates
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About
- The Firm Watson Farley & Williams is a leading international law firm advising clients operating in the energy, infrastructure and transport sectors. With a network of offices spanning Asia, Europe and the USA, we bring together technical excellence and deep industry knowledge to deliver unparalleled advice on complex transactions and disputes. - Principal Areas of Work In all our core sectors, we provide integrated and commercially focussed advice across a broad range of capital markets, corporate, finance, dispute resolution, employment, real estate, regulatory and tax matters. - Senior Partner: George Paleokrassas - Managing Partner: Lindsey Keeble Energy (Mining; Oil and Gas; Power and Renewables; and Commodities and International Trade) - key contacts: Henry Stewart; María Pilar García Guijarro; and Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi Infrastructure (Airports; Digital and E-Infrastructure; Ports and Terminals; Roads, Bridges and Tunnels; and Social Infrastructure) - key contacts: Florian Kutzbach and José María Anarte Transport (Aviation and Aerospace; Maritime; and Rail) - key contacts: Jim Bell and George Macheras - Energy – Mining We leverage the wealth of experience across our global network to support industry players across the whole mining life cycle, including in the emerging sectors of seabed and space mining, as well as investor-state dispute settlement. We are the go-to advisors for all mining participants from owners/licensees, developers and sponsors to financiers, contractors and governments. Operating globally and in areas beyond national jurisdiction enables us to advise on complex, multi-jurisdictional matters in all the major mineral-producing areas of the world, from Africa and Australasia to Asia and the Americas. - Energy – Oil & Gas We have over 30 years’ direct industry experience advising clients across the whole of the oil and gas value chain, covering upstream, midstream and downstream. We also have in-depth knowledge of new fuels and gases such as LNG, hydrogen, ammonia and SAF to help support the industry’s energy transition. Clients include exploration, development and production companies, traders, offshore services, storage and distribution companies, refinery developers and operators, funds and investors, banks and governments. - Energy – Power and Renewables With an international offering of sector specialist lawyers, we are the natural choice for clients across the power and renewables space. We have long been at the forefront of new technology and developments in the industry and have a successful track record advising on all aspects of the value chain and life cycle of projects from conventional power to renewables such as onshore and offshore wind, solar, biomass, and waste to energy. By leveraging our regulatory, transactional, ESG and dispute resolution experience, we offer an unrivalled full service in sector to clients including developers, investors, sponsors, financiers, contractors and both governments and government entities. - Energy – Commodities and International Trade We offer a comprehensive sector offering covering disputes, structured trade finance, sanctions and regulatory, ESG, project development & finance, and corporate matters. Our historical focus on the energy, infrastructure and maritime sectors, which each have strong synergies with commodities and international trade, give us a unique 360-degree perspective, allowing us to support our clients operating in these sectors across all key service lines. Clients include major corporates, trading houses, mining majors, energy traders, banks, independent trade financiers, investment funds and agricultural and food companies. - Infrastructure With the global demand for infrastructure rapidly increasing, we support our clients on major projects around the world. We act for a broad range of participants across transport-relevant infrastructures ranging from airports, ports and terminals, rail and roads, bridges and tunnels. We also work on energy-relevant projects ranging from transmission and storage, water and waste management and renewable energy assets, as well as social infrastructure to emerging sub-sectors such as smart and digital infrastructure. Our multi-disciplinary team, based across our global network of offices, provides first-rate advice and guidance to all participants in the infrastructure sector. - Transport - Aviation and Aerospace Always abreast of trends within the aviation and aerospace sectors, we have over 40 years’ experience advising key industry stakeholders. These include aircraft and engine leasing companies, banks and financial institutions, funds and investors, export credit agencies, airlines, tour operators and manufacturers. What propels our service beyond that of our competitors is our active involvement in making impactful changes to the industry at a global level. This includes being the principal advisors to the Aviation Working Group (AWG) and the prime choice for legal advice focussing on the decarbonisation of the industry, alternative fuels and emissions reduction. - Transport - Maritime With the largest dedicated maritime legal practice worldwide, we have been helping clients address the industry’s ups and downs for over 40 years. Our unrivalled shipping experience attracts clients including shipowners, charterers, ship managers, P&I and FD&D insurers, investors, banks and financiers with substantial shipping portfolios. Areas of special expertise include maritime infrastructure, commercial shipping, container shipping and logistics, offshore oil & gas, cruise, commercial contracts, sanctions, disputes and regulatory, loan portfolios and restructuring. We are at the forefront of the industry move towards decarbonisation, including having advised on the development of the Poseidon Principles to support the IMO’s goal to reduce shipping’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050. ### Languages - 25+ languages ### Staffing Figures - 0 Partners - 19 Offices
Office locations
Dubai
Dubai
Watson Farley & Williams Office 1702, Level 17, Index Tower, West Entrance Dubai International Financial Centre Po Box 506896 Dubai United Arab Emirates
Practice areas
Lawyers in this office
Alastair Holland
Alastair has over 20 years of experience advising clients throughout the Middle East on private and public M&A, equity capital markets, private equity and joint ventures. He advises on the acquisition, disposal and restructuring of assets in the UAE and Middle East region, as well as on day-to-day business matters, particularly commercial contracts and corporate governance. His clients, which include multinational corporations, high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses, also benefit from his sector expertise in energy and infrastructure, maritime, leisure, hospitality and retail, manufacturing, healthcare, education and financial services. Alastair has worked in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as Frankfurt and, during his long career working in international law firms, he has acted on a variety of landmark transactions including the acquisition of Stoll Moss Theatres by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group, Blackstone’s acquisition of Legoland and Merlin Entertainments, and Morrisons’ takeover of Safeway. Alastair is ranked by Chambers & Partners for his expertise in corporate and commercial contracts work. Work highlights Advising Abu Dhabi Ship Building on a wide range of corporate and commercial matters. Advising Edilizi Acrobatica on its acquisition of Enigma (specialised company responsible for cleaning the Burj Khalifa). Advising a Saudi conglomerate on its joint venture with an Aramco JV. Advising an Omani sovereign wealth fund on multiple investments in UAE schools. Advising Etihad Rail in relation to the operational phase of the Etihad Rail Project. · Mergers and Acquisitions
Charlotte Bijlani
Charlotte is an experienced dispute resolution lawyer with full rights of audience before both the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) courts and the higher courts of England and Wales. Charlotte’s practice extends to litigation, international arbitration, expert determination and mediation, as well as advisory work on litigation risk and avoidance. She regularly acts for employers, contractors and funders in construction and engineering disputes across the Middle East, as well as major corporates, developers, investors, financial institutions and high net worth individuals in all types of contentious matters both regionally and in the UK. Charlotte is recognised as a leading dispute resolution and international arbitration lawyer in the UAE by The Legal 500 EMEA describing her as a “superb litigator”, an “outstanding operator”, “strategically-minded” and says that she provides “an unrivalled combination of dedication and shrewdness”. · Dispute Resolution
Charlotte Knight
Banking and Finance
Emily Widdrington
Emily specialises in shipping finance with over 12 years’ experience advising and acting for banks and ship owners on loan and security documentation. Her experience ranges from advising on high-value ECA-backed financings to loan agreements involving sustainability-linked margin adjustments. She was named a ‘Key Lawyer’ in the Transport Finance and Leasing category by Legal 500. Emily joined Watson Farley & Williams in 2008 and qualified into the Asset Finance group in London in 2010. Since joining she has spent time in the firm’s Singapore, Paris and London offices and has been on two client secondments, the first with an international bank in Norway and the second with a ship owner in Geneva. · Shipping Finance
Khalid Hamed
Khalid has over 30 years’ experience advising multinational shipping, financial, insurance, manufacturing and trading companies throughout the Middle East. He specialises in marine and non-marine insurance coverage disputes before the UAE local courts, particularly for hull and machinery and mariner cargo insurers. His practice involves advising on disputes involving maritime, yacht, property, energy, trade credit and political risks and financial lines insurances. He also advises on non-marine insurance policy disputes, including construction and engineering matters, before all courts in the UAE and across the Middle East. More broadly, his expertise extends to assisting shipping and corporate clients on commercial, maritime, civil, corporate, investment, employment, criminal and intellectual property cases. · Marine Insurance
Michael Savva
Assets & Structured Finance
Natalie Jensen
Natalie specialises in contentious and non-contentious matters in the shipping, international trade and energy sectors. She advises a broad range of global clients who span the full range of actors across the maritime industry. This includes advising shipowners, charterers, their insurers and P&I Clubs in connection with charterparty, bill of lading and contractual disputes, as well as disputes arising out of collisions and allisions, to name just some of the areas of her diverse and busy practice. One of Natalie’s core specialisms is in relation to bunkers quality disputes, on which she regularly advises and represents clients in both UK and Singapore-based arbitrations. Her reputation in the market means that she regularly speaks at industry fora on issues affecting the bunkers industry. Natalie regularly provides sanctions advice to multiple clients in the fast-evolving global regulatory landscape. Natalie’s practice is enhanced by her early career experience in the Freight Defence & Demurrage department of an International Group P&I Association, which enables her to provide unique commercial insight to clients on maritime insurance and P&I matters. Natalie has extensive experience in English arbitrations and High Court proceedings, as well as DIFC and UAE onshore litigation. Natalie is ranked by Chambers & Partners and recognised by Legal 500 as a Key Lawyer in Shipping, Insurance and Dispute Resolution. She is one of only a few lawyers to be twice honoured as a ’20 Under 40 Leader of Tomorrow’ by SeaTrade Maritime Middle East, affirming her reputation as a talented lawyer who paves the way for industry change. She is described by Chambers and Legal 500 as “…an exceptional younger lawyer. She understands client requirements and comes highly recommended”; “…on the ball and is very knowledgeable about the industry and practices”; “…responsive, helpful and thorough in how she responds to requests, prompt in delivering feedback and gives high-level responses quickly”. The leading directories also describe her as having “…developed a speciality in bunker disputes in the UAE”; “…a growing reputation in the market [and] is increasingly to be seen leading…standout work”; and she “…understands her clients’ needs exceptionally well and has a drive to bring matters forward in a very efficient manner”. · Maritime Law
Rita Al Semaani Jansen
Rita is a highly experienced corporate and commercial law specialist with experience in the UAE and wider MENA region. She advises clients on corporate and commercial law including in relation to national and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring and franchising. · Corporate