Asim Ahmed

Asim is a Partner and the Head of the Litigation Department, based in our Dubai office. Asim has vast knowledge of legal systems in the GCC and MEA regions, and specifically a vast experience of both the UAE and Sudanese Court systems and their applicable laws. He provides succinct, pragmatic, and commercial legal advice to his clients and delivers clear-cut solutions to their problems. His expertise spans real estate, commercial, finance, bankruptcy, maritime, and telecommunications matters.

As the head of litigation, Asim supervises and manages a huge team of lawyers specializing in multiple areas of expertise such as employment, Insurance, rental, construction and family law.

Asim’s valid and incisive arguments raised before the UAE Courts have been instrumental in the implementation of legal principles and doctrines, most of which were ultimately elevated to court precedents binding on lower courts and generating practicable convention within the domestic litigation community. Asim regularly handles arbitrations and acts for clients in the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) in addition to other forums of alternative dispute resolution.

Practicing since 1991 across international borders, Asim has rights of audience before the superior and lower courts in Sudan. In addition to this, he is licensed by the Chief of Justice in Sudan to act as a Commissioner for Oaths, drafting contracts and agreements, authenticating and attesting the execution of documents and signatures and administering oaths.

Asim moved to the GCC region in order to diversify his litigation experience before the GCC courts, exposing him to the rare versatility that comes with representing multinational and local clients through a well-honed bilingual Arabic-English fluency.

With a wealth of experience in the legal field, Asim has established himself as a formidable force in the UAE’s legal landscape.

SERVICES

• Commercial
• Bankruptcy

INDUSTRY

• Real Estate
• Maritime

• Advised and represented a public joint stock company in one-of-a-kind and publicly notable bankruptcy matter whereby the arguments raised led the judiciary to amend certain provisions contained within the UAE Bankruptcy Law itself in relation to the Director(s) liabilities/personal liability in corporate bankruptcy proceedings.
• Advised a regional cinema operator in financial distress on the available recourses to exit long term commercial lease agreements, employment contracts, and ultimately the UAE market.
• Advised on and successfully concluded a settlement relating to the recovery of an AED 2 billion syndicated loan for two regional banks and advised on the enforcement of the settlement agreement through Dubai Courts.
• Advised a leading construction company in the recovery of its unpaid dues (exceeding AED 500 million) emanating from a contracting agreement with one of UAE’s largest real estate developers. The scope of work also encompassed attending arbitration hearings and collaborating with expert witnesses for the preparation of bilingual engineering reports.
• Advised on multiple real estate claims worth 100+ million dirhams on behalf of a renowned semi-government real estate developer.
• Advised a piling & foundation contracting company on a shareholder’s dispute wherein an investment group-initiated proceedings claiming the amount of AED 60 million being the alleged liabilities of the company for shares bought.
• Defended proceedings against a private equity organization initiated by an individual claiming the amount of AED 25 million representing her commission for acting as an agent in the sale of a property.
• Advised a FTSE 100 re-insurance company in connection with a multi-million dollar dispute involving a UAE based insurance company stemming from the Egyptian uprising in early 2011.
• Defended and counterclaimed proceedings filed by a Petroleum company in relation to compensation for unlawful termination of 6 oil services related contracts for Abu Musa Island, where a signed MOU between Iran and the UAE potentially exposing an oil & gas equipment & services company to the risk of being in breach of US sanctions.
• Represented a luxury fashion house in relation to an illegal termination of an exclusive distributorship agreement.
• Advised a medical institute in a claim lodged through Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) by three investors who sought to nullify a Share Purchase Agreement, which they argued they were fraudulently induced into entering.
• Advised a significant Austrian developer to successfully regain control from the subcontractors of a construction site located at Dubai’s one of a kind real estate project in the territorial waters called The World Island.