Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants

Commercial

As the region continues to transform, the need for increased transparency, evolving regulatory requirements and complex transactions remain challenges which commercial entities are experiencing. Businesses are being driven to address such intricate and contentious matters through leveraging specialist strategic advice, similar to that offered by our team at Galadari.

We leverage our local agile approach, along with leaning on our regional and international experience to support our clients with their diverse requirements.

We have successfully introduced international corporate clients to the UAE, assisting them in setting up mainland and freezone companies. Likewise, we routinely represent multinational companies to operate franchise businesses under the franchise law, whilst supporting them with agreements, advising on business expansion without exposing the entity to risk or dilution of ownership.

In alignment with the regional market movements, our technical professionals work with clients to manage operational costs through the legal structure and incorporation of outsourcing solutions. Furthermore, we have worked with start-up and large fin-tech entities who require legal incorporation, advice and solutions which enable them to bring new technology into the region.

Our team of experts are knowledgeable and experienced commercial professionals, with a deep understanding of our client’s requirements which enables us to provide practical, strategic and balanced advice. Coupled with this, our knowledge of local and regional law along with remaining abreast of the latest laws and regulations affecting businesses ensures our clients receive value.

OUR TEAM PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SOLUTIONS WHICH INCLUDE:

• Franchising
• Technology
• Outsourcing
• Contracts & agreements
• Dispute resolution

Dispute Resolution

Galadari is one of the oldest and highly regarded local UAE law firms, as such our dispute resolution team is well respected and known for our successful lawyers and local advocates. Our team advise on contentious and non-contentious matters across the various courts and government bodies in the UAE. Our Emirati practitioners have full rights of audience to appear before all levels of the UAE courts, and our common law DIFC practitioners, who are fully competent on DIFC laws and regulations, are licensed to appear before the DIFC courts. We are also licensed to represent our clients at regional and international arbitration centres. Our wider practice is represented by one of the largest cross-disciplinary teams in the UAE, having developed and delivered our services for over three decades. Our lawyers come from a range of civil and common law backgrounds, from multiple jurisdictions.

At Galadari we have represented clients throughout the MENA region and further afield, in high-value claims for contentious disputes which vary in scope, industry and size. Our expert teams have successfully supported clients including high-profile and global brands which include; insurers, financial institutions and banks, energy, corporates, conglomerates, private equity and investment firms, high-net-worth individuals, brand owners, retailers, contractors, developers, architects and engineers. Our litigation and arbitration teams cover all types of disputes from varied sectors including real estate and construction, banking and finance, commercial and civil, employment and labour and criminal claims.

Our accomplished litigation team are regularly called upon by local and international organisations from sectors such as oil & gas, insurance, healthcare, construction and infrastructure, real estate and corporate and commercial, as well as international law firms in the region to provide local litigation expertise and expert drafting skills.

Our arbitration team have an expansive range of expertise in high-value local and international arbitration matters. Being a long-standing local firm, we have an excellent relationship with the UAE’s finest experts, an excellent benefit for our team and therefore clients. We are registered to appear before all UAE arbitration centres including International Chamber of Commerce, UAE (ICC UAE), Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), DIFC LCIA Arbitration Centre, Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation & Arbitration Centre (ADCCAC) and Sharjah International Commercial Arbitration Centre. Our team are adept in the enforcement of interim measure and preliminary orders, as well as ratification and enforcement of awards.

In addition to traditional methods of dispute resolution, our team are well equipped when it comes to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods of negotiation and mediation. ADR is a time and cost saving method for clients who do not have the want, need or resources available for litigation or arbitration. Our team will guide you through the process and help you decide if ADR is right for you and will help negotiate an agreement or settlement in an effective manner. Our team mediate corporate and commercial disputes between business partners, shareholders and organisations and their clients, as well as mediate in property, construction and financial disputes.

We are adept at advising and dealing with the types of issues that arise from bi-lateral trade agreements and our lawyers are trained in those types of negotiations, and drafting agreements dealing with bi-lateral trade.

OUR LAWYERS OFFER ADVICE ACROSS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF LITIGATION MATTERS INCLUDING DISPUTES AND CLAIMS FOR:

• Insurance recovery
• Commercial and financial disputes
• Construction and engineering claims
• International trade disputes
• Fraud and financial crime
• Technology
• Intellectual property
• Medical malpractice
• Professional negligence
• Employment Real estate
• Restructuring and insolvency

Employment

Ongoing regulatory reforms continue to impact the employment legislation across the Emirates. Our team of employment specialists offer advisory and technical solutions which are aligned to the needs of both employees, employers and associated authorities, solving both simple and complex employment matters. We have a built a reputation as one of the leading providers of employment advice, due to being a long-standing local law firm with many successes for our employment clients.

Our clients appreciate our deep understanding of local laws and nuances as such our lawyers keep abreast of the ever-changing regulatory landscape and are aware of the varied laws and regulations between the various UAE free zones and onshore. Being a leading local law firm we lead the way with up to date information on employment law and the UAE labour law. We are well-versed in the procedures of the Ministry of Labour and provide up to date information on visa and immigration procedures, redundancy and termination policies and drafting labour contracts, which quite often contain non-compete and non-disclosure agreements.

Our team offer a comprehensive service to our clients across all aspects of employment law ranging from routine advice to litigation and are aligned to the UAE labour laws and current practices, whilst offering considerable regional experience in dealing with local and federal laws. Day to day our team handle all types of employment matters including transactional work, employee advisory, HR consultancy, health & safety and pensions & immigration issues.

We provide real-time advice to the wider market in respect of any employment legislation changes, including within DIFC. Our clients include local and international businesses across a multitude of sectors including; real estate, government and semi-government, banking & finance, healthcare and insurance, we currently advise multinational conglomerates, regional and local UAE entities.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

• Contracts
• Employee advisory
• HR consultancy
• Government and authority advisory
• Pensions & immigration
• Dispute resolution
• Health & Safety

Intellectual Property

As local and global markets continue to evolve, so does the competitive landscape which gives rise to new emerging service providers. Such market movements have driven the need for public, private and government entities to protect their most valuable asset, their intellectual property (IP), which is increasingly becoming a key business priority.

Galadari is one of the few law firms with a team of experts offering a wide range of specialist skills which include but are not limited to; trademark, patent, design, copyright, utility models, industrial design, prosecution and litigation, licensing, franchising, transfer of technology, anti-counterfeiting, corporate laws, international laws, pharmaceutical and drug laws. Our experienced team support national and international companies, representing clients who enforce their IP rights or defend themselves against infringement suits. Additionally, we offer a unique IP auditing model which enables us to effectively and thoroughly review the intellectual properties owned, used or acquired by a business, in order to assess and manage risk, remedy difficulties and implement best practices within IP asset management.

Our IP team at Galadari represent local and international brands in contentious and non-contentious intellectual property matters including trademark, competition, data protection & privacy and GDPR compliance. With many organisations providing services globally we provide multi-jurisdictional advice to ensure our clients intellectual property is protected in the UAE and abroad. With e-commerce being increasingly popular within the region and globally, our team provide clients with practical advice on preserving their intellectual property rights in this constantly evolving sector.

SHOULD MATTERS BECOME CONTENTIOUS OUR LAWYERS PROVIDE REPRESENTATION IN THE UAE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS.

• Trademarks, copyrights, designs, patents, domain names, geographical indications and any other related rights
• IP Audits
• Managing, enforcing and commercializing IP.
• Civil and criminal enforcements
• Advisory
• Corporate & Commercial IP
• Dispute resolution
• Competition
• Grey goods
• Data Protection & Privacy
• GDPR compliance

Real Estate & Property

At Galadari our lawyers have extensive experience in the real estate sector, advising leading players on a full range of topics, from project conceptualisation through to corporate structuring, acquisition of the land and its use, procurement of regulatory approvals and licenses from the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) and financing arrangements to the final sale or leasing or other use of the completed project. Our lawyers come from both common law and civil law backgrounds and advise both onshore and free zone entities.

Our real estate team are highly regarded and work closely with the Dubai Land Department, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority, government institutions and departments. Our lawyers are licensed to appear before all levels of the UAE Courts and in front of arbitration centres including DIFC-ILCA and ADGM and have worked on many high-value arbitrations and litigation disputes. Due to our excellent in-depth knowledge of local laws and regulations, our team regularly work with many international law firms.

We have vast and up to date knowledge of the local laws, regulations and governmental departments, due to our long-standing local practice, which alongside our legal expertise always serve our clients well. We have a diverse commercial real estate experience and our knowledge of the UAE Real Estate Law, Escrow Law and Strata Law. Drawn to the sector’s constant evolution, we have developed leading-edge and practical solutions to the issues our clients face. We help them navigate through the legal and regulatory changes which underpin the development of the real estate sector in the region.

Our clients include investors, public entities, MNCs, financial institutions, investment funds, private equity funds, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth individuals and companies, both in the UAE and globally who are looking to acquire real estate through on-shore or off-shore investments. Our real estate lawyers also provide legal advice for large infrastructure projects in the region. We work collaboratively with our corporate and finance teams to ensure we are in line with the wider economic, financial and legal context.

On the corporate side our real estate practice covers a commercial real estate matters including jointly owned properties, planning & development, contracts & agreements, mergers & acquisitions, restructuring, real estate funds and REITs. Our clients come from various sectors including hospitality & leisure, healthcare, government and semi-government, education and banking. They range from developers, landlords and tenants to private investors, real estate funds & REITs and financial institutions.

As well as complex real estate matters, such as procurement and disposal of real estate, day to day our team provide assistance with drafting contracts and agreements, reviewing and drafting documentation and negotiations.