A U.A.E. national, born on September 1, 1958, Advocate and Legal Adviser and Member of the Emirates Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the Abu Dhabi Arbitration and Conciliation Committee and the International Advisory Board for the Center of Business Law & International Trade (Dubai Chamber of Commerce) and practices in the areas of construction, commercial law, construction and maritime claims and dispute management and alternative dispute resolution.

Education:

• 1981, University of Kuwait, University Degree in Law, LLB
• 1985, University of Cairo, Master of Laws, LLM
• 1986, University of Al Azhar, Master of Sharia Laws, LLM (Islamic Sharia Law)

Areas of Specialization

Commercial Disputes, Litigation and Construction Projects

Official Legal Advisor and Representative of:
• Fujairah Municipality
• Ajman Government
• Governmental Companies of Kuwait
• Consulate of the Russian Federation
• Chinese Official Governmental Companies

Professional Experience

Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience

• Arbitration cases have included comprehensive construction, environmental, and commercial disputes involving public and private sector parties. Issues in dispute have included contract interpretation and performance, regulatory and enforcement actions, professional malpractice, agency representation agreements, vendor and equipment supply, insurance, and warranty coverage. Experience as an arbitrator in cases ranging from multi-party construction and environmental disputes to commercial, residential, and public construction arbitrations. Served as an arbitrator in substantial arbitration proceedings involving performance issues, design and construction defects, schedule delay and acceleration, cost overruns, financing disputes, differing site conditions, and constructive changes.

• Counsel in dozens of international arbitrations and local court disputes, including having the lead conduct of individual disputes valued in hundreds of millions of dollars. Chairman or sole arbitrator in several arbitrations. Nominated as arbitrator in many ICC, ADCCI and other arbitral disputes;

• Listed as an expert in Commercial Arbitration in Dubai Chambers of Commerce Directory, The Legal 500 Martindale Hubbell in Commercial Arbitration.

• Experience in fraud, international and multi-jurisdictional enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards, construction project procurement and contract drafting, sale of goods contracts, banking disputes, intellectual property, disputes;

• Extensive experience in pleading in Arbitration Proceedings including: Al Malik Contracting Vs. Ahmed Issa Al Ashram, Mohamed Bin Galeb Company vs. Enderson International, Mohamed Hashem Bin Sido Vs. Waleed Bin Sido, Arabian Construction Company S.A.L. Dubai Vs. H.H. Sheikha Mariam Bint Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Rahman Thankappan & Thankamoni vs. Infants Primary School, Construction Development company Vs. Union Mosaic and Marble Company, Olaf Company Vs. Bank of Credit and International Trade, Canadian Management Consultants Vs. Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), Kuwait Airways Vs. falcon Express Cargo, Associated Construction & Investments Company Vs. IAEC (Boulers) & UAEC (Madras); and was appointed arbitrator/umpire for Intercare Limited Vs. Aiden John Grennell, and Ali Al Sayed Vs. Ahmed Al Tahhan.

Construction Industry Experience:

• Attorney in private practice emphasizing complex construction disputes and ADR. Involved in preparing and pleading in numerous Civil Engineering related cases, providing project management; construction claims; expert testimony, litigation support, and related services in connection with assertion, defense, and resolution of construction and environmental claims and disputes. and represented, inter alia, Al Hazmi Consulting Engineering, Al Ahli Contracting, Sultan Abdul Rahman Contracting, Utmost Contracting & Building Materials, SARCO Target Contracting, Arabian Construction Company S.A.L. Dubai, International Electro-Mechanical Company, Intercare Limited - Construction Division, Al Malek Construction, Bahwan Engineering, Al Habtoor Engineering, Siemens Engineering and Scoin International Company.

Maritime Industry Experience

• More than 140 appointments as a party-appointed arbitrator.
• Disputes involving tanker and dry cargo time and voyage charter parties and bills of lading, ship damage and groundings, unseaworthiness, dry and liquid cargo contamination, regulatory compliance, ship repair, ship finance and container conference service agreements.

Legal Practice:

Practicing in all areas of the Law since 1981 and specializing in Commercial, International and Private Law in 1990; holding at the moment a port-folio of above 1,000 private and corporate clients and handling sophisticated multi-parties cases and disputes and has extensive experience both as prosecutor and defense counselors and is able to represent clients at all stages of litigation and in virtually every field of legal practice. Founded the Law Firm, Al Sharif Advocates & Legal Consultants in 1982, in Dubai. Presently, the firm comprises of a team of fourteen lawyers experienced in different international jurisdictions, and is considered one of the leading law firms in the United Arab Emirates.

Languages:

• Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Publication and Participation in Seminars:

• Prepared several legal opinions and articles upon Khaleej Newspaper request that was published in the said leading daily publication. Imparted Lectures and Seminars for several institutions including the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and the Dubai Indian Committees, on various legal topics including Company Law.
• Special Edition on Construction Contract: Current Situation
• Special Edition on Company Law
• Special Edition on Labour Law
• Special Edition on Anti Sponsorship Law

LLB, University of United Arab Emirates
Diploma in Common Law – Dubai Police Academy
Diploma in Private Law – Dubai Police Academy
Candidate in PhD – Alexandria University – Egypt.
Rashid Scientific Award 1999 for Sharia and Law Group

Legal Practice:

Drafting Legal Documents
• Pleadings, Defense for Civil, Commercial, Maritime, Administrative, Labour and Criminal Cases.
• Objection for Appeal and the High Courts.
• Pleadings, Defenses and Objections for Arbitration Cases – Local or International.
• Agreements and Contracts such as, “Know-How” Agreement, Memorandum, Loan Agreement, Power of Attorney.

Legal Consultation
• Providing and Drafting Legal Opinions on any legal matter such as civil, commercial, criminal maritime
• Negotiation and Settlement between the parties
• Experienced in transactional, dispute resolution, and other legal services to parties on all sides of the design and construction process
• Defended construction claims for both plaintiffs and defendants, including claims for breach of contract, delay and disruption and for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by product defects.

Registration Procedures
• Registration of Trade Marks, Patents, Industrial Design and any of Intellectual Property Rights.
• Registration of Companies in UAE , Free Zone and Offshore

Legal Representation
• Has extensive courtroom experience in civil and criminal litigation before the different level of jurisdiction of the Courts
• To attend Investigation and Interrogation Procedures
• Experienced in providing comprehensive and efficient counseling during trial and thereafter

Indian

Extensive practice and experience in Company Law. Expert in Commercial Claims with special experience in handling Employer-Employee Disputes. Reviewing various contracts (collaboration agreements, agency†and distribution, agreements, consultancy contracts, sale and purchase terms and conditions, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, etc.)And making recommendations accordingly. Drafting of documents, such as Sale and Purchase Agreement, Employment agreement, Memorandum and articles of association, shareholders agreements and resolutions and memorandums of understanding etc

A specialist in cross-border transactions, direct investments and marketing within the countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council and more particularly the UAE.
Advises international clients on all business related legal issues and on developing, negotiating and implementing investment strategies.

Mr. Cetinkaya, Ali

Turkish

B.A. / L.L.B (Hons), International ISL. University, Islamabad
Legal Practice in Criminal Law
Specializes in International Commercial Law

Has extensive experience with foreign investment, establishment of foreign companies in UAE, commercial law, banking and matters related to international contracts.
Specializes in business policy and strategic management.
Advice on the acquisition, registration and protection of all intellectual property in UAE.

Studying of documents in order to ascertain their generic content to provide full legal support. Research, application, drafting, review and processing of documents.
Extensive Marketing experience.
Specializes in formation and registration of companies in UAE, Free zone and Offshore.
Advice on registration of all intellectual property in UAE.
Providing and Drafting Legal Opinions on commercial transactions and Real Estate matters.
Representation in Arbitration matter before the International Arbitration Center

Studying of documents in order to ascertain their generic content to provide full legal support. Research, application, drafting, review and processing of documents.
Extensive Marketing experience.
Specializes in formation and registration of companies in UAE, Free zone and Offshore.
Advice on registration of all intellectual property in UAE.
Providing and Drafting Legal Opinions on commercial transactions and Real Estate matters.

Drafting and rendering legal Consultation in Maritime, Commercial , Civil and criminal matters before all Courts and arbitral panels

Drafting and rendering legal Consultation in Maritime, Commercial , Civil and criminal matters before all Courts and arbitral panels

Drafting and rendering legal Consultation in Maritime, Commercial , Civil and criminal matters before all Courts and arbitral panels

Drafting and rendering legal Consultation in Maritime, Commercial , Civil and criminal matters before all Courts and arbitral panels

Drafting and rendering legal Consultation in Maritime, Commercial , Civil and criminal matters before all Courts and arbitral panels

Mr. Ameen Obood

Specializes in civil and criminal litigation and appears before the local courts of the UAE.

Mr. Mohammed Obood

Yemeni national

Bachelor of Law – Yemen University – 2008

Specializes in civil and criminal litigation and appears before the local courts of the UAE.