Advocates & Legal Consultants in United Arab Emirates

Emirates International Law Firm (EILF)

Main Office
GIBCA Tower, Khalifa Street
P.O. Box 469
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

+971 2 6265600

+971 2 6265123

www.eilf.com

Contact Dr. AbdulRahman Al Shaikh

Law Firm Overview

Emirates International Law Firm (EILF) specializes in all aspects of UAE laws and regulations and in representing clients before the courts in all Emirates of the Federation. Commercial transaction laws and trade regulations are the main stay of the firm's practice. The firm also excels in providing regional and international legal services in connection with economic, commercial, and financial institution activities, including the establishment of joint venture projects, local and international agencies, as well as activities related to oil & gas, engineering and construction law, privatization, project finance, financial markets, investment laws & regulations, and in registration and protection of intellectual property rights in UAE.

Our flagship office is based in the UAE's capital city, Abu Dhabi. It is led by experienced lawyers who are graduates and trainees of some of the most prestigious and distinguished universities and institutions in the world. We operate internationally and domestically under Islamic Sharia Law, Common Law and Civil Law systems. The firm transacts legal matters in Arabic, English and French.

EILF’s association with leading overseas firms in Europe and the USA ensures that clients can tap into an unrivaled network of expertise and experience for international transactions.

EILF’s capabilities extend across the commercial law spectrum, with particular expertise in trade regulation law, joint venture projects, securities, local and international partnerships and agency agreements. The firm also advises on activities related to oil and gas, privatization, financial markets, investment laws and regulations, and the registration and protection of intellectual property rights in the UAE. It provides full representation to clients before the Courts in each of the Emirates, and is capable of handling legal matters in Arabic, English and French. EILF’s clientele includes prominent local and foreign corporations, industries, sovereigns and private individuals.

EILF’s mission is to meet the needs of its clients throughout the UAE whether those clients are operating locally or globally.

Languages: Arabic, English and French.

Practice Areas

Practice Areas Description

Emirates International Law Firm (EILF) excels in providing regional and international legal services in connection with economic, commercial, and financial institution activities, including the establishment of joint venture projects, local and international agencies, as well as activities related to oil & gas, engineering and construction law, privatization, project finance, financial markets, investment laws & regulations, and in registration and protection of intellectual property rights in UAE.

- Business and Corporate Law

The firm offers comprehensive business and corporate law services, handling and advising on all aspects of UAE and International business transactions and financings and serving as outside legal adviser for all sorts of corporate clients.

EILF lawyers negotiate and draft on behalf of clients diverse business agreements, contracts, joint ventures, and other transactional documents in connection with their legal relationship with domestic and international agents, customers, suppliers and distributors. In many cases, EILF serve as general legal counsel for corporations and serve them in all aspects of domestic and international corporate transactions.

EILF also handles all issues pertaining to corporate creation, governance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, project finance, bankruptcy, securities issues, white collar crimes, and the emerging offset programs.

- International Law

The firm provides world-wide professional representation through its strong affiliation and association with prestigious international law firms. Our primary objective in forming these prestigious associations is to balance between our clients’ increased legal needs and our own overriding desire to keep and retain our flagship offices and practice firmly planted in UAE, particularly in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, by providing and strengthening the international dimension in our legal representation, we have satisfied the various expanded demands and needs of clients with complex national and transnational projects. We have also aspired to and ultimately succeeded in creating the region’s most comprehensive one-stop legal firm.

- Banking & Financial Institutions Law

Banking transactions and financing have grown increasingly important as a means of raising funds for major infrastructure developments and business acquisitions in the United Arab Emirates.

EILF’s banking and financial institutions lawyers have been in the forefront and major participants in transactions involving domestic and international lending and financing transactions for banks as well as the customers and also been intimately involved in advising and representing both governmental regulatory authorities and financial institutions in all aspects of regulatory compliance. We advise and assist banks and financial holding companies in their own corporate transactions including internal and administrative operations, formation of bank holding companies, mergers and acquisition, equity offerings and resolution of administrative actions by regulatory agencies.

EILF’s banking and financial institutions law group is led by a leading banking law expert who has advised and transacted a wide range of global extension of credit, such as secured and unsecured credit facilities, syndicated and non-syndicated credit facilities, and transactions involving all aspects of letter of credit facilities, project loans and financing structures, as well as commercial paper back-up facilities.

- Intellectual Property (IP) Law

The firm has a full-service and specialized IP group of lawyers representing clients in matters of registration and protection of trademarks, copyrights and related industrial property rights. The IP group is led by one of the regions foremost expert with substantial experience in IP practice and interpretation of local regulations related to all aspects of protecting IP ownership rights.

EILF clients automatically have access to cross-border resources and a network of international associated IP firms to service every conceivable requests dealing with the protection or challenges of intellectual property rights on a global basis.

EILF lawyers prepare and prosecute the application to obtain IP rights in the UAE. Globally, we operate through our network of associated firms. We also register, protect, litigate, and obtain legal enforcement against violators of IP rights for a wide range of foreign and domestic clients. We counsel clients, represent them in all administrative proceedings, and litigate on their behalf in identifying, registering, and protecting their IP rights, particularly when registering or defending these rights in the UAE.

- Administrative Law

EILF have legal consultants and advocates who specialize in administrative laws and regulations and are experienced and capable of handling any administrative disputes or inquiries. Some of the senior EILF’s lawyers have been active committee members, participants and drafters of administrative laws and regulations in the UAE. Their vast experience and expertise provide them with a unique legal knowledge and tools to help resolve complicated regulatory and administrative matters.

- Insurance & Reinsurance Law

The firm represents a variety of clients in our insurance industry practice, including carriers, reinsurers, holding companies, and individual clients. EILF’s lawyers have substantial litigation experience in representing both sides of the insurance claims or disputes. We also act as private council to various organizations related to the insurance industry.

- Litigation

EILF’s litigation group has developed a reputation for providing high-quality, cost-effective representation in complex litigation matters.

EILF lawyers have accumulated a broad spectrum of experience which includes criminal and civil trial representation in the Emirates’ highest Courts and several other international jurisdictions.

The practice group consists two senior and four junior lawyers who devote their practices exclusively to litigation and most frequently are involved in matters related to civil and criminal disputes, commercial and insurance claims, intellectual property, construction, employment, and personal injury litigation.

- Maritime Law

Maritime law has its roots in the earliest forms of commerce. It is one of the oldest bodies of law which is believed to have originated from the water routes of the Mediterranean Sea. The maritime rules and laws continued to be developed and evolved in response to disputes and problems which arose over the transportation of goods over water.

EILF has a well established and extensive practice representing shipowners, charterers, insurers, shippers, and transactions related to maritime disputes and problems. Our lawyers are also well versed in claims related to unseaworthiness, personal injuries, liens, property damages, shipping documentation, and wrongful arrest of vessels, among others.

- Oil & Gas Law

EILF has one of the most experienced, full-service and diverse energy practice group in the region. The Firm provides counsel and assistance to a wide variety of clients in connection with natural gas and crude oil engineering and construction issues, transportation, refining and marketing regulations and agreements, and general practice related to the energy field.

Oil and Gas practice group lawyers handle major energy projects related to oil and gas production to assisting clients in negotiating contracts for the purchase and transportation of oil and natural gas.

- Construction

EILF has experience in construction law that is unparalleled in the U.A.E. We provide a full range of services to owners/clients, prime contractors, construction managers, engineers, architects, subcontractors and material suppliers in matters involving breach of contract actions, changes/variations and claims for delay, disruption and loss of productivity. We also have extensive experience in drafting contract documents at every stage of the construction project process, from project conception through project completion.

EILF's construction law practice is unique, as members of its team have significant experience handling construction disputes on major oil/gas and infrastructure projects involving the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. ("ADNOC Group") and the Abu Dhabi Government. This experience includes preparing and presenting claims on behalf of our clients, before the Abu Dhabi Claims Committee.

EILF also has extensive experience in litigating construction disputes in the Abu Dhabi courts, and arbitrating construction disputes administered and governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association, the International Chamber of Commerce, and UNCITRAL.

- Arbitration

EILF lawyers have participated in many U.A.E. and international arbitrations, including Adnoc group arbitrations, as both advocates and as arbitrators.

We have thorough knowledge of the U.A.E. laws regarding arbitration, as well as the Rules of Arbitration of the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Euro Arab Chambers of Commerce. If a U.A.E. arbitral decision favorable to our Client is not honored in a timely manner, EILF has the expertise to enforce the decision through the U.A.E. courts. We are also conversant with the rules and procedures of the International Chamber of Commerce; the American Arbitration Association; and UNCITRAL.

- Alternative Dispute Resolution

In conjunction with our Arbitration practice group, EILF lawyers are well-versed in the various Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods and techniques including mediation, "mini-trial" and disputes review board. We provide advise on the threshold issue of whether ADR is practicable in light of the nature of the dispute, the position of the opposing party and the objectives of our Client. If the circumstances are right for using ADR, EILF will recommend the appropriate method of ADR, and counsel/represent our clients during the ADR process. Our lawyers have also served as the neutral third party in ADR forums.

- Labor Law

EILF has a solid labor practice section dealing in matters related to labor law issues and litigation, employment termination and benefit issues, and related contractual matters. In addition to providing counseling on matters of employer-employee legal relationships, EILF’s labor section lawyers assist clients on the design and implementation of employee benefit plans, employment contracts, compensation schemes, and amicable resolutions and settlement of termination disputes.

- Constitutional Law

The firm handles inquiries and provide advice on issues related to the UAE Constitution, including the interplay between commercial activities and the Federal Constitution. EILF lawyers in conjunction with the former members of the judiciary who are of-counsel to the firm provide indepth analysis and solutions to questions of constitutionality and the supremacy and parameters enjoyed by the Federal laws and regulations.

Lawyers

	Mr. Hashem Al Hashimi Lawyer Civil Litigation, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Litigation		Honorable Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi Lawyer Banking and Finance, Business Law, Commercial Law, Trade Investment
	Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Shaikh Lawyer Administrative Law, Appellate Practice, Arbitration, Banking Law, Business Law		Mr. Zahid Ali Lawyer Alternative Dispute Resolution, Business Law, Case Law, Commercial Law, Litigation
	Dr. Anas Habashneh Lawyer Banking and Finance, Banking Law, Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Law		Mr. John P. McGowan, Jr Lawyer Arbitration, Construction Law, Corporate Law, Energy, International Law
	Mr. Hamed Rabie Lawyer Civil Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Law, Employment, Family Law