Hage-Chahine Law Firm operates in the United Arab Emirates in association with Habib Al Mulla & Partners.
Led by Dr. Habib Al Mulla, a legal thought leader who was instrumental in the modernization of the legislative framework in the United Arab Emirates and in the creation of the concept of financial free zones in the country, the firm is dedicated to helping foreign and local clients effectively conduct business in the UAE.
With a team of over 30 multi-disciplinary lawyers that have unmatched expertise in navigating the legal complexities of cross-border business ventures, the firm is a full-service practice with core offerings that are spread across 18 practice areas and 7 industry sectors, including dispute resolution, arbitration, banking & finance, real estate, construction, commercial law, employment, taxation, healthcare and off-shore litigation.
The firm’s lawyers have full rights of audience in the local and federal courts of the UAE and a wealth of experience in off-shore litigation.
Our association with Habib Al Mulla and Partners allows us to tap into the collective intellectual capital of both firms which includes graduates of Harvard Law School, Cambridge University, University of California Berkley School of Law, Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Saint-Joseph University, Sharjah University and UAE University.
All legal services can be provided in Arabic, English and French.
Hage-Chahine Law Firm in Association with Habib Al Mulla & Partners offers integrated legal advice to a wide range of sectors in key areas of business law.
Our core offerings are spread across 18 practice areas and 7 sectors, including:
Arbitration. We represent clients in French, English and Arabic proceedings including investment and commercial arbitrations that involve the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of International Arbitration and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), the Cairo Regional Center For International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), the Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution, the Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC) and the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC). Our We can also draft multi-language expert reports and participate in ad hoc arbitration proceedings and other forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.
Banking & Finance. We advise on all aspects of domestic and cross- border banking across a broad range of industries. Our services include handling matters relating to secured and unsecured asset finance; corporate, commercial and trade finance; structured finance; conventional capital markets; financial services regulatory and legislative compliance; investment funds; Islamic finance; insurance and takaful; fraud and insolvency.
Commercial & Trade. We handle commercial and civil matters under UAE law and support companies in the management of their trade and distribution networks in the region. Our lawyers are experienced in drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial documentation, including agency, distributorship, franchising agreements, Terms and Conditions, Free-trade Zone Operation, Intellectual Property Rights, Risk Mitigation Policies, Shareholder and Financial Agreements.
Commercial Agencies & Franchises. From negotiating agency contracts and advising on local dealer protection laws to representing clients in arbitral proceedings and court cases, we have a proven track record in the field of Commercial Agencies. Our services include: negotiating agency contracts and distributorship agreements, drafting international commercial agency agreements, advising on compliance with local regulations and practices, advising on local dealer protection laws including issues of compensation arising out of the termination or non-renewal of an agency contract, providing representations in local courts and representation in arbitral proceedings.
Construction. We counsel on all aspects of construction law, from project inception to completion, and assist in procurement, contractual documentation and dispute resolution. We are experienced in drafting and amending standard forms of contract used in the region, including FIDIC, as well as non- standard, project-specific contracts.
Corporate/M&A. We advise on a full range of M&A, capital markets, private equity/funds, and general corporate and commercial matters. This experience includes joint ventures, divestitures, financings, reorganizations, spinoffs, strategic alliances and other business combinations. Our services include assisting family businesses of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries navigate the rapidly evolving regulatory framework of family business law. We assist businesses in all their freezone corporate matters including company formation, corporate governance and Dispute Resolution.
Employment. We advise on all aspects of UAE labor law and provide legal support in the structuring, management and organization of your workforce. Our lawyers provide representation in employment dispute resolution proceedings before the DIFC, Abu Dhabi Global Market, UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE), and UAE courts.
Hotels, Resorts & Tourism. We assist owners, managers and lenders on high-profile acquisitions and dispositions as well as on financing, joint venture, and ground lease transactions. We also represent clients in negotiations of hotel management, licensing, branding and franchising agreements.
Litigation. With full rights of audience before all courts of the UAE including the DIFC and ADGM, free zone authorities and tribunals, we handle all types of matters including civil, commercial, and criminal, in every industry and area of the law. Our local court advocates are native to the UAE and can conduct litigation proceedings in Arabic.
Real Estate. Our real estate lawyers are highly adept at helping clients navigate the legal complexities inherent to all elements of property acquisition and development for all project types. They have intimate knowledge of the multi-jurisdictional laws regulating property ownership in the different Emirates and free zones and closely monitor their ongoing evolution through regulatory change. We assist domestic or international clients, developers, subcontractors, investors, banks with all their legal matters including but not limited to: sale and purchase management, Due Diligence Research, Contract Drafting and Vetting, Property Registration, Corporate Structuring, Project Financing, Zoning, Leasing Issues and Dispute Resolution.
Regulatory & Compliance. With an in-depth working understanding of the regulatory, business, and cultural dynamics of the UAE, we are well-positioned to help companies meet and maintain compliance requirements. Our lawyers help you stay compliant with local regulations, including in financial services, corporate governance, anti-corruption and bribery, privacy laws and trade sanctions. Our thorough understanding of UAE law and legislative developments result in pragmatic advice on all regulatory and legislative matters.
Sovereign Governments & International Institutions. Our firm boasts one of the most experienced teams in matters involving Sovereign Governments and International Institutions. Aside from our transactional and regulatory expertise, we have a wealth of experience in dispute resolution proceedings involving state entities. We handle investor-state disputes and are familiar with arbitration proceedings arising out of multilateral and bilateral investment treaties. Our lawyers specialize in issues of sovereign immunity and have successfully handled enforcement of national court decisions and arbitral awards against state-owned assets in several jurisdictions.
Tax. We help organizations comply with the new tax laws in the UAE and help them develop effective tax strategies for their business operations. In addition, our lawyers have robust tax disputes capabilities and are able to handle matters before the tax authorities, relevant committees and competent courts.
TMT. Our Technology, Media and Telecommunication Lawyers are dedicated to ensuring that companies operating in these spaces successfully navigate the relevant regulatory landscape. As such, we are fully capable of helping local and international companies all legal issues they might face in developing, implementing, and commercializing operations in accordance with the rules of the Federal Government, the Emirates, and free zones.
Hage-Chahine Law Firm in Association with Habib Al Mulla & Partners