There are a number of reasons why parties who have agreed to arbitrate disputes (ordinarily by way of an arbitration clause in a contract) may later wish to litigate their dispute in the UAE courts. A common reason is the cost of arbitration, which can be quite significant compared to the cost of litigating in the UAE Courts. Further reasons may be that the party wishes to take advantage of the relative unpredictability of outcomes in the UAE Courts, which do not follow a system of binding precedent as understood in common law jurisdictions and, perhaps more importantly, do not award legal costs except in a token amount, thereby minimizing the cost of a failed claim...
Afridi & Angell
Main Contacts

Bashir Ahmed
Managing Partner
Samera Marei
Director of Business Development and MarketingOffices
Overview
Afridi & Angell is a leading full-service business law firm in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). The firm, one of the oldest in the U.A.E., was established in 1975, not long after the formation of the U.A.E. in 1971.
Our history and reputation for quality legal work has made the firm an integral part of the country's legal landscape and one of the premier law firms in the region. The quality and high standards of the firm are set and preserved by the partners who have many years of experience in the U.A.E. Our lawyers are trained in international jurisdictions and bring with them international experience and the world's business languages.
We advise local, regional and international clients on a wide range of transactions and legal issues. Our commitment to practical and solution-based advice is valued and recognised by clients.
Our clients are the core focus of our business strategy. Our holistic approach means we consider client matters as a whole with a view to obtaining the best result for the client and minimising potential future risks.
As one of the most established law firms in the U.A.E., our partners boast an unrivaled range and depth of local, regional and international experience. Their innate understanding of client needs coupled with their 'hands on' approach to client matters has undoubtedly formed the basis for the firm's sustained and growing international reputation.
We pride ourselves on being multi-specialists. This versatility makes our service consistent, effective and cost-efficient.
"Afridi & Angell provides 'consistently high service' and 'a creative and solution-oriented' approach, and caters to a mix of local and international clients."
Legal 500 EMEA 2013
Year this Office was Established: 1975
Lawyers Worldwide: 40
Notable
Areas of Practice
Representative Clients
Professionals
Partners

Masood Khan Afridi
Partner
Haider Khan Afridi
Partner
Bashir Ahmed
Managing Partner
Mevan Bandara
Partner
James Bowden
Partner
Rahat Dar
Partner
Saurbh Kothari
Partner
Charles S. Laubach
Partner
Danielle Lobo
Partner
Chatura Randeniya
Partner
Shahram Safai
Partner
Abdus Samad
Partner
Stuart Walker
PartnerAssociates

Aleefa Ahmed
Associate
Omer H Bakri
Associate
Vaishali Dhanwat
Associate
Mohannad Elshaikh
Associate
Ramesh Fernando
Associate
Tanya Garg
Associate
Nazim Hashim
Senior Associate
Zaid Mahomed
Associate
Mamoun Osman
Associate
Sulakshana Senanayake
Senior AssociateOf Counsel

C. Chakradaran
Senior Counsel
Amjad A Khan
Senior CounselOther

Albert Erestain
BD and Marketing AssitantArticles
ESG in the UAE: Has it arrived?
Over the past few years, the United Arab Emirates has witnessed an increase in awareness and significance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. While businesses in the UAE have begun to acknowledge that conscious efforts towards ESG compliance is imperative for growth and longevity of their business, the question remains whether ESG compliance can truly be said to now form a part of the UAE compliance ecosystem.ESG significance on the rise: Key FactorsM&A has been on a steady rise in the MENA region (with the UAE continuing to demonstrate resilience despite global headwinds)...
Press
Afridi & Angell announces New Partners
DUBAI – Monday 28 November 2022 – Afridi & Angell is pleased to announce that Saurbh Kothari, Mevan Bandara, and Abdus Samad have been admitted to the partnership, effective 1 November 2022. Saurbh’s practice focuses on corporate and commercial, regulatory and licensing, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and employment matters. He advises local and international clients on various aspects of doing business in the UAE. Mevan is a litigator and advises and represents clients in arbitration, DIFC Court litigation and on-shore litigation matters...
Afridi & Angell Advises Thomas Cook India Group on AED149 Million Acquisition of 51% of Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging
Afridi & Angell recently advised Thomas Cook India Group (TCI), a leading global integrated travel services player, on a fast paced AED149 million (USD40.6 million) acquisition of 51 per cent stake in Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI), a UAE headquartered imaging solutions and service provider. Afridi & Angell acted as lead UAE counsel to TCI on the transaction, and advised on pre-transaction structuring and carve-out issues, the transaction documents (including a Share Purchase Agreement, Shareholders’ Agreement and other ancillary documents), anti-trust issues, as well as a restructuring of the DEI Group in the UAE in order to improve TCI’s post-acquisition control of the group...