Editorial: Construction in the UAE
01 August 2008
The United Arab Emirates has a strong claim to be the most active construction market in the world. Driven by oil revenues and with high levels of demand across sectors such as housing, hotels and infrastructure, it is said that one-third of all the new concrete in the world is poured in the UAE. This heightened activity is unsurprisingly reflected in a busy legal market, with local and international firms making an impact in our research and 19 individuals appearing overall.
Simmons & Simmons is home to two of these individuals. Adrian Cole in Abu Dhabi is an "A-grade lawyer with fantastic clients", and was praised for his contentious and non-contentious work on behalf of public and private companies. He is joined by the "high-profile" James Kwan, a recent lateral hire from Allen & Overy. Kwan is widely recognised for his infrastructure, power, civil engineering and energy expertise internationally, and he is regarded as an "extremely good, quality lawyer".
HBJ Gateley Wareing is the other firm with two representatives in this chapter. The Dubai office was established in late 2007 - the firm's first office overseas - and two lawyers are featured. Paul Taylor was picked out for his "first-class contentious practice" and heads the office and the construction practice. Particularly well regarded for his arbitration work, he is an associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Alongside him, Dennis Brand was commended for his non-contentious advice to a full range of clients, both locally and outside the UAE.
Michael Grose at Clyde & Co LLP is one of the most highly nominated individuals. Described as a "key practitioner", he is viewed by one source at least as "probably the best-known construction lawyer in Dubai". Highly rated by his peers - "I wouldn't hesitate to refer work to him" - he has extensive experience of construction and engineering disputes in local courts as well as arbitration under local and international rules.
David Courtney-Hatcher at Denton Wilde Sapte LLP is similarly highly regarded. An "infrastructure guru", he is well known for his power and civil engineering-related practice and is "internationally recognised as a major player".
Peter Shaw is a consultant to Taylor Wessing LLP in Dubai and a "hugely knowledgeable practitioner". Vice chairman of the UAE Society of Construction Law and a member of the International Construction Committee of the International Bar Association, he is especially well known for his dispute resolution skills in this field, and also appears in the arbitration chapter.
Nick Carnell at Kennedys Solicitors is "very well known in the local market". A "highly active and effective practitioner", he was recommended for his dispute resolution and avoidance work as well as his contract drafting and his professional indemnity work on behalf of architects and engineers.
At Pinsent Masons LLP, Michelle Nelson received many positive comments. Regarded as "very experienced and extremely capable", she stood out for her infrastructure-related practice in relation to roads, hotels, airports and power plants. She is also noted for her work as a qualified solicitor advocate, and undertakes her own advocacy in her international arbitration practice.
Jim Delkousis is head of DLA Piper's litigation and arbitration group for the Middle East and the owner of an "excellent reputation". Well regarded for all types of dispute resolution, especially those related to infrastructure projects, he has advised clients across all sectors of the construction industry.
The "very impressive" Angus McFadden is counsel to King & Spalding LLP in Abu Dhabi and advises owners and developers on all aspects of construction projects worldwide. In recent years he has represented an owner on the drafting of a dredging contract for a multi-billion US-dollar port project in the Middle East, in addition to advising an owner on the development of a multi-billion US-dollar university project in the UAE.
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP's Dubai office is home to the highly rated Mark Bisch. Recognised as an "expert on doing business throughout the Middle East", he has represented construction, architecture, engineering and design firms on regulatory and licensing issues, procurement, contracting and disputes throughout the region and in north Africa.
Simon Roderick at Allen & Overy is "one of the outstanding figures on the UAE legal scene" and his inclusion in this chapter complements further appearances in the arbitration, litigation and M&A sections. With nearly 20 years' experience of working in Dubai, his construction disputes and arbitration work stood out.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is another Magic Circle firm with a presence in this chapter, thanks to the "outstanding" Joseph Huse. He has experience in the energy, telecoms, transportation and water industries and is known for his transactional and arbitration practice.
Paul Suckling joined Ince Al Jallaf & Co in September 2006 and is said to be "very impressive" in both disputes and non-contentious matters, with his contract drafting skills in particular drawing admiring comment. A qualified quantity surveyor, he is viewed as a "highly proficient individual" by his peers.
Trowers & Hamlins lawyer Nigel Truscott appears on the following pages. Based in the UAE for the past 14 years, he has "an impressive level of local knowledge" and was picked out for both his non-contentious and disputes work, particularly in arbitrations.
The local firms also provide several leading figures. Anthony Edwards heads the construction and engineering practice at Hadef Legal Consultants & Advocates and is regarded as a "very skilled practitioner", recognised for his abilities on both the contentious and non-contentious sides.
At Bin Shabib & Associates, Antonios Dimitracopoulos is highly rated for all types of construction and engineering legal work. He recently represented a US specialist contractor in consortium issues arising from local airport special works project, and a UAE-based Canadian consulting engineer in a series of disputes with a local developer relating to two major commercial and residential developments in Dubai.
Habib Al Mulla of Habib Al Mulla & Co is another individual who appears in both the construction and arbitration chapters; he is a "well known figure in the local market" with an "exceptionally strong disputes practice".