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United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is firmly established as the business and finance hub of the Middle East.

With Dubai standing out as the most popular of the Emirates for international companies thanks to the attractive environments of its free trade zones and the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC).

The UAE’s real estate and infrastructure projects have created some of the most impressive creations in the world, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi have also led the way in establishing Islamic finance as a significant part of the global banking sector.

With GDP of over $400 billion and growth rates of more than 5%, the UAE is an international wealth center with over 72,000 domestic millionaires, and many more managing their capital across the Emirates. We are very active in the region, advising private clients, developers and investors on commercial real estate deals, corporate structuring, litigation and international arbitration.

24 February 2017 - Article

CRS campaign bears further fruits

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Recognition

2019 Legalcommunity Private Clients Family Office

Legal 500 UK 2019: Leading firm for banking litigation: investment and retail

Legal 500 Asia 2019: Leading firm for restructuring and insolvency

Legal 500 UK 2019: Leading firm for commercial litigation

2019 (Asia) Leading firm for restructuring and insolvency

Focus areas

Leaders and senior executives

Hotels and hospitality

Luxury assets

Brands

Government

Family businesses

Energy

High-net-worth individuals

Construction

Track record

Commercial agreements for hotel developer in Dubai

Advising a hotel developer, Dubai, UAE in respect of the appointment of Starwood as an operator of its upscale hotel under the Aloft brand, including the negotiation of the hotel management agreement and a suite of concomitant agreements.

Advising a Dubai real estate developer in three hotel projects

Advising a major real estate developer in Dubai, in relation to the appointment of Millennium & Copthorne an operator of three hotel projects in Dubai. This included the negotiation of the hotel management agreement, technical services agreement, corporate structuring of the client’s group for the purpose of the project, structuring and drafting of the rental pool agreement.

Assisting a UAE individual in US tax efficient real estate gifts

We assisted an individual from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to ensure gifts to his US based child of real estate in Bahrain and Dubai along with financial assets, were US tax efficient. We negotiated a waiver of over USD$2.5 million in potential penalties for failure to report prior gifts as well as income tax omissions, FBAR and FATCA reporting for US based child.

Advising a Dubai real estate developer in the appointment of Marriott

Advising a major developer in relation to the appointment of Marriott as the operator of a hotel and serviced apartments in Dubai, including the negotiation of management and concomitant agreements.

Insight

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