Banking & Finance
Global Guide 2024 : United Arab Emirates
Band 1
Contact number
+971 4 503 2600Chambers Review
Clifford Chance has an impressive team with robust offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that continue to lead the market for professional legal services in banking and finance. The firm advises on a broad spectrum of finance matters and possesses complementary expertise in capital markets and corporate/M&A. It is also noted for its dedicated Islamic finance practice and extensive experience in aviation finance, where it often works in conjunction with the firm's highly rated asset finance practice in London. It is equally highly esteemed for restructuring and insolvency mandates, in which area the firm fields a highly experienced bench of lawyers. The firm also has a dedicated regulatory team, which has become increasingly active in growing areas such as fintech.
Work Highlights
- Clifford Chance acted for a syndicate of international lenders led by HSBC Middle East on the provision of a USD325 million multi-tranche finance facility to Egypt's Cheiron Finance.
Notable Practitioners
Graham Brewer is a talented lawyer who has acted on bilateral facilities provided to market-leading domestic clients. He frequently represents syndicates of leading international lenders and is also experienced in debt restructuring and acquisition finance.
"Graham Brewer is absolutely brilliant. He is incredibly commercial and is liked by everyone."
Abu Dhabi-based Nicola Reader is a well-regarded lawyer who has worked with a diverse range of clients in the UAE and across the Middle East on both conventional and Islamic finance products. She is also held in particularly high esteem for her restructuring work.
Qudeer Latif heads Clifford Chance's Islamic finance practice from Dubai and is widely considered to be a leading lawyer in that field. He excels in murabaha and Shari'a-compliant project finance, and is also highly commended for sukuk, acting on debut issuances as well as Shari'a-compliant derivatives.