Al Tamimi & Company

Dispute Resolution

Partner, Head of International Litigation

Rita Jaballah is a Partner in Al Tamimi & Company’s Dispute Resolution practice and leads its International Litigation Group. She has extensive experience of handling complex, high value local and international disputes in the local UAE Civil law courts and common law courts in the UAE and across the region including the DIFC, ADGM, QFC and AFC.

Rita specialises in advising and representing clients with respect to a wide range of commercial and DIFC/ADGM related disputes and claims with a particular focus on commercial and regulatory proceedings in the banking and financial services sector. In this regard, Rita has acted for prominent investment banks and financial institutions in a number of high profile and significant disputes in the banking and regulatory arena. She has been involved in the development of the DIFC Courts and currently sits as a member of the DIFC Courts’ Rules Sub-Committee. In addition, Rita advises and represents local and foreign businesses and financial institutions in a wide range of commercial, property, company, shareholder, enforcement and banking disputes under UAE, DIFC, English and International law. She has expertise in devising enforcement strategies for the enforcement of foreign judgments and awards in the UAE and the region.

Rita retained her Band 1 raking in Chambers Global Guide 2023 Dispute Resolution and as a “Leading Individual” in Legal 500 Dispute Resolution UAE. Rita is also recognized in Who’s Who Commercial Litigation (2022) and as one of the MENA Super 50 Lawyers for 2021 in Asian Legal Business. Chambers Global describes Rita as frequently sought after by both regional and international banks, as well as financial regulatory authorities, for her wealth of experience in financial services litigation.

Rita Jaballah has been described as “one of the best lawyers around…is phenomenally good”, “she is very strategic, very focused on outcomes and also knows her stuff in terms of legal analysis” and “Rita practices at an extraordinarily high level, bringing sophisticated and thoughtful analysis to all of her advice and carefully considering all aspects of the matter in providing her perspective.”

Prior to joining Al Tamimi & Company, Rita practised in a leading law firm in Melbourne and a magic circle firm in London, where she specialised in large scale and multi-jurisdictional litigation with a particular focus on financial services, regulatory disputes as well as general commercial litigation in the English Courts.

Arabic and English

2000 – Solicitor and Barrister of Supreme Court of Victoria

1998 – Bachelor of Law (Hons), University of Melbourne

1998 – Bachelor of Commerce, University of Melbourne