Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP advises a wide range of clients in the fintech and crypto space on establishing operations in the UAE, and also assists guide asset managers with the private equity and the novel fund management side. Leveraging experience as a senior legal counsel at the Dubai Financial Services Authority, regulatory specialist Philip Clarke is well placed to advise banks and financial institutions on defending allegations and in investigations by regulatory bodies, as well as aiding businesses through their regulatory concerns, with particular expertise in digital assets.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Attention to detail and close working relationships.'

Key clients

  • ICICI Bank Limited, DIFC Branch
  • MOG Holding Limited
  • ComTech Global
  • Lexim Trading DMCC
  • Craig price and Piero Politeo
  • Former senior manager of the Abraaj Group
  • Ardonagh Specialty
  • Grant Thornton
  • Deutsche Bank
  • TransAsia Private Capital Limited

Work highlights

  • Acting for one of the former senior executives of the Abraaj Group who was censured and fined by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) following the collapse of Abraaj.
  • Advising Ardonagh Specialty on the acquisition of Oxford Insurance Group Limited.
  • Advising Lexim on the set-up and development of its gold-backed digital asset platform, which includes minting crypto tokens that are collateralised against gold held by its sister company to be traded on a proprietary basis.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Philip Clarke