Middle East - United Arab Emirates

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Dispute resolution: compliance and investigations

Akin

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Akin excels in guiding clients through complex sanctions and compliance restrictions, seeing an influx of mandates arising from the Russian-Ukraine conflict. Leveraging its substantial US footprint, the team handles sensitive internal investigations that centre on fraud, accounting regularities, sanctions and export controls violations, money laundering, and compliance with regulatory bodies including the DCPA and FDA. Mac Fadlallah is one of ‘the strongest advisers on sanctions and export controls in the UAE and the region’, and is an expert on US laws and how they apply outside of the country, focusing on global corporate investigations with international sanctions, export controls and anticorruption issues. Natasha Kohne has a substantial data protection, cybersecurity and privacy practice and frequently handles cross-border investigations. Recently promoted partner Lauren Talerman is particularly well-regarded for her work defending Middle Eastern clients in disputes against US governmental agencies. Counsel Jean-Pierre Denour is noted for his ’excellent commercial sense’ and advice on economic sanctions and export controls.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Very pragmatic, know the market well’

  • ‘Mac Fadlallah is very knowledgeable and dedicated to clients.'

  • ‘Excellent and unrivalled team in the region. Fantastic bench strength allows them to provide advice like no other firm can. Fantastic collaboration across offices and departments. Excellent use of technology.’

  • ‘Mac Fadlallah has unparalleled knowledge and experience in his area, far beyond competitors in the field. He is also dedicated to providing exceptional service to clients. He works with his clients to constantly improve on the way to deliver legal services to them. JP Denour has excellent commercial sense and is also tireless in delivering legal services. They are both trusted advisors to the company.’

  • ‘Excellent team covering compliance, investigations, regulatory etc with US and UK qualified lawyers but located in the right timezone for us. Excellent focus on customer relationship - extremely attentive to our needs and able to anticipate issues in advance and partner with our business people to anticipate and solve our problems.'

  • 'Unusual to get this coverage of US, UK, UAE and other jurisdictional qualified lawyers physically located in the UAE, right timezone, right mix of individuals, levels of seniority and practice area coverage. also excellent in dispute resolution, ADR, litigation etc.'

  • 'Cover UAE and entire region, but also good for international coverage for US and UK matters in a location and timezone that is convenient for us’

  • ‘Mac Fadallah is excellent and can advise on sanctions, export controls, compliance, investigations etc. Deep knowledge and focused client service. He is clearly the strongest advisor on sanctions and export controls in the UAE and the region.’

Key clients

  • Leading Forwarding and Logistics Company
  • Fortune 500 Food and Beverage Company
  • Global Telecommunications Operator
  • Major Middle East Oil Company
  • UAE-Based Security Company
  • Satellite Communication Company

Work highlights

  • Secured an extremely rare exemption allowing a global telecoms company to continue to operate by leveraging novel legal arguments, intensive advocacy and strong government relationships to engage with multiple regulatory authorities.
  • Provide legal advice to a world-renowned food and beverage company on matters that relate to corporate compliance with US sanctions.
  • Completed an internal investigation of a transaction involving the misdelivery of an item subject to US export controls to China for a leading forwarding and logistics company.

Lawyers

Leading individuals

Mahmoud (Mac) Fadlallah

Mahmoud (Mac) Fadlallah

Akin

Mahmoud (Mac) Baki Fadlallah is the partner in charge of Akin’s Dubai office. He focuses his practice on the application of U.S. law to non-U.S. entities and operations, particularly with respect to global investigations and compliance with international sanctions, export controls and anticorruption laws. Mr. Fadlallah has been based in the United Arab Emirates since 2012, where he counsels clients across a variety of sectors, including aerospace and defense, satellite, logistics and freight forwarding, communications and technology, financial/banking, energy, automotive, health care, industrial and chemical. To learn more about Mr. Fadlallah, please visit his full profile: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/mahmoud-b-fadlallah.html

Next Generation Partners

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Mahmoud Fadlallah, Natasha Kohne

Other key lawyers

Lauren Talerman, Jean-Pierre Denour

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