Mahmood Hussain Law Firm

Founded in September 2012 by Mr. Mahmoud Hussain, an Emirati Lawyer and International Arbitrator, Mahmood Hussain Advocates and Legal Consultancy (MHLF) has emerged as one of the leading legal services provider in the UAE. Employing only three people at its inception, the Firm counts now 27 full- time employees, including 7 new hires since the beginning of the year 2016.

The ongoing success of the firm is due to its unique blend of internationally trained Emirati and non- Emirati lawyers, with an extensive knowledge of UAE laws and their ability to suitably blend international best practices to meet the unique requirements of the region, while advising on complex business transactions including private equity deals, mergers & acquisitions, operational and legal structuring and corporate governance.

The Firm has developed a long lasting clientele base, ranging from high net worth individuals and family owned businesses to major corporations, government and semi-government bodies, public and private joint stock companies and LLCs.

Our Practice Areas

  • Franchising and Distribution
  • Banking & Finance
  • Corporate & Commercial
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Corporate Structuring / Restructuring
    • Corporate Governance
    • Legal Due Diligence & Corporate Compliance
  • Real Estate and Construction
  • TMT
  • Employment
  • Litigation, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution

Some Key Transactions: LITIGATION / ARBITRATION

  • Represented a contractor and successfully negotiated and settled a dispute worth over USD 230 million, related to a 5.7 million sqft real estate project in the UAE.
  • Representing one of the leading diversified construction group in the MENA, in several cases worth hundreds of millions USD, including a dispute worth over USD 106 million against a Dubai-based diversified conglomerate.
  • We have successfully awarded judgment against the defendant claiming for share profits amounting to AED 390 million, the challenges were proofing the rights of our client with insufficient records & improper auditing reports.
  • Represented our client to nullify an arbitration award that obliged him to pay AED 91 million, by convincing the Court that the arbitration award violated the laws & arbitration rules.

CORPORATE/COMMERCIAL/M&A

  • Transaction counsel for the Joint Venture between IL&FS and the investment company for the first ever PPP venture in the UAE.
  • Advising on a high-end colossal multi-sports facility and infrastructure city in UAE – proposed to be the largest ever in UAE - wherein the procurement of real estate plots alone totalled AED 83 million.
  • Joint Venture between a Fund managed by the Japanese Government and UAE based company for procuring franchise arrangements for Japanese food products in the UAE.

Represented by:

Mahmoud Hussain
Founding Partner

SUMMARY PROFILE

Mahmoud Ahmad is the Founding Partner at Mahmood Hussain Advocates & Legal Consultancy and has over 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors. In his role as the litigator at Dubai Courts, Mahmoud has achieved many favorable judgments in several high profile cases. Mahmoud through his niche practice of being an arguing Counsel before the Honorable Judges at Dubai Courts has set up a benchmark for effective representation involving complex legal issues.

He has further been accredited as International Arbitrator at DIAC (Dubai International Arbitration Centre) and Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Center.

He played an instrumental role in the development of key initiatives in Dubai including the development of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015's "Security, Justice and Safety" segment.

He also played a key role in establishing the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts in his capacity as a member of the Committee that established the DIFC Courts and later as its first Deputy Registrar.

Mahmoud has participated in the development of various DIFC legislations including the DIFC Company Law, DIFC Employment Law, DIFC Court Law and the development of the company registrar function.

In 2007, Mahmoud was appointed by a Ministerial Decree as a member of the Special Committee responsible for the Rehabilitation and Compensation of former Camel Jockeys. Mahmood was also a representative of the Special Committee in a Judicial Tribunal established by the government of UAE and the government of Pakistan to compensate former camel jockeys.

Previously, in his capacity as Vice President for Board Relations and Corporate Governance and Compliance at du Telecom, Mahmoud contributed to the UAE's second telecom operator's fast-growing development by establishing a world class corporate governance and compliance framework, policies and procedures.

Under Mahmoud's leadership du Telecom was placed fifth in 2010 and first in 2011 in the Governance Index: Standard & Poor's / Hawkamah Pan Arab ESG Index, which aims to boost transparency and corporate governance across the Middle East markets. In 2012, du was awarded the best Corporate Governance Award in UAE by leading UK publication "the World Finance Magazine".

He is currently appointed as a Board Member into the Board of Directors of CBC TV Station, Egypt and a member of the Remuneration and Compensation Committee of the aforesaid Board. He is also the Head of the task force responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures for corporate governance in the Company on behalf of the Board.

Mahmoud is a frequent writer on corporate governance related topics in various local newspapers.

He is invited to speak nationally and internationally on Corporate Governance. His recent engagement included speaking in the Millstein Center for Corporate Governance and Performance's annual forum at Yale University, OECD Kuwait Government Taskforce meeting on Corporate Governance of State Owned Enterprise and other speaking engagements across the Middle East region.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • Real Estate
  • Corporate & Commercial
  • Franchising

EDUCATION

  • LLB of Shari’a and Law (First Class Hons with Distinction) of the United Arab Emirates University, 2001
  • Master Degree in Digital Economy law from Monash University, Australia 2004
  • Director Certificate exam from UCLA Anderson School of Management, California, 2008
  • International Diploma in Compliance from International Compliance Association, UK, 2012

LANGUAGES

  • English
  • Arabic

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

  • ICC UAE – Board Member
  • International Compliance Association (MICA), UK – Member
  • Accredited as International Arbitrator In Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation And Arbitration Center
  • Accredited as International Arbitrator in Dubai International Arbitration Centre
  • CBC TV Station, Egypt – Board Member
  • Registered Member of Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • May 2013 to present – Founding Partner at Mahmoud Hussain Advocates and Legal Consultancy
  • 2012 to May 2013 - Legal Director at DLA Piper Middle East LLP
  • 2007 to April 2012 - Vice President- Board Relations and Corporate Governance and Compliance at Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company PJSC (du)
  • 2006 to 2007 - Consultant at the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai
  • 2004 to May 2006 - Attorney (DIFC) and Deputy Registrar of DIFC Courts