The founder of Hilal and Associates and head of Dubai Office received his L.L.B. in 1975-1976 from the Law College, University of Cairo, Egypt. He speaks English and Arabic and was a member of the Federal National Council (the legislative body of the U.AE) from 1978 till 1983, and was Registered Arbitrator with the GCC Commercial Arbitration Center. He is also the editor of a Digest of eight volumes containing the judgments of the Appeal Courts and the Supreme Court of the United Arab Emirates, 1970 and 1980. Areas of Specialization:

His main areas of specialization are Commercial Law, Arbitration, Maritime Law and Aviation Law and is highly skilled in Commercial Disputes, Litigation and Construction Projects.

Professional Experience: Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience:

• Arbitration cases have included comprehensive construction, environmental, and commercial disputes involving public and private sector parties. Issues in dispute have included contract interpretation and performance, regulatory and enforcement actions, professional malpractice, agency representation agreements, vendor and equipment supply, insurance, and warranty coverage. Experience as an arbitrator in cases ranging from multi-party construction and environmental disputes to commercial, residential, and public construction arbitrations. Served as an arbitrator in substantial arbitration proceedings involving performance issues, design and construction defects, schedule delay and acceleration, cost overruns, financing disputes, differing site conditions, and constructive changes. • Experience in fraud, international and multi-jurisdictional enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards, construction project procurement and contract drafting, sale of goods contracts, banking disputes, intellectual property, disputes;

Construction Industry Experience: • Attorney in private practice emphasizing complex construction disputes and ADR. Involved in preparing and pleading in numerous Civil Engineering related cases, providing project management; construction claims; expert testimony, litigation support, and related services in connection with assertion, defense, and resolution of construction and environmental claims and disputes.

Maritime Industry Experience:
• Disputes involving tanker and dry cargo time and voyage charter parties and bills of lading, ship damage and groundings, unseaworthiness, dry and liquid cargo contamination, regulatory compliance, ship repair, ship finance, ship collisions and container conference service agreements.

Legal Practice: Practicing in all areas of the Law since 1978 and holding at the moment a port-folio of above 1,000 private and corporate clients and handling sophisticated multi-parties cases and disputes and has extensive experience both as prosecutor and defense counselors and is able to represent clients at all stages of litigation and in virtually every field of legal practice. Presently, the firm comprises of a team of fourteen lawyers experienced in different international jurisdictions, and is considered one of the leading law firms in the United Arab Emirates.

Languages: Arabic, English

Prepared several legal opinions and articles. Imparted Lectures and Seminars for several institutions on various legal topics including Company Law.

Mr. Hilal passed his L.L.B in 1987 from the AI Ain University, U.A.E and has been an advocate ever since. He appears before the Federal, Shara'ia and Civil courts as well as the Higher court. He also a member of the Union of International Lawyers. Mr. Hilal speaks Arabic and English and specializes in Civil Law, Commercial Law, Trademark, Patent Law and Copyright Law.

Areas of Specialization: Heading Abu Dhabi Office with Mr. Essa Abdul Latif . Specialization - Commercial Disputes, Litigation and Construction Projects.

Professional Experience: Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience

• Arbitration cases have included comprehensive construction, environmental, and commercial disputes involving public and private sector parties. Issues in dispute have included contract interpretation and performance, regulatory and enforcement actions, professional malpractice, agency representation agreements, vendor and equipment supply, insurance, and warranty coverage. Experience as an arbitrator in cases ranging from multi-party construction and environmental disputes to commercial, residential, and public construction arbitrations. Served as an arbitrator in substantial arbitration proceedings involving performance issues, design and construction defects, schedule delay and acceleration, cost overruns, financing disputes, differing site conditions, and constructive changes. • Experience in fraud, international and multi-jurisdictional enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards, construction project procurement and contract drafting, sale of goods contracts, banking disputes, intellectual property, disputes;

Construction Industry Experience: • Attorney in private practice emphasizing complex construction disputes and ADR. Involved in preparing and pleading in numerous Civil Engineering related cases, providing project management; construction claims; expert testimony, litigation support, and related services in connection with assertion, defense, and resolution of construction and environmental claims and disputes.

Maritime Industry Experience:
• Disputes involving tanker and dry cargo time and voyage charter parties and bills of lading, ship damage and groundings, unseaworthiness, dry and liquid cargo contamination, regulatory compliance, ship repair, ship finance and container conference service agreements.

Legal Practice:

Practicing in all areas of the Law since 1987 and specializing in Commercial, International and Litigation; holding at the moment a port-folio of above 500 private and corporate clients and handling sophisticated multi-parties cases and disputes and has extensive experience both as prosecutor and defense counselors and is able to represent clients at all stages of litigation and in virtually every field of legal practice. Presently, the firm comprises of a team of fourteen lawyers experienced in different international jurisdictions, and is considered one of the leading law firms in the United Arab Emirates.

Languages: Arabic, English

Mr. Latif received his L.L.B from AI Ain University, U.A.E. in 1983. He speaks Arabic and English and has been an advocate since 1984, and appearing before the Federal, Shara'ia and Civil court as well as the Supreme Court.

He is also a member of the Union International Lawyers. Mr. Latif specializes in Corporate Law, Banking Law and Civil Law.