UAE & DIFC Litigation


"considerable depth in quality and one of the few offering genuine specialism in DIFC court work."
Legal 500

UAE & DIFC Litigation

Recognised as Middle East-Wide Dispute Resolution: Leading UK Barristers’ Set at the Chambers Middle East Awards 2024, our barristers act for clients across a variety of sectors. We cover a wide range of work including, contentious and non-contentious trusts and probate work; complex commercial litigation; international fraud, asset tracing and freezing injunctions; insolvency and financial services litigation.

Serle Court has a strong team of barristers practising in the DIFC Courts and the wider Middle East and continues to act in the leading and most significant cases litigated before the DIFC Courts and has an equally strong presence in the Middle East arbitration market (both acting as counsel and as Arbitrators). For the second year running, Serle Court is ranked a top-tier set in Chambers Global 2023 for 'Dispute Resolution: the English Bar - UAE'.

"Serle Court stands out as the leading London set for DIFC litigation.  It offers one of the largest and most recognised teams dedicated to this field, with members regularly instructed on high-stakes commercial and financial services disputes involving novel points of law.  Its senior barristers also possess considerable experience obtaining freezing orders in the DIFC Courts. In addition to litigation, members are often engaged to assist with arbitrations conducted under DIFC-LCIA rules."

Our barristers are frequent visitors to the Middle East.  Leading Silk, Rupert Reed KC, is co-editor of the DIFC Courts Practice, the leading practitioners' text on DIFC law and the Rules of the DIFC Courts.  James Weale, Gregor Hogan, Dan McCourt Fritz KC, and Jonathan McDonagh have also contributed to the text.  As well as understanding the procedural rules, our barristers therefore also understand the culture, the market and some even the language.  

Zoe O'Sullivan KC appears frequently in the DIFC Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal and has given expert evidence of DIFC law. She is recommended for Dispute Resolution (the English Bar-UAE) by Chambers Global which describes her as "both phenomenally bright and tenacious in court." "A very good lawyer, who analyses the facts and the law very carefully and impressively. She can pick up messy cases and turn them round well." 

Key recent cases in the region include; FAL Oil v SEWA, Corinth v Barclays, Bocimar v ETA, Vannin v Khorafi, DAMAC v Ward, WCT v Meydan, Sunteck v Grand Valley, Orion  Holdings v Al Haj, YYY v ZZZ, SBM Bank v (Mauritious) Ltd v Renish Petrochem FZE and Ors, Basin Supply Corporation v (1) Rouge LLC (2) Claude Barret, Lateef v Liela, Al Buhaira National Insurance Company v Horizon Energy LLC, American International Group UK Limited v Qatar Insurance Company, and Cesfin Ventures v Al Qubaisi. 

Chambers has a designated Middle East clerk, Daniel Wheeler, who is regularly in touch with clients in the region, and also with contacts in the DIFC, to ensure immaculate service at all times.

  Join our Middle East & Arab Law Group on LinkedIn


News & Events

  • News

    Landmark Judgment in DIFC Court of Appeal | Nael v Niamh [2024] CIFC CA 015

    Rupert Reed KC and Gregor Hogan acted for the successful respondent in the landmark DIFC Court of Appeal judgment in... Read More

    News

    The DIFC Court of Appeal rules that it has jurisdiction to make freezing orders in support of pending foreign proceedings

    In Carmon v Cuenda [2024] DIFC CA 003 (26 November 2024), the DIFC Court of Appeal has ruled that the Court has jurisdiction to... Read More

  • Events

    Riyadh International Disputes Week

    Location: Hilton Riyadh Hotel Granada Read More

    Events

    The Commercial Bar Association (Combar): 3rd Gulf Round Table 2025

    Location: The Capital Club, Dubai Read More

"Serle Court stands out as the leading London set for DIFC litigation.  It offers one of the largest and most recognised teams dedicated to this field, with members regularly instructed on high-stakes commercial and financial services disputes involving novel points of law."
Chambers Global

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News & Events

  • News

    Landmark Judgment in DIFC Court of Appeal | Nael v Niamh [2024] CIFC CA 015

    Rupert Reed KC and Gregor Hogan acted for the successful respondent in the landmark DIFC Court of Appeal judgment in... Read More

    News

    The DIFC Court of Appeal rules that it has jurisdiction to make freezing orders in support of pending foreign proceedings

    In Carmon v Cuenda [2024] DIFC CA 003 (26 November 2024), the DIFC Court of Appeal has ruled that the Court has jurisdiction to... Read More

  • Events

    Riyadh International Disputes Week

    Location: Hilton Riyadh Hotel Granada Read More

    Events

    The Commercial Bar Association (Combar): 3rd Gulf Round Table 2025

    Location: The Capital Club, Dubai Read More