FIRE Middle East & TL4 Disputes: MENA Asset Recovery and Enforcement Challenges

Dr Faisal Baassiri is managing partner of our Saudi offices and a partner in our projects practice

Faisal specialises in Shari'ah-compliant corporate finance, real estate, funds and Shari'ah-compliant wealth management as well as disputes.

He regularly advises leading local and international financial institutions and corporates in relation to corporate, disputes, employment, real estate, funds and securities matters in Saudi Arabia.

From a cross-border perspective, Faisal also advises on Saudi Arabian law aspects for a wide range of energy and infrastructure transactions, and assists our clients in understanding Saudi laws.

Zoe O’Sullivan KC is ranked by the Legal 500 as a Leading Silk (Tier 1) for Middle East-the English Bar (Commercial) and by Chambers Global as a Leading Silk for Dispute Resolution (The English Bar-UAE).

She has appeared in some of the most important recent cases in the DIFC Court including Lateef v Liela (freezing orders in support of foreign proceedings), Horizon Energy LLC v Al Buhaira National Insurance Company DIFCA 015/22 (jurisdiction challenges) and Neel v Nadir [2024] DIFC CA 001(enforcing interim relief ordered by an arbitral tribunal). She represents the appellant in a current appeal (Carmon v Cuenda) where the appellant is asking the Court of Appeal to overrule its previous judgment in Sandra Holding rejecting jurisdiction to grant interim relief in support of pending foreign proceedings.

Zoe’s extensive commercial practice in the DIFC and London extends to such matters as freezing orders, anti-suit injunctions, jurisdiction challenges and arbitration applications. Her subject matter expertise includes fraud, shareholder disputes, hotel management, banking and finance, insurance and reinsurance, asset recovery, oil and gas and IT/outsourcing.

Clients say: “Zoe O’Sullivan KC is brilliant.   She is super responsive, really intelligent and very, very practical.  She is always available at the other end of the phone” and "Zoe’s strengths are a combination of her incredible sharp mind and the speed at which she can deliver comprehensive, thought-through advice to issues as they arise..”

Zoe is also regularly appointed as a sole, presiding and co-arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations under the DIAC, LCIA, ICC, SIAC, HKIAC and UNCITRAL rules. 

David Russell KC commenced legal practice in 1974. He is admitted to practise in Australia, England and Wales (Lincoln’s Inn), the Courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre, New York (as a Legal Consultant), New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

He currently practises in Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi (Outer Temple Chambers), Sydney (Ground Floor Wentworth Chambers) and Brisbane (Sir Harry Gibbs Chambers). He has acted for Commonwealth and State Governments as well as individuals and corporations. David was President of the Taxation Institute of Australia from 1993 to 1995, and of the Asia Oceania Tax Consultants’ Association from 1996 to 2000.

My practice covers a broad spectrum of commercial disputes. I have been involved in commercial disputes for over 25 years and have developed an expertise in financial services and banking disputes, shareholder and investment disputes, fraud and asset recovery, partnership disputes, contractual claims and professional negligence claims.

I work across a number of sectors including banking, technology, private equity and financial services. My cases often include a cross-border dynamic and may require early consideration of applications for freezing orders, delivery up orders or search orders.

I have worked for a broad range of clients including multinational companies and high-net-worth individuals. My cases have included advising on a range of disputes including investment disputes, crypto disputes, complex cross-border asset tracing projects, procurement disputes and contentious trust litigation in offshore jurisdictions. Most recently, I’ve advised a number of international investors in respect of shareholder disputes and unfair prejudice. I also have recent experience multi-jurisdictional asset tracing disputes.

Along with commercial, cross-border and technology disputes, my specialisms include judicial review, trust litigation, mediation and ADR. I am also called upon by firms to act as an independent Supervising Solicitor for their search orders.

I regularly write and speak on various topics arising from commercial disputes, and am a committee member of the London Solicitors Litigation Association.

I am also a founder and director of Project UpLIFT. Project UpLIFT is a not-for-profit forum that provides support, networking, advocacy, and mentoring for LGBTQI+ and allies working in the legal, investigations and forensic fields. We seek to foster an environment that challenges prejudice, educates employers, and promotes personal and career development in a diverse international space.

Outside work my passions include travel and enjoying live music and sport.

Luke co-founded Keidan Harrison LLP in May 2020, having formerly led a substantial and esteemed team at a mid-sized firm.

He is recognised by the leading legal directories as a “very commercial litigator with a real eye for detail” and “especially adept at insolvency-related commercial disputes” (Chambers 2019).

Luke’s practice covers a broad spectrum of commercial disputes, but he has particular expertise in contentious insolvency and restructuring advisory, fraud and asset recovery, banking and financial services, company and partnership, professional negligence claims and technology disputes. He also has substantial expertise in media, data protection and defamation claims. Luke has acted for large corporates as well as for small- to medium-sized enterprises and office holders (directors, trustees and insolvency practitioners). He works across all sectors, but has particular experience in recruitment, litigation funding, alternative lending, technology, construction and private equity.

Justina Stewart’s practice encompasses the full range of commercial litigation, with a particular focus on banking and financial services, civil fraud, fintech and digital assets, insolvency and international arbitration.

She is ranked in the key legal directories in numerous practice areas:  commercial litigation/commercial dispute resolution; banking and finance; cryptoassets; financial services regulation and insolvency. She is ranked in Chambers UK Bar, Chambers Global, Legal 500 and Legal 500 Middle East.

Comments in legal directories have included “phenomenally bright”, “an absolute delight to work with”, “a hard-hitting litigator.  She is able to parachute into a dispute and turn it 180 degrees in favour of her clients” “brilliant for banking litigation”, “no matter how stressful the situation, Justina has a way of calming matters so that the focus is always on the issues at hand”, “impressive”, “strong, dynamic and commercial”, “great to use on difficult insolvency claims”, “a highly intelligent and tenacious litigator, she is also far more financially literate than most barristers”, “incredibly impressive and a force to be reckoned with” and “a fantastic communicator”, “a phenomenal addition to any team when you have claims against banks” with “outstanding legal acumen”.

Justina’s cases frequently involve multi-jurisdictional elements and matters which are notable for their complexity and novelty.

Before coming to the Bar, Justina was an international investment banker, working with top-ranked corporate finance teams on complex transactions.  This, together with her economics degrees, gives her a level of financial acumen and familiarity with financial products that is rare at the Bar.

She has been appointed to the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown for many years, and is registered with both the DIFC (Part II registration) and ADGM Courts.

Baruch is partner and joint Head of Dispute Resolution at Asserson. He is a solicitor advocate with extensive experience in England, Europe and the Middle East. Baruch is recognised by Legal 500 as a Leading Individual in international arbitration. He is also ranked by Chambers Global and Who’s Who Legal, where he is described as a “go-to name in Israel among large corporations and local law firms for international arbitration and cross-border disputes”.

Baruch has acted on several high profile and high value claims in the UK High Court, three of which were listed by the Lawyer among the top 20 UK cases for the year. Baruch has also acted for a number of household name brands in business defining arbitration cases and was credited, by the English Law Society, for having “opened up arbitration to Israeli business”. In 2014 Baruch was appointed as Israel’s only Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and in 2016 he was appointed by the LCIA as the court’s first representative for Israel. He sits as Israel’s delegate on the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and is a member of the ICC Task Force Addressing Fraud and Corruption in Arbitration.

Baruch is qualified to act as an arbitrator and sits on the panel of a number of global arbitral institutions, including VIAC and SIAC. Baruch is regularly invited to lecture at conferences and other law firms on International Arbitration.

Baruch graduated with a double first from the University of Cambridge and won a scholarship to Harvard Law School where he received a Masters in Law.

Baruch enjoys spending time with his five children, as well as singing and cycling, occasionally simultaneously.