Full Profile
Susie is a partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution practice, Middle East. She regularly represents clients in high value, multi-jurisdictional disputes and has over 20 years’ regional experience. She is often the ‘go-to’ lawyer for multinationals.
She is an English law qualified lawyer and has worked in both Clyde & Co's London and Dubai offices. She is currently based in Dubai and represents clients in all areas of general corporate and commercial dispute resolution, including before the DIFC Courts and international arbitration.
She has particular expertise in:
- automotive and manufacturing sectors;
- technology and media
- hotel management and hospitality disputes;
- shareholder and JV disputes;
- corporate and banking fraud;
- commercial agency, distributor and franchise disputes (acting for both international companies and local representatives);
- high value, complex property development and leasing disputes;
- energy claims; and
- commercial arbitration claims and court proceedings both in the UAE and other jurisdictions.
Susie has been appointed as an arbitrator by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) and the DIFC-LCIA, in commercial and property development disputes and she has extensive experience in complex, high value local and international arbitrations, most recently at the DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, SIAC and ICC. Susie also regularly represents clients in court proceedings across the Middle East, Pakistan and India.
In 2023, Susie was awarded the prestigious Arbitration Lawyer of the Year at Lexis Nexis' Women in Law event. The Awards celebrate women's achievements and innovations in legal practice in the Middle East.
For a third year in a row, she has also been recognised as a leading individual by Legal 500 for Litigation and Arbitration in the UAE and has also been ranked amongst the MENA Super 50 Lawyers as published by Thomson Reuters in Asian Legal Business. In 2022, Susie was named as a Client Choice Award winner by Lexology, and the team she manages also won the Litigation Team of the year at the 2023 Middle East Chambers Awards.
Her clients cited that she is: "extremely approachable and pragmatic - a pleasure to deal with. She has an expert knowledge of the law, but is able to deliver advice in a down-to-earth manner." "Susie Abdel Nabi, the litigation partner, is exceptional and a pleasure to work with in relation to complex litigation and dispute matters. Her advice is always actionable, comprehensible, and consistently correct."
Susie is also ranked in 2022 and 2023 by Chambers, MEA and they quoted her clients as saying: She is very articulate and has fantastic client skills. She is really knowledgeable.” “Susie is very proactive and provides direct, clear advice. She is strong on court processes, maintains a good client relationship and has an understanding of complex shareholder matters and sensitivities.” “She has excellent commercial nous”. “she is very sharp. She knows her work perfectly.” "She is one of the hardest-working individuals."
Experience
- Advising and acting for multinational blue chip companies: in commercial agency, distribution and franchise disputes in the UAE and other GCC countries.
- Assisting clients with criminal complaints arising out of shareholder disputes, employment disputes, insolvency and breach of contract claims.
- Acting for one of the largest UAE property and construction groups: in a AED multibillion DIAC arbitration.
- Acting for a number of investors and developers: in AED multimillion property arbitrations at the DIAC.
- Advising property developers on strategies to deal with claims by purchasers relating to the completion of residential developments throughout the UAE.
- Acting for the world's largest oil and gas services contractor: in a USD 100 million energy arbitration at the DIAC.
- Acting for the Yemeni Ministry of Oil & Gas: in a USD multibillion energy arbitration at the ICC.
- Acting for insurers: in a USD multi million Dubai Court claim relating to loss and damage caused by a dredger to eight subsea oil and gas pipelines.
- Acting for a Seismic surveying company: in a USD multimillion energy arbitration at the LCIA.
- Acting for an oil and gas pipeline manufacturing company: in a USD multimillion DIFC Court claim relating to trade finance and banking fraud against an international bank.
- Advising one of the UAE's largest family conglomerates: in a USD 80 million telecoms claim in India.
- Acting for a large Saudi investment company: in a USD multimillion shareholders dispute covering arbitrations in 3 jurisdictions (applying UNCITRAL and LCIA Rules).
- Acting for a UK Pharmaceuticals company: in a USD multimillion arbitration at the ZCC relating to grey market trading.
