Haleema Wahid

Biography

Haleema is an English qualified lawyer who specialises in commercial dispute avoidance and resolution; with a particular focus on the DIFC Courts. Haleema has extensive experience in complex domestic and international disputes and regularly advises clients on commercial strategy and enforcement. Haleema has worked in London, Bahrain and the UAE, acting for a broad range of clients (UHNWIs, multinational companies, local / regional corporates, banks and government bodies) on complex and high value cross-border matters across a variety of sectors. Haleema has represented clients at every stage of dispute resolution proceedings; including in the DIFC Courts, ADGM Courts, UAE Courts, English Courts, negotiation and mediation. Haleema has also worked in-house as a Senior Manager (Legal) for a major UAE healthcare company – this involved managing the Group’s entire litigation portfolio and substantially reducing its litigation exposure, drafting commercial contracts, advising the Group on regulatory, compliance and data protection issues, leading negotiations, and reporting/presenting to the Board of Directors and C-Suite Executives.

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Recent Experience

• Defending a Part 7 claim in the DIFC Courts in relation to alleged unpaid remuneration claimed by a former CEO.
• Acting for an international asset holding company: leading the team in successfully obtaining a worldwide freezing order and injunction from the DIFC Courts in respect of an AED 1.4 billion dispute relating to a failed investment deal.
• Defending a UHNWI in a USD217m+ joint venture dispute with a foreign listed property developer in a DIFC-LCIA arbitration (Singapore seat). Commencing related court proceedings in the Singapore and DIFC Courts.
• Drafting and filing a Part 8 Application in the DIFC Courts for an anti-suit injunction in respect of vexatious proceedings in the onshore Courts.
• Acting for the Claimants in DIFC Court proceedings relating to the breach of a third-party agreement. This matter involved jurisdictional challenges, interim applications under the laws of the DIFC, and the validity of contractual agreements under UAE Law.
• Acting for the Claimant in DIFC Court proceedings relating to a fraudulent cross-border transaction for the sale of securities.
• Acting for a global electronics company: leading settlement discussions and successfully settling a 6-year-old dispute in which the client had spent c. AED 7million on legal fees.
• Acting for a Fintech company: advising on litigation strategy in respect of a shareholder dispute (value: USD 5 million) and negotiating a share buy-out with the adverse party.
• In-House Legal (previous): Managing the Group’s extensive litigation, arbitration and investigations portfolio (claims value: USD3 billion+ across 46 entities in 5 different jurisdictions) and developing litigation/settlement plans to resolve these (within budgeted amounts).