Biography

Jonathan is Of Counsel in Al Tamimi & Company’s International Litigation Group which handles complex and high-value cross-border disputes across numerous sectors and industries.

He has over 15 years of experience in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, working on cases which often involve banking and financial services entities, but he has also acted for some of the largest businesses in the UAE and Gulf region as well as multinationals carrying out business in the region. Jonathan has significant experience in fraud and asset recovery cases, obtaining injunctive relief and enforcement, as well as arbitration and mediation.

Jonathan advises clients on aspects of UAE, DIFC and English law and has considerable experience handling cases before the ADGM, DIFC and QFC courts, as well as in England and Wales. The Legal 500 has previously praised his ‘strong grasp of the law and excellent client-care skills’ and he has been recognized as an ‘associate to watch’ with clients describing him as “an excellent lawyer… practical, helpful and responsive”, “good at challenging opinions and offering creative solutions” and “a hard-hitting gritty litigator who fights aggressively for his clients.”

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Recent Experience

  • Particular experience in cases involving Fraud / Deceit, Injunctions and enforcement or recognition (including Worldwide Freezing Orders, Search and Seizure Orders and Norwich Pharmacal Orders), issues around Disclosure / Electronic Disclosure, Arbitration and Mediation.
  • Acted for an eight-bank syndicate in an AED 1.8billion DIFC claim following breaches of conventional and Islamic facilities., obtaining judgment for over AED 2 billion and successfully resisting appeal attempts.
  • Acted for Bank of Singapore in a EUR 240m loan default, securing USD 55m judgment, defeating counterclaims, and successfully opposing appeals.
  • Acted for ADCB to enforce a mortgage in ADGM proceedings following the breach of an AED 500 million Islamic loan facility.
  • Acted for the owner of a Gulfstream private jet in ADGM Court proceedings against its insurer/reinsurers.
  • Acted for the successful claimant, Thales, in proceedings before the QICDRC for breach of contract and successfully obtaining judgment for damages in excess of QAR8m.
  • Instructed by one of the largest family businesses in the MENA region in an LCIA London seated arbitration and ancillary DIFC Court proceedings in a dispute over the ownership of companies valued at over US$600million..
  • Acting for State Bank of India in resisting claims for more than US$18m following the non-renewal of a facility agreement. Successful in defending proceedings at trial before the DIFC Court
  • Advising and acting for a leading Indian bank in DIFC Court action for recovery of loans under facilities and related corporate and personal guarantees (signature forgery and internal fraud defence).

Language(s)

  • English

Education

  • 2004 – Graduate Diploma in Law, College of Law
  • 1997 – MSc, Portsmouth University
  • 1996 – BSc, Liverpool University

Admission

  • 2007 – Solicitor, England & Wales