Max Davis

Game Theory

The Competition Law Playbook:

In the fast-moving world of MENA competition law, staying ahead means understanding the game’s rules. This month’s Law Update issue: Game Theory, unpacks key legal developments, from evolving merger control trends to landmark rulings in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, and Iraq.

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Eyes
On 2025

Legal Updates in
Middle East & North Africa

2025 is set to be a game-changer for the MENA region, with legal and regulatory shifts from 2024 continuing to reshape its economic landscape. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, and Bahrain are all implementing groundbreaking reforms in sustainable financing, investment laws, labor regulations, and dispute resolution. As the region positions itself for deeper global integration, businesses must adapt to a rapidly evolving legal environment.

Our Eyes on 2025 publication provides essential insights and practical guidance on the key legal updates shaping the year ahead—equipping you with the knowledge to stay ahead in this dynamic market.

The leading law firm in the Middle East & North Africa region.

Max Davis

Senior Counsel

Biography

Max is a Senior Counsel in the firm’s dispute resolution team and has 15 years of experience in the fields of complex fraud litigation, asset recovery, and arbitration.

Max also has a deep understanding of the complexities involved in digital asset disputes, having played a pivotal role in the landmark cryptocurrency recovery case, which was the first of its kind before the DIFC Court of Appeal and which is helping to shape the digital assets legal framework in the region.

As a founding member of the Middle East chapter of the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery network, co-author of the UAE chapter of the Law Review’s Virtual Currency Regulatory Review, and a regular speaker on all aspects of digital assets and fraud, Max is a recognized thought leader in digital asset disputes across the region.

Max’s reputation in the market and his experience of proceedings in the courts of England and Wales, the Cayman Islands, Liechtenstein, Singapore, Tanzania, and the UAE mean that he has a truly international network of contacts.

Accordingly, Max is regularly approached by financial institutions, virtual asset service providers, venture capital and private equity investors, family offices, tech entrepreneurs, specialist insurers, insolvency practitioners, professional services firms, former colleagues and contacts from law firms in other jurisdictions to assist on matters that touch on all aspects of the digital assets sector, and in relation to claims for fraud and asset recovery where individuals or assets have been traced to the UAE

Recent Experience

Digital Asset Disputes, DIFC CFI and Court of Appeal

Acted for the Claimants in a claim for the return of 300 Bitcoin (valued at USD3m at the time of the loss, later valued at c.USD19.5m) against an intermediary for, inter alia, breach of contract, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and disclosure of confidential information at first instance and on successful appeal.

Fraud and Asset Recovery, DIFC CFI

Acted for the Defendants in defence of a Part 8 Claim to execute a judgment of the Dubai Courts for USD24.2m against properties held through a DIFC company in the DIFC Courts. This matter involved an application to set aside the Enforcement Order, Worldwide Freezing Order and Charging Order on the basis that the DIFC Court lacked jurisdiction to make those orders because the pre-requisite conditions of the Judicial Authority Law had not been met and the DIFC Court had no standalone jurisdiction pursuant to the judgment per Sandra Holdings. The matter was granted permission to appeal to the DIFC Court of Appeal.

ADGM

Acted for the Defendant on a successful application to strike out a claim for breach of contract in relation to the acquisition of an ADGM company with a Category 2 banking licence. The case is important in that it clarifies that where a contract refers to the “laws of the UAE“ and the jurisdiction clause refers to the ADGM, the ADGM Court will infer that the substantive law of the contract is the law of the ADGM (and not Abu Dhabi or the Federal law of the UAE).

Fraud and Asset Recovery, International

Acted for the 13-17th successful Defendants in the USD33bn fraud claim brought in the Cayman Islands Court against a Saudi Arabia family-owned conglomerate at first instance and on appeal. The 129 day trial is the longest in Cayman Islands’ history.