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Africa & Asia
Connecting Continents, Shaping Law
This month, our focus turns to Africa and Asia, two regions reshaping global growth and investment. From Egypt’s ongoing legal and economic reforms and the strengthening of UAE–Moroccan relations, to the rise of Korean investment across the Middle East, this issue highlights the developments driving change across these markets.
We also explore the UAE’s role as a bridge between regions – a hub for private wealth management, dispute resolution, and cross-border collaboration, connecting businesses and investors across Africa and Asia. The articles in this edition offer practical insights into how these shifts are influencing trade, regulation, and market confidence across the wider region.
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.
A complete spectrum of legal services across jurisdictions in the Middle East & North Africa.
Sabrina Devenish
Senior Associate - International Disputes
Biography
Sabrina is a dispute resolution specialist with over 15 years of national and cross-border litigation and arbitration experience.. She has represented both private and sovereign clients in some of the most significant and high-profile disputes, as ranked by The Lawyer.
Sabrina has acted as counsel and advisor in dozens of arbitrations before major arbitral institutions and in ad-hoc arbitrations under English law, UAE law, KSA law, DIFC law and the UNCITRAL Rules in the leading global arbitration hubs.
In recent years, Sabrina has spent her time between Dubai and Riyadh, advising local and international clients and representing them in court and arbitration proceedings.
Sabrina is dual-gualified in England & Wales and in Germany, allowing her to work across both civil and common law matters.
She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and she holds the CIArb Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration.
Sabrina is a member of the LexisNexis Dispute Resolution Expert Panel. For three consecutive years, she has been listed as a “rising star’’ in commercial arbitration by Expert Guides.
She holds a Master of Business Administration from a leading German business school, enabling her to better understand the commercial needs of her clients.
Recent Experience
- Acts for a KSA construction company in its disputes with its KSA-based joint venture partner under a joint venture agreement for a SAR 4 billion development (FIDIC Contract, SCCA Arbitration, KSA law).
- Acts for a regional hotel group in its dispute with a KSA state-owned hotel owner (Mediation, Arbitration)..
- Acts for UAE hotel project developers and international investors concerning disputes relating to several projects in the region.
- Acts for a major German energy and infrastructure company valued at over half a billion Euros, in a local JV dispute relating to a USD 5.5 billion investment (UAE law, UAE courts).
- Acted for two KSA companies in the Defense sector concerning commission and loan agreements with an international technology company (English High Court Litigation).
- Acted for a KSA consultancy firm in a dispute resulting out of association agreements with a Spanish companyfor KSA based joint venture contracts in the fields of architecture, industrial engineering, civil engineering and consulting (KSA law, ICC Arbitration).
- Advised an UAE conglomerate in relation to its dispute with an American supplier of electric meters (Dubai law, Dubai Courts, DIAC Arbitration).
- Conducted an Internal Investigation relating to bribery allegations concerning a major oil & gas exploration agreement.
- Was part of the team acting for a State in arbitrations concerning issues arising under Production Sharing Agreements in the oil and gas sector in the Middle East (ICC Arbitration).
Language(s)
- English
- German
Education
- 2018 – CIArb/Oxford Diploma in International Arbitration, United Kingdom
- 2017 – Qualified Lawyer Transfer Scheme, England & Wales
- 2013 – Second Bar Exam, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- 2010- MBA, Freie University, Berlin. Germany
- 2006 – Master of Law, First State Exam. Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
Admission
- 2019 – Solicitor Advocate England & Wales
- 2019 – Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- 2017 – Solicitor, England & Wales
- 2013 – Rechtsanwalt, Germany
Practice(s)
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