Managing Partner's Foreword

Welcome to this
month’s Law Update

This is the final Law Update of 2023 and across our 10 editions this year we have shared articles and insights with you that have offered timely insights into the region’s commercial and legal landscape. Our focus sections in each edition have provided a spotlight on some of the most important sectors that are driving the region’s economies, such as Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail, TMT and Real Estate, just to name a few. This edition will spotlight Energy, Utilities and Mining, and Climate and its timely launch comes as the UAE hosts the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

With its strong focus on climate change impact, COP28 will welcome world leaders and experts to the region with the ambition of agreeing solutions to the global climate challenge. As a firm we have a strong commitment to our corporate sustainability principles, and this year we joined the United Nations Global Compact, an initiative dedicated to promoting responsible business practices and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our goals include education, gender equality, climate action, justice for all, and sustainable partnerships. You can learn about our actions plans and targets, here.

This edition has been prepared with COP28 at the front of our minds, and we feature an entire section dedicated to the event where we share insights and intelligence through conversations we have had with leading experts from across the region. This includes articles and podcasts that delve into the most pertinent topics, such as COP28’s call to action for corporates, ESG reporting, and the UAE’s Net Zero vision.

Our Energy and Climate focus is relevant and timely, with our lawyers taking the opportunity to share with you the insights from several jurisdictions across the region. Our Oman team has provided in-depth coverage of oil and gas farm out agreements, while Bahrain contributes two articles on ESG—first focusing on sustainable growth and the second on sustainable finance. Additionally, our colleagues in Egypt offer a significant retrospective on COP27 and its impact. We also feature a countdown to COP 28, where the article takes stock of the current landscape and mechanisms to resolve disputes relating to climate change. There are many more articles within this focus that will ensure you are updated on regulatory reform and provided a unique perspective on the legal and commercial landscape across the region.

Beyond the focus on Energy and Climate we have articles covering important updates that investigate a variety of areas, such as UAE consumer protection law, an overview of the Federal Civil Family Law for Non-Muslim Foreigners in the UAE, and from Kuwait, we discuss the management of companies. As always, in our final section we continue to share with you real life judgements that provide context to the legal landscape in the region.

Law Update this year has demonstrated the value of shared knowledge, and in 2023 we will ensure you continue to receive these vital updates. I hope that you enjoy this edition, and should you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any of the lawyers that have contributed.