EDITOR’S
LM64-15
LM64-15
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ISSUE 64-15<br />
My Legal Life<br />
23<br />
UAE). Judges are now trained in the UAE and<br />
abroad and cases referred to specialised<br />
judges.<br />
Your practice began life as an Intellectual<br />
Property firm – what led you to expand into IT<br />
and other issues?<br />
I began life in a specialised IP firm in London,<br />
and then I moved to a general practice law<br />
firm in the UAE with 10 lawyers in 1995. I was<br />
the only IP lawyer in the firm but then the<br />
practice grew and we became known for our<br />
IP work. The firm as a whole was growing in<br />
parallel. Expanding into IT law was a natural<br />
organic growth with the emergence of IT and<br />
internet legal issues. The firm opened a new<br />
branch in the Dubai Internet City, a business<br />
park specialised for IT companies. After 15<br />
years with the firm and after becoming the<br />
Managing Partner for five years, I left to take<br />
a break. Following a two year break, I set up<br />
my practice as it is today: a boutique firm that<br />
deals with a multitude of issues but all on a<br />
strategic trusted advisor basis.<br />
“<br />
Expanding into IT law was a natural<br />
organic growth with the emergence<br />
of IT and internet legal issues<br />
“<br />
Finding a solution to a problem<br />
is most rewarding to me especially if it can<br />
avoid the need for litigation<br />
On the flipside, what do you find most clients on legal strategy and management,<br />
rewarding about your work?<br />
in an almost in-house capacity. My aim is to<br />
provide the highest level of legal service while<br />
I love dealing with clients and solving ensuring accessibility by my select clients.<br />
problems. Finding a solution to a problem Each client should feel that they are my only<br />
is most rewarding to me especially if it can client.<br />
avoid the need for litigation. If however, no<br />
solution can be found and litigation is a must, What motivated you to become a lawyer?<br />
winning a case for a client is very fulfilling. I Why IP?<br />
also enjoy working with a team and growing a<br />
practice. Having recently started my own firm,<br />
Actually I started my University life as a science<br />
it is interesting to be involved in all aspects of<br />
student until I realised that labs were not for<br />
the legal practice.<br />
me and that I had a more natural affiliation<br />
to law. I transferred to study law while at<br />
University and I loved it. After University, the<br />
time came for specialisation and IP was<br />
“<br />
“<br />
perfect for a law graduate with a science<br />
background. My training and my first job were<br />
in London where I specialised in IP. When<br />
I moved to Dubai in 1995 I was in the right<br />
place at the right time. IP was in its infancy<br />
in the UAE, a law firm in Dubai was looking to<br />
hire an IP lawyer and there I was. It proved to<br />
be a good match.<br />
Is there anything else you would like to add?<br />
What are the biggest challenges that the IP<br />
world throws up and how do you navigate<br />
them?<br />
Inconsistency was the biggest challenge in<br />
the IP sector. However, it is always important<br />
to remember that the UAE is a young nation<br />
and until recently judges were not well-versed<br />
or trained in IP matters. Over time however<br />
judges were trained and specialised and now<br />
judgements have become more consistent<br />
and harsher in nature. Even at the level of the<br />
Prosecutors and Government departments,<br />
familiarity with IP has improved and so action<br />
is more consistent.<br />
You have built the firm up to be the largest<br />
leading UAE law firm with over 130 lawyers<br />
and 300 staff. How have you done this? Has<br />
it been tough?<br />
My former firm is a solid example of how a<br />
good hardworking team that kept its quality<br />
of service high, can succeed. Ensuring policies<br />
and procedures were in place as the firm grew<br />
was also an important factor as it allowed<br />
staff to feel fairly treated. When the firm grows<br />
so quickly it needs to run like a machine.<br />
We were also lucky to be in the UAE in the<br />
boom times. My new firm is a small, boutique<br />
practice where I work very closely with select<br />
I have thoroughly enjoyed my legal life and<br />
continue to do work that interests me and<br />
that helps others. It was great to be a woman<br />
in an Arab country leading a large local legal<br />
firm and breaking many misconceptions<br />
about age and gender. Now my practice is<br />
small but filled with interesting matters and it<br />
allows me the time to spend on the matters<br />
that I enjoy the most. LM<br />
www.lawyer-monthly.com
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