Awards Shortlists 2025

We are proud to unveil the highly anticipated shortlist for the 2025 LexisNexis Middle East Legal Awards.

Following a rigorous evaluation process, an outstanding group of legal professionals and organisations has emerged — recognised for exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact across the legal sector. These shortlisted nominees represent the very best of the region’s legal community, driving progress, setting new standards, and shaping the future of the profession.

Join us on 21 May 2026 in Dubai as we celebrate their achievements at an unforgettable awards ceremony. Secure your seat and be part of an evening dedicated to excellence and distinction.

Connect with industry leaders, honour remarkable accomplishments, and experience a night that showcases the strength and ambition of the Middle East’s legal sector.

Stay tuned for further announcements as we count down to this prestigious event.

Arbitration Team of the Year

  • Alaidarous Advocates and Legal Consultants
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Alsuwaidi & Company LLC
  • Essa Al Sulaiti Law Firm
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Hamdan Al Shamsi Lawyer and Legal
  • Consultants
  • Herbert Smith Freehills
  • Primecase
  • Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners
  • Trowers & Hamlins LLP

Banking & Finance Team of the Year

  • Afridi & Angell
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Covington
  • Crowell & Moring LLP
  • Greenberg Traurig (GT)
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Hourani & Partners
  • K&L Gates LLP
  • Reed Smith
  • Stephenson Harwood

Best Workplace for Lawyers (Law Firm)

  • BSA Law
  • DWF Middle East LLP (Doha, UAE & KSA)
  • Greenberg Traurig (GT)
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Hadi Alalawi & Partners
  • Khalid Nassar & Partners Law Firm
  • Mohammed Al Dahbashi Advocates LLC t/a ADG Legal
  • NeosLegal
  • Oryx Legal Consultants LLC
  • Saoud Al Mahri Advocates & Legal Consultants

Commercial Litigation Team of the Year

  • Afridi & Angell
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • BSA Law
  • Dar Almuhama Law Firm
  • Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants
  • Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW)
  • M&CO Legal
  • OGH Legal
  • Stephenson Harwood
  • Z&Co.

Construction Team of the Year

  • Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group (YFLG)
  • DWF LLP
  • Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW)
  • Reed Smith
  • Trowers & Hamlins LLP

Corporate-Commercial Team of the Year

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Batic Law Firm
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Herbert Smith Freehills
  • Khalid Nassar & Partners Law Firm
  • Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • PwC Legal Middle East LLP
  • Sultan Al- Abdulla & Partners
  • Taylor Wessing

Employment Team of the Year

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Alsuwaidi & Company LLC
  • BSA Law
  • Clyde & Co
  • Dentons Middle East
  • Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants
  • Gateley Middle East
  • Hamdan Al Shamsi Lawyer and Legal Consultants LLC
  • Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW)
  • KBH Limited

Energy & Infrastructure Team of the Year

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group (YFLG)
  • Bracewell Dubai
  • BSA Law
  • Covington
  • Herbert Smith Freehills LLP
  • Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW)
  • K&L Gates LLP
  • Primecase
  • PwC Legal Middle East LLP

Law Firm of the Year – Saudi Arabia

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Al-Salamah Law Firm
  • Batic Law Firm
  • Clyde & Co
  • Greenberg Traurig Khalid Al-Thebity Law Firm
  • Veritas Law Firm
  • Z&Co.

Law Firm of the Year – Qatar

  • Al Majd Law Firm
  • Al Sulaiti Law Firm
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Clyde & Co
  • Crowell & Moring LLP
  • DWF LLP
  • Essa Al Sulaiti Law Firm
  • K&L Gates LLP
  • Mashael Alsulaiti Legal Advocacy & Arbitration
  • Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners

Law Firm of the Year – Bahrain

  • Al Doseri Law
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • ASAR – Al Ruwayeh and Partners
  • Hadi Alalawi & Partners
  • Zeenat Al Mansoori & Associates

Law Firm of the Year – UAE

  • Afridi & Angell
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Clyde & Co LLP
  • Gateley Middle East
  • Gowling WLG
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Hourani & Partners
  • Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • NeosLegal
  • Oryx Legal Consultants LLC

Law Firm of the Year – GCC

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Clyde & Co LLP
  • DWF LLP
  • Herbert Smith Freehills
  • Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW)
  • PwC Legal Middle East LLP
  • Trowers & Hamlins LLP
  • Wefaq Law Firm

Law Firm of the Year – Kuwait

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Al-Hossam Legal – Al-Turqi & Partners
  • Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group (YFLG)
  • ASAM – AlSarraf, AlMutawa & Partners
  • ASAR – Al Ruwayeh and Partners
  • Dr. Yaqoub Al Sanea & Partners
  • Wefaq Law Firm

Law Firm of the Year – Oman

  • Al Khalili, Al Ghailani & Co.
  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • MAQ Legal
  • Said Al-Shahry & Partners (SASLO)

Managing Partner of the Year

  • Ali Al Zarooni (Horizons & Co Law Firm)
  • Amir Kordvani (PwC Legal Middle East)
  • Charbel Maakaron (Crowell & Moring LLP)
  • Chadi Hourani (Hourani & Partners)
  • Irina Heaver (NeosLegal)
  • Khalid A. Al-Thebity (Greenberg Traurig Khalid Al-Thebity Law Firm)
  • Sara Khoja (Clyde & Co LLP)
  • Vanessa Abernethy (Oryx Legal Consultants)
  • Yaman Al Hawamdeh (Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW))
  • Yousef Al Sanea (Dr. Yaqoub Alsanea & Partners)

Maritime & Transport Team of the Year

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Alsuwaidi & Company LLC
  • Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants
  • Hamdan Al Shamsi Lawyer and Legal Consultants LLC
  • Holman Fenwick Willan Law Firm (HFW)
  • Watson Farley & Williams (Middle East) LLP

Real Estate Team of the Year

  • Al-Salamah Law Firm
  • Alsuwaidi & Company LLC
  • Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group (YFLG)
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Batic Law Firm
  • Dentons Middle East
  • Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants
  • Greenberg Traurig (GT)
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Z&Co.

Rising Star of the Year

  • Amir Mehdizadeh Iranpour (White & Case LLP)
  • Beth Bloor (Gowling WLG (UK) LLP Dubai Branch)
  • Lauren Banner (Reed Smith)
  • Maria Zerkalova (Herbert Smith Freehills LLP)
  • Matthias Ng (Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP)
  • Mirko Olmos (Ax Law)
  • Misthura Otubu (Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP)
  • Natalie Francis (Holman Fenwick Willan)
  • Philippine De Croutte (PwC Legal Middle East LLP)
  • Zaainab Kamran (NeosLegal)

Senior Associate of the Year

  • Abdulla Saeed Al Roken (ADG Legal)
  • Abdulkareem AlGharaballi (Al Yaqout and Al Fouzan Legal Group)
  • Amelia Bowring (Bracewell Dubai)
  • Alla Melnichenko (NeosLegal)
  • Andrew El-Khoury (Herbert Smith Freehills LLP)
  • Cameron James Busch (Covington & Burling LLP)
  • Jas Shoker (Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP)
  • Lewis Calder (Greenberg Traurig – GT)
  • Manali Sangoi (Hadef & Partners)
  • Timofey Neklyudov (Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP)

Tax Team of the Year

  • Al Tamimi & Company
  • Amereller
  • ASAR – Al-Ruwayeh & Partners
  • Habib Al Mulla and Partners
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Hourani & Partners
  • Mashael Alsulaiti Legal Advocacy & Arbitration
  • Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners

Technology, Media & Telecom (TMT) Team of the Year

  • Al Doseri Law
  • BSA Law
  • Greenberg Traurig (GT)
  • Gowling WLG (UK) LLP (Dubai Branch)
  • Hadef & Partners
  • Reed Smith
  • Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP
  • Stephenson Harwood
  • Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners
  • Taylor Wessing

Trial Advocacy Excellence Award

  • ADG Legal
  • Alsuwaidi & Company LLC
  • Jamal Al Amri Advocates and Legal Consultants
  • Mashael Alsulaiti Legal Advocacy & Arbitration
  • Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners
  • Zeenat Al Mansoori & Associates

Best Workplace for Lawyers (In-House)

  • Al Hamra Group LLC
  • Aldar Properties PJSC
  • Bahrain Network (BNET)
  • Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) Legal & Corporate Affair
  • Gulf Bank KSCP
  • Nesma & Partners Contracting Company UJSC
  • Qatar Airways Group QCSC
  • RAYNE

General Counsel of the Year (Large team)

  • Brooke Lindsay (e&)
  • Daniela Bartolo (Careem Technologies)
  • Dr. Fawaz Alawadhi (Alghanim Industries Group)
  • Dr. Osama Issag Alhaj (Dubai Islamic Bank)
  • Emma O’Brien (Aldar Properties PJSC)
  • Krishan Sinnadurai (Qatar Airways)
  • Majed Abdullah Alshabana (Etihad Etisalat (Mobily))
  • Mohamed Rateb Amro (Agthia Group PJSC)

General Counsel of the Year (Small team)

  • Ahmed Zaki (Al Hamra Group LLC)
  • Cristina Amate Munoz (Beumer Group Middle East)
  • Daniel Abela (Alef Education Holding plc)
  • Fadi Kilani (Drake & Scull International PJSC)
  • Georges Abi Saab (Ooredoo Group)
  • Rita El Helou (Lesha Bank LLC (Public))
  • Roula Khaled (Khazna Data Centers)
  • Sachin Ramachandran Nair (Al Seer Marine Supplies & Equipment Company PJSC)
  • Shaun Johnson (BEEAH Group)
  • Faisal Fawaz Al-Alamy (MDL Beast)

Government Lawyer of the Year

  • Amr (Wageeh) Elsayed (Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority – KDIPA)
  • Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim (Primary Health Care Corporation)
  • Sanaz Javadi Farahzadi (United Kingdom Government)
  • Umar Azmeh (QICDRC)

Government Legal Team of the Year

  • Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT)
  • Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC)
  • Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation – Dubai

In-House Team of the Year (Large Team)

  • Agthia Group PJSC
  • Alghanim Industries Group
  • Aldar Properties PJSC
  • Careem Technologies
  • Dubai Islamic Bank
  • DHL Group
  • e& (formerly Etisalat Group)
  • Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) Legal & Corporate Affair
  • Panther Media Group (as the holding group for OSNtv, OSN+ and Anghami)
  • Qatar Airways Group QCSC

In-House Team of the Year (Small Team)

  • Al Hamra Group LLC
  • Al Seer Marine Supplies & Equipment Co PJSC
  • Alef Education Holding plc
  • Bahrain Network (BNET)
  • BEEAH Group
  • Khazna Data Centers
  • MDLBEAST
  • Siemens Ltd., Saudi Arabia
  • Tadmur Holding
  • Takeda Pharmaceuticals FZE

Legal Counsel of the Year

  • Attila Hunter (BETIKA / ADG)
  • Hussein Salama (BESIX GROUP)
  • Jean Raffoul (Alghanim Industries Group)
  • Layla El-Wafi (Standard Chartered Bank)
  • Maimoona Nalkhande (DP World)
  • Moayad AlSuwaidan (Gulf Bank K.S.C.P.)
  • Mohammad Mian (Khazna Data Centers)
  • Mohammed Ali Alzogaibi (Etihad Etisalat (Mobily))
  • Soukeina Awdeh (Tadmur Holding)
  • Tarek Sorour (NG9 Holding LLC)

Legal Counsel of the Year

  • Attila Hunter (BETIKA / ADG)
  • Hussein Salama (BESIX GROUP)
  • Jean Raffoul (Alghanim Industries Group)
  • Layla El-Wafi (Standard Chartered Bank)
  • Maimoona Nalkhande (DP World)
  • Moayad AlSuwaidan (Gulf Bank K.S.C.P.)
  • Mohammad Mian (Khazna Data Centers)
  • Mohammed Ali Alzogaibi (Etihad Etisalat (Mobily))
  • Soukeina Awdeh (Tadmur Holding)
  • Tarek Sorour (NG9 Holding LLC)

AI Legal Innovator of the Year

  • Careem Technologies
  • Etihad Etisalat (Mobily)
  • Greenberg Traurig (GT)
  • NeosLegal
  • PwC Legal Middle East LLP
  • Simmons & Simmons
  • Sports City Enterprises LLC (subsidiary of Aspire Zone Foundation Qatar)

Arbitrator of the Year

  • Ayesha Sultan
  • Dr. Aseel Zimmo (The First Link)
  • Dr. Emad Hussein
  • Dr. Hassan Arab (Al Tamimi & Company)
  • Dr. Mahmood Hussain Ali Ahmad (M&CO Legal)
  • Magda Kofluk (Stephenson Harwood)
  • Saad Al Doseri (Al Doseri Law)

Independent Expert of the Year

  • Dr. Ahmad Alshorbagy (Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group – YFLG)
  • Mohamed Ghofrane (Parley Parsons)
  • Saad Hegazy (Resolve)

For Sponsorship Opportunities, Contact:

Malini Dean
Events Manager
Email ID: malini.dean@lexisnexis.com
Contact No.: +971 58 8249821