The MENA desk is headed by co-founder Nicholas Bortman. Nicholas has dedicated the last 15 years to developing a regional practice, including six years living in the United Arab Emirates where he worked to integrate investigations into litigation strategy heard before local courts and tribunals. He is supported by a team of fluent Arabists and French speakers who have spent time on the ground.
The team have acted in many of the region’s most significant and high-profile disputes of recent years, supporting litigation and commercial and investor-state arbitration heard in London, New York, Paris, the UAE, Lebanon, under a variety of frameworks including ICSID, ICC, LCIA, DIAC, and domestic courts. Other significant engagements include those arising from private disputes among Middle Eastern merchant families and royalty.
We regularly act for high-profile and UHNW individuals, sovereign and supranational entities, corporations and both global and regional law firms.
“What sets Raedas apart… is that they live and practice a true specialism in litigation…they are strategists as well as investigators” – Chambers UK, Litigation Support: Business Intelligence & Investigations.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Led all external aspects of a multi-year investigation by one of America’s largest industrial corporations into allegations of corruption in connection with supply contracts in the Arabian Gulf. Delivered information and evidence, identified, recruited and interviewed witnesses, escorted US based counsel on fact finding visits to Middle Eastern and Asian countries and assisted in preparing briefs to be submitted to the US Department of Justice.
Acted for US counsel on behalf of a US defence manufacturer to investigate a whistle-blower’s allegations of corruptly obtained contracts from a Middle Eastern government. Successfully arranged and participated with counsel in witness interviews in the region and obtained credible – and exculpatory – evidence.
Acted for a UAE sovereign entity in multiple recovery actions against former investment partners and other debtors.
Engaged by a prominent Middle East based logistics provider (US$4+ billion revenue), in BIT arbitration against the State of Iraq arising from the expropriation of a major telecommunication investment
Acting for a major Middle East based telecommunications provider, in support of enforcement of a US$500+ million LCIA award against a Royal Family member in the region. Undertook investigative work in the UK, Greece, Egypt, France and GCC states to successfully identify assets beneficially held by the respondent, his immediate family and aides
Undertook extensive investigative work across Europe, US, Middle East and eastern Africa to enforce a creditor’s multi-million-dollar award against a power developer active in eastern Africa. Identified assets and evidence of fraudulent conveyance, violations of corporate governance and dissipation.
