Mr Osman's practice focuses on court litigation and commercial law and his experience includes conducting legal research, drafting all types of memoranda, pleadings and applications to all levels of local UAE courts, as well as drafting all types of legal documents, including contracts, security deeds, and legal opinions. He has over fifteen years of experience representing clients before courts of jurisdiction, arbitration panels and other tribunals in all types of disputes including, civil, criminal, corporate issues, and investment disputes.   

Prior to joining Afridi & Angell in 2017, Mr Osman was a senior associate at another law firm in Dubai, UAE. Prior to that, he worked as an advocate at one of the leading firms in Sudan, and gained a wealth of experience working as a legal advisor at a well-known conglomerate in Khartoum, Sudan.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

QUALIFICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS

EDUCATION

LANGUAGES

Ms Pretorius joined Afridi & Angell in 2008. She has extensive experience advising foreign and local clients on setting up companies and joint ventures in the UAE. She also regularly advises clients on general corporate, commercial and other matters related to the conduct of business in the region including regulatory compliance, real estate, and employment law. Ms Pretorius has also advised local and foreign entities on UAE securities law issues.   

Prior to joining Afridi & Angell Ms Pretorius was a senior member in the English Law Department of a leading law firm in Doha, Qatar. Prior to that, she spent her career as an attorney in South Africa where she focused primarily on litigation for major financial institutions and the telecommunications industry. 

Her notable transactional experience includes:

• advising buyer in respect of the proposed acquisition by Aker's Solutions of an oil and gas services group;
• acting as local counsel for (i) Qatalum aluminim smelter and IWPP project; (ii) Qatar Gas 4 project in respect of the expansion/sharing of the Ras Laffan facilities; and (iii) the Mesaieed InternationalPower Project;
• providing general advice and assistance to foreign firms in the engineering, construction, and consultancy industry operating large projects;
• representing a major international manufacturer of telecommunications handsets in connection with various UAE legal and regulatory issues; and
• advising local and foreign parties on UAE securities law issues.   

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Corporate and Commercial
• Oil and Gas
• Technology, Media and Telecommunications
• Banking and Financial Services

QUALIFICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS 

• Natal, South Africa, 1992 Member of Side Bar, both Natal and Transvaal Provincial Divisions, South Africa

EDUCATION

• LLB, University of Natal, South Africa, 1990
• BA, University of Natal, South Africa, 1987

LANGUAGES

• English
• Afrikaans
• Italian
• German (basic)

PUBLICATIONS

Mr Samad joined Afridi & Angell in 2012. He specialises in M&A and transactional work, as well as general corporate/commercial matters. He has extensive knowledge and experience in cross-border transactional and corporate advisory matters, including complex acquisitions and divestures, for a broad range of public and private clients.

Some of his notable transactions include:

• Advising the Kering Group on a review of their privacy policy for compliance with UAE law. The matter involved over 50 jurisdictions and Afridi & Angell acted as UAE counsel.
• Advising SAP Ariba on compliance obligations in the UAE including requirements to comply with UAE data protection and privacy laws. This was also a global matter where Afridi & Angell acted as UAE counsel. 
• Advising Yoox Net-a-Porter in preparing a privacy policy for their UAE operations. 
• Advising the seller in the sale of three related schools in the Emirate of Sharjah for US$100 million. The seller will continue to own the property on which the schools are built and will lease the property to the purchaser as part of the completion requirements. 
• Advising the vendors on the sale of an eighty percent stake in a Dubai-based school to a GCC private equity firm for AED 200 million. 
• Advising the vendor on the sale of its interest in a UAE based manufacturer of aerosols and sealants. 
• Advising a group of investors on their investment in a Dubai based food and beverage business. Advising a client on the structuring and set-up of its joint venture operations in the DIFC. 
• Advising an international real estate brokerage on the set-up of its UAE franchise. 
• Advising multiple banking clients on the implementation of the UAE Direct Debit System.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Banking and Financial Services
• Corporate and Commercial

QUALIFICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS

• Punjab Bar Council

EDUCATION

• LLB, Kings College London, 2011

LANGUAGES

• English
• Urdu

PUBLICATIONS

• Merger Clearance Matters, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 14 February 2019
• Confidentiality Under Renewed Focus, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 4 December 2018
• The Mergers & Acquisitions Review, The Law Reviews, 2018
• Merger Control Reform, The Oath, June 2018
• Blockchain: Hype vs Reality, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 23 April 2018
• Venture Capital Investment in the United Arab Emirates: Market and Regulatory Overview, Practical Law Global Guide, 2017
• UAE Excise Tax: What you need to know!, The Oath, Issue 68, November 2017
• Opportunities in Dubai's Healthcare Sector, Afridi & Angell inBrief, October 2017
• New Ministerial Decision brings clarity to Private Joint Stock Companies, Afridi & Angell inBrief, September 2017
• Evolution of the UAE, Legal Business, May 2017
• The Private Wealth & Private Client Review (UAE chapter), 5th edition, 2016, Law Business Research
• UAE Legislation Update: New Rules of the Game, The Lawyer, November 2015 

Mr Senanayake practices in the firm's dispute resolution group and advises and represents clients in litigation disputes. His experience and specialties include advising on and assisting with disputes relating to international law, commercial law, banking, labour law, fundamental rights and intellectual property. 

Prior to joining Afridi & Angell in 2017, Mr Senanayake was a practicing counsel in the private bar of Sri Lanka and worked with eminent President’s Counsel in Sri Lanka. He has contributed to a number of leading judgments by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal on areas including intellectual property, labour and fundamental rights. He has also been involved in policy making with international organisations and acted as a legal consultant to a leading bank in Sri Lanka. 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Litigation  
• DIFC Courts' Litigation
• Dispute Resolution

QUALIFICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS

• Registered Practitioner of the DIFC Courts with full rights of audience
• Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, called to the Bar in 2013

EDUCATION

• Masters in International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2017
• LL.B. (Hons.) University of London, United Kingdom, 2012

LANGUAGES

• English
• Sinhalese

PUBLICATIONS

Ms White practises real estate law and has considerable experience in all areas of real estate and land development law. She advises property developers, real estate companies, and government entities in all stages of the real estate transaction (i.e. due diligence, drafting the sale and development documentation and negotiating complex settlements).  

Ms White has wealth of knowledge in commercial and retail leasing, including drafting ground leases, long term sub-leases, car parking licenses, disclosure statements, and default notices. She has represented both landlords and tenants.

Prior to joining Afridi & Angell, Ms White was an associate at a top tier law firm in Perth, Australia.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Real Estate

QUALIFICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS

• Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
• Admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
• Admitted as a lawyer of the Federal Court of Australia

EDUCATION

• LL.B., (Hons.), University of Otago, New Zealand
• Bachelor of Commerce, University of Otago, New Zealand 

LANGUAGES

• English

PUBLICATIONS