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“Afridi delivers international quality advice on local law matters. The team meets deadlines and bring a commercial understanding to their work product. They are also responsive and personable in their dealings.” - Legal 500 EMEA

Saurbh Kothari Lawyer & Senior Associate in uae

Saurbh Kothari

Partner

Areas of Expertise

  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Corporate and Commercial
  • Regulatory and Licensing
  • Data Protection
  • Restructuring
  • Employment

Qualifications

  • Professional
  • Bar Council of Rajasthan
  • Languages
  • English
  • Hindi
  • Academic
  • LL.M., University of California, Berkeley, 2018
  • B.B.A. LL.B. (Corporate Honors), National Law University, Jodhpur, India, 2008
Publications
    inBriefs
      Notable Matters
      • Advised a Hong Kong company in a joint venture with a UAE entity relating advertising rights over Chinese digital media platforms.

       

      • Advised a global private equity firm in its indirect investment in a UAE business regarding manufacturing and selling ready-to-cook fresh food products.

       

      • Advised an investment firm in acquisition of majority interest in a UAE floral gifting and e-commerce platform

       

      • Advised a Japanese client in the acquisition of indirect interest in UAE companies operating steak restaurants in the UAE.

       

      • Advising an international used automobile trading business with structuring its presence in the UAE.

       

      • Advising a buyer in the acquisition of 60 per cent shares and investment in a UAE-based aluminium extrusion company for AED 80 million.

       

      • Advising the sellers in the sale of 100 per cent shares of a UAE-based carton boxes and packaging manufacturing company for approximately AED 50 million.

       

      • Advising a U.S. food manufacturing and distribution company on a joint venture with a UAE-based food manufacturing and distribution company for setting up regional food processing and distribution plants.

       

      • Advising the insolvency administrator of a German-listed company on the restructuring of the said company’s UAE operations and asset sale to a Spanish multinational financial services company.

       

      • Acting as local counsel for a Saudi Arabian multinational listed company in relation to due diligence over the UAE entities in the business of baking products manufacturing.

       

      • Advising the sellers in the sale of shares of UAE entities in the water purification and bottling business for approximately AED 160 million.

       

      • Acting as local counsel in relation to the sale of shares of UAE entities in the packaging materials business for approximately USD 199.70 million.

       

      • Advising a UAE entity on a joint venture for the setup of restaurants in Dubai with an initial investment of approximately AED 29 million.
      Speaking Engagements
      • Panelist, Doing Business in the UAE, 12th Annual Legal Era Conclave 2023, 24 August 2023, New Delhi
      • Speaker, New Year’s Legal Update: UAE Labour Law, Afridi & Angell’s webinar, 10 February 2023
      Awards and Testimonials

      “Saurbh Kothari whom I interact with; he has a consultative approach as he is able to guide on the prospective legal troubles one might face in personal matters or corporate matters. He is also able to address the task at hand.”

      Legal 500 2025

      About

      Saurbh Kothari advises local and international clients on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, with particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, employment law, data protection and regulatory and licensing issues in the UAE. He has been with the firm since 2008 and brings deep experience in delivering pragmatic, commercially focused legal solutions across complex business transactions and regulatory landscapes.

       

      Saurbh’s practice encompasses all aspects of corporate work, including due diligence, transaction structuring, negotiation and documentation, and the drafting of commercial agreements. He regularly advises clients on the establishment and structuring of businesses in the UAE, both onshore and in free zones, and on navigating employment and data protection related legal challenges in a dynamic regulatory environment.

       

      He has acted on a variety of significant cross-border and domestic matters, representing buyers and sellers in substantial share acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring transactions, and asset sales across diverse sectors.