Adv. Ali Al Zarooni
Founder and Managing PartnerAli, Founder and Managing Partner of Horizons & Co., brings almost 30 years of expertise as a practising Emirati lawyer specialising in dispute resolution. With a focus on construction, real estate and financial institutions and particularly white-collar crime and criminal defence expertise, he represents prominent entities and individuals before courts and arbitration tribunals globally, as well as provides expert opinion before foreign courts and arbitral institutions around the world.
Renowned for providing strategic counsel to clients across various sectors and highly valued for his deep technical expertise and regulatory knowledge, Ali is considered one of the leading local practitioners for dispute resolution in the country. He is known for his ability to navigate complex legal issues to ensure clients’ commercial aims are achieved.
Ali has represented some of the most prominent corporate, government and semi-government entities, as well as individuals, before all levels of courts and various arbitration tribunals in the UAE, GCC region, and around the world. Ali is regularly appointed as both an Independent Expert and as an advocate on matters of UAE law and its applicability to disputes due to his position as one of the foremost authorities on UAE law.
Languages
- English
- Arabic
Education & Qualifications
- Bachelor of Law, The United Arab Emirates University
- Licensed to practice before all Courts, Police Stations and Public Prosecutions in the UAE
Professional Memberships
- Arbitrator registered with Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
- Arbitrator registered with the Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre (arbitrateAD)
- Registered Legal Practitioner with the DIFC Courts
- Registered Legal Practitioner with the ADGM Courts
- Arbitrator registered with Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)
- Chartered Arbitrator Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
- Registered with ADGMAC Panel of Arbitrators
- Member of the International Bar Association, London
- Registered with ADGMAC Panel of Mediators
- Member of the UAE National Committee for International Chamber of Commerce (ICC UAE)
- Member of the International Committee of the Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA)
- Arbitrator registered for the Saudi Centre for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA)
- Board Member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Arbitration Centre (OIC-AC)
Experience highlights
- Affan Innovative Structures as Defendant in DIFC Court proceedings over construction disputes for Dubai Museum of the Future against main contractor BAM Higgs and Hill valued at over AED 300 million.
- Horizon Gulf Electromechanical Services LLC as a subcontractor on a construction project that has become the source of an almost AED 240 million dispute. Our client is the claimant before the Dubai Courts, in relation to the construction of Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital.
- Al Reef Real Estate Investment on an AED 166+ million claim against a semi-governmental entity (the largest developer in the UAE) concerning a Sale and Purchase Agreement for a high-value plot located in one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UAE. Our client received the full claim amount plus compensation.
- A petrochemical trader as Claimant in high-stakes proceeding valued at over USD 20 million regarding a Commercial Storage Agreement near the Port of Fujairah.
- An oil and gas contractor on a cross border dispute, valued at USD 7 million, to arrest oil and gas vessels in RAK and Fujairah ports. This dispute was heard and executed before the Dubai, RAK, Fujairah and DIFC Courts, alongside the US Courts.
- A UAE construction company in an approx. AED 600 million dispute over a pumping station against a government entity. The governing law is UAE, arbitration under DM Rules, with DIAC appointing the co-arbitrator for the respondent.
- A prominent UAE bank in a USD 4 million + dispute against a Bahraini joint stock company over contractual violations regarding credit and debit card services agreement. The arbitration was conducted under IICRA Arbitration Rules with seat in Dubai.
- A major Middle Eastern contractor in relation to an AED 105 million dispute arising out of non-payment concerning the construction of a multi-purpose tower in the UAE, under DIAC arbitration rules.
- A multi-national contractor in an AED 80 million ICC arbitration seated in Geneva in respect of claims related to non-payments by the employer concerning a mixed-use development in the UAE.
- A Saudi real estate company, in a high-profile criminal case involving the misappropriation of digital currencies worth USDT 3.4 million.
- Multiple clients in relation extradition requests by foreign governments, including the UK, Netherlands, Italy and Belgium.
Awards & rankings
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