Issam Dahman
Dubai, UAE
Issam Dahman is a Managing Partner of Mai Alfalasi Advocates and Legal Consultancy (MAAF Legal), an associate office of GRATA International UAE. Issam previously held various executive roles as General Counsel, leading in-house counsel for legal departments of key corporate and financial institutions. With over twenty years of experience as corporate and banking legal counsel in the UAE, Issam is skilled in applying leadership capabilities, sound judgment, negotiation tools, drafting expertise, and business insight reflecting him as a well-versed bilingual legal counsel with an in-depth understanding of corporate objectives and clients’ needs.
Issam acted on major transactions, including key mergers and acquisitions, project finance, corporate and debt restructuring, dispute resolutions, transfer of intellectual property, and many other business and commercial deals.
Practices:
- Corporate and M&A,
- Commercial contracts,
- Banking and Finance,
- Dispute Resolution;
Education:
- Bachelor in Law - LLB, Beirut Arab University, Law Faculty, 1999
- Master in Law – LLM - International Business Transactions, Washington College of Law of the American University of Washington DC, 2001
Languages:
- English
- Arabic
- French
Awards
- UAB Banking Federation for Chairmanship
Membership:
- Legal Committee at the UAE Banking Federation (Founding member since 2013 and Chairman (2016-2018)
- UAE In-House Counsels, UAE.
- Dubai International Arbitration Center, UAE
- American Bar Association, U.S.A
Industries
Construction & Infrastructure
Banking & Finance
Technology, Media & Telecommunications
Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare
Mining
Industry & Trade
Transport
Practice areas
Dispute Resolution
Subsoil Use
Employment
Islamic Finance
Intellectual Property
Environment
Customs Law, International Trade & WTO
Antitrust and Competition
Tax
Commercial Contracts
Licenses and Permits
Real Estate
Finance and Securities
Data Protection & Privacy
Corporate and M&A
Experience
- Re-established MAAF Legal by re-positioning the firm on the legal map of the UAE;
- Successfully onboarding key clients from corporate and financial institution for MAAF Legal;
- Represented major clients in negotiating and resolving out of court disputes, which resulted in large recoveries;
- Advised key banks on loan documentations and structured finance deals;
- Assisted key financial institutions in setting up Islamic Sharia’ banking products and supporting documentation;
- Acted on various commercial deals including set up of joint ventures;
- Advised clients on establishing corporate governance framework and other control policies;
- Acted on many capital market players in securing regulatory licenses;
- Assisted many clients, including financial institutions, in establishing legal presence in UAE and the GCC region;
- Acted on the legal merger and integration of Emirates Bank International and National Bank of Dubai, as well as the legal merger of Emirates International Securities and NBD Securities.
