Kamal is a Partner at KLME Law LLP with over 22 years of corporate, commercial banking and finance law experience in the MENA region.

An England & Wales qualified barrister, he advises businesses and private clients in protecting their interests and mitigating legal risk while expanding their operations in the Middle East and beyond.

He is the best-selling author of “UAE Business Essentials”, the leading business law guide  to launching and operating a successful enterprise in the United Arab Emirates.

Prior to joining KLME Law LLP, Kamal was a Partner at Davidson & Co. heading its Banking and Corporate division. He has also served as Head of Legal at Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) and its Regional Senior Legal Counsel for Africa, Middle East and Pakistan based out of the Dubai International Financial Centre.

With a solution-oriented focus, Kamal counsels a wide range of clients from diverse industries and with distinct legal requirements. He has:

• Structured Ground-breaking Deals: Successfully advised on a $3.5 billion syndicated financing for a major international lender to a major national bank —setting a record as one of the largest transactions of its kind in the Middle East.
• Strategic Counsel and Board Member:As General Counsel and a member of the board, provided strategic legal and governance counsel to a family office on investments, divestitures, and ownership structuring of assets, refining investment strategies and fortifying asset security
• Global Expansion Advisor: Paved the way for a logistics company’s global expansion across four continents, facilitating new projects and partnerships, and enabling entry into uncharted territories and markets.
• Private Client Counselor: Delivered bespoke legal advice to high-net-worth clients on offshore structures, international asset acquisition, disposal, banking arrangements, and succession planning, optimizing asset value and ensuring legal security.
• Facilitator of High-Stakes Financing: Rendered strategic advice to a leading lender on a multi-currency, $200m revolving facility to one of Saudi Arabia’s premier conglomerates, enhancing financial flexibility and business resilience.
• Legal Architect for Financial Products: For Standard Chartered Bank (DIFC), meticulously finalized financial product documentation and custody services arrangements with top-tier investors and intermediaries in the region, streamlining financial operations and compliance.
• Settlement Negotiator: Successfully negotiated a pivotal settlement for minority shareholders in a leading GCC trading company, safeguarding shareholder rights and interests.
• Tech Business Consultant: Empowered a boutique technology company to incorporate, structured its business operations, and secured lucrative contracts with international counterparts, fostering business growth and international collaboration.
• SME & Startup Adviser: Advised a spectrum of entrepreneurs, start-ups, and SMEs in the UAE on business formation, investments, governance, and expansion, fostering innovation and business growth.
• Film & Media: Served as the Sole Legal Adviser to two international, award-winning feature films, ensuring legal integrity and compliance in the creative process.