Mantle Law marks Dubai Arbitration Week

Leading United Arab Emirates disputes firm marks flagship arbitration event with further growth in mind

Leading United Arab Emirates (UAE) law firm, Mantle Law, is attending Dubai Arbitration Week (DAW), the region’s flagship event for dispute resolution lawyers, in-house counsel, arbitrators, and related disputes professionals, which takes place from 14-18 November in Dubai.

The firm, which has offices in the UAE and the United Kingdom has a singular focus on arbitration and disputes within the construction, infrastructure and energy markets. The firm recently welcomed Michael Hartley as a partner in the firm’s Abu Dhabi office, alongside senior partner Mat Heywood, while the London office, led by Gurbinder Grewal, recently celebrated its first anniversary.

Senior partner, Mat Heywood, said: “One year on from the launch of our London office, we have established a cohesive and collaborative approach between both offices in working on major disputes, while demand for our risk management advice has never been stronger.”

Heywood said: “Our discussions with board-level clients and their senior executives have seen us undertake root and branch appraisal of their risk profile and their management of the same, both internally and with external legal suppliers, to great effect.”

The firm has established itself as a destination practice for UK and international clients attracted by its commitment to client-focused service, bringing commercial clarity to complex work, with plans for further expansion at associate and partner level in 2023 in the Middle East, the UK, and beyond.

Mantle Law has been instructed on disputes involving some of the most high-profile locations in the UAE, concerning iconic visitor destinations such as Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeriah, and Expo 2020, and leading retail and office locations such Dubai and Abu Dhabi Malls and Business Bay, among others. Its caseload includes airports, ports, and metro developments, both within and outside the UAE, as well as innovative mass housing projects.

The firm’s client list includes governments, state-owned enterprises and some of the world’s best known construction brands, including many of the leading firms active in the Middle East. Heywood said: “Our roster of clients and projects has been phenomenal. We feel confident our firm is more than competitive with other practices, particularly in the Middle East region.

“We have achieved both a strong pace of growth and seizure of market share, especially among developer, contractor and major subcontractor clients,” he added.

Thanks to its agile and nimble resourcing, tailored to the dispute’s specific needs, Mantle Law has calibrated its services to match client needs. The firm utilises innovative pricing structures that mirror those in the sectors it works in, like construction and energy, alongside fixed fees, hourly rates, and the use of litigation funding, where appropriate.

The firm’s London managing partner, Gurbinder Grewal, explained: “Introducing dispute funding into client discussions and taking a far more collaborative approach with pricing are just two ways in which Mantle Law acts as a real market disrupter, while we tailor our approach to align additional resources from the Bar, or internally, at the right level for the client’s dispute, when and how they need it.”

Two of the firm’s partners, Heywood and Hartley, will be attending DAW. as well as our local associates and senior associates.

Hartley explained: “As a leading Middle East law firm with offices in London and Abu Dhabi, we look forward to participating in DAW 2022. The programme showcases the vibrance and diversity of the region’s arbitration community, with many of our clients, referral partners, and former colleagues taking part in proceedings.”

Heywood concluded: “We look forward to welcoming delegates to the United Arab Emirates and discussing important issues with the many distinguished participants who are taking part in the event, including friends old and new.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Mantle Law was launched in July 2020, specialising in disputes in the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors. It opened its London office in November 2021. The firm currently a team of 14 staff working out of our offices in the UAE and London.
2. The firm’s expansion over its first two years of existence has seen it establish itself as a leading player in the market, with a roster of clients and quality of work which many top tier firms would envy. It represents significant clients in some of the most substantial construction, energy and infrastructure projects across the Middle East.
3. By focusing on client experience and insisting on absolute excellence in service, Mantle Law has built a strong presence in the UK and Middle East which has been recognised by our clients and peers alike, enabling it to become one of the leading players in the GCC construction disputes market after only two years, having fielded mandates from across the UAE, as well as in Qatar and Oman.
4. Its success has been reflected in leading directories, with the firm recognised as a Firm to Watch in the Legal 500, while Gurbinder Grewal was a ranked individual in Chambers UK 2023. Both Mat Heywood and Gurbinder Grewal are both also recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2023.
5. The firm embraces client needs and has respond to them with modern, thoughtful approaches to technology, the latest working practices, and pricing all to offer a more effective, agile service at a cost that is linked to the commercial drivers of its clients and the value of its relationships. It has active partnering arrangement with clients, enabling them to benefit from appropriate secondments and SQE-compliant work experience, as well as partnering with chambers to resource disputes appropriately.
6. The firm is working to make Mantle a green law firm, with initiatives in reducing energy and waste products, while its pro bono scheme, spearheaded by senior associate Georgina Barlow, focuses on utilising our legal skills to support individuals and communities in Sierra Leone.

For more information about the firm, please contact Mat Heywood via [email protected], or mobile + 971 55 343 5920, or Gurbinder Grewal via [email protected] or +44 (0)7751 922 594