Family Law Firm of the Year in the UAE AL GHARIB & ASSOCIATES ADVOCATES AND LEGAL CONSULTANTS
Mukhtar Mohammad Gharib Managing Partner Tel: +97150-4511691 mukhtar@alghariblawfirm.com www.alghariblawfirm.com AL GHARIB & ASSOCIATES’ managing partner, Mukhtar Mohammad Gharib, is a lawyer representing clients before the Dubai Courts, specializing in the areas of Personal Status (Family Law), and is a member of International Academy of Family Lawyers, the American Bar Association, and the International Bar Association and Corporate International. Mr Gharib started his professional career by serving the nation as a soldier in the UAE for eight years. While in the service he decided to study and took up law in Alexandria University, Egypt and completed his degree in the year 1995. In the early years of being a lawyer he started as an associate in one of the law firms in Dubai. He noted: “I am highly experienced in divorce law, separation and issues related to children and financial arrangements, including child custody/visitation, child and spousal support, pre/post nuptial arrangement, maintenance and alimony. In the area of my specialty most of my clients are women who have been deprived of their rights, women who were abused. I stand for their rights. My goal is to be an international advocate for women and children especially to those who are being disposed with their legalities. Along with my strong belief that women should have their rights met and I believed in equity and justice over equality between two genders; because women are giver of life, should be loved and taken care of. I am galvanized to represent them on their behalf. “In regards to my recent work cases, the court ordered one of my clients to get a monthly compensation from her exhusband for breastfeeding their three-yearold daughter for the first two years, the said judgment has been the first among the same decision that followed. Another decision we got favored was when my client granted to have an e-visitation right – electronic visitation through Skype, this was the first instance of an e-visitation rights judgment in the Arab World. In addition, the court granted a father to have a full custody for an adopted daughter after four years battle in the court – that was a rare judgment in the whole Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Lastly, we obtained a judgment wherein a child of a non-Muslim man married to a Muslim woman has been filiated and established. “I have also received an honor from the Dubai courts for suggesting new means of swearing – in procedure for court trial. I wrote on the memorandum that whatever the plaintiff, defendant, witness’ religion he
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Global Awards 2017
must swear in only when he is ‘pure and clean’. The memorandum requires that the person use term ‘I swear by God Almighty’ at the beginning of trial.” Meanwhile, Al Gharib & Associates has built a solid goodwill and reputation for rendering a quality legal service. One of the firm’s aims is to be client-centered. He added: “We put our client in the center and at the top of our service. This is our main priority in rendering our job, because we want to make them feel happy and satisfied. Our team is more focused in respect of quality service rather than quantity. We are ensuring the best that we can in representing our clients in the court. Al Gharib’s distinction is also based on the cross-border legal services by its thirteen international associates in different jurisdictions.” The practice of AL GHARIB also covers the fields of corporate matters, mergers, intellectual property, oil and gas, telecommunications, litigation and arbitration, criminal, as well as technical advice in commercial and legal issues and recently in sports and arts issues. In regards to how the firm is distinguished from its competitors, Mr Gharib commented: “Pursuant to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to increase the Dubai Government Services’ uses of e-services, AL GHARIB has launched its e-Al Gharib initiative as the first e-law firm that provides e-services in the entire UAE. “Building your own firm is never a vulnerable thing. Devoting your time and effort are the main ingredients that you should consider,” said Mr Gharib. “Working with the clients, a lawyer must have an understanding of every point and details that they are saying. By all means, the lawyer and the client will work altogether to attain the optimal target, and that is to win the case and to serve their needs to ensure legal protection of their interests.” Despite the demands and workload of the legal profession, Mr Gharib was able to attend important international conferences conducted by the International Bar
Association and the International Academy of Family Lawyers. Moreover, he was formally accepted as a Fellow by the IAFL. Such undertakings benefit the entire firm. Dealing with those matters is very useful in exercising and developing professionalism as well as experiences and insights, he explained. Also noting that in order to expand your knowledge, the first thing to do is to learn, because learning is the unending process of success. Looking to the near future, Mr Gharib added: “Following the announcement of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan as UAE President, 2017 will be a Year of Giving; I would personally apply it in my firm. One example is accepting pro-bono cases, especially to the deprived women. This is my way of promoting and extending my helping hands in giving service to the people. I may not be active in humanitarian services, but this is my own way of giving happiness to the people. “Another objective for the coming 12 months will be attending more international conferences as a part of learning and diversity. The firm are not closing doors for an expansion; thus, we are targeting the international market so that our firm will not just be known locally, but to the entire world. From a traditional city to a global business hub, owing to the increased job opportunities, Dubai has 206 nationals, whether a tourist or residents living in the city. This vast number of expatriates will carry out an opportunity for you to work globally. The extent of our service has remarkably increased due to expats living in Dubai. Mr Gharib concluded: “I am proud to say that our firm has dealt with a great number of expats concerning various cases. Based on those circumstances, they initiated us to deal with various legal firms worldwide.”
Al Gharib & Associates has built a solid goodwill and reputation for rendering a quality legal service.