Mohammad Haykal

Mohammad Haykal is an Associate at Al Tamimi & Company, based in Dubai International Financial Centre, focusing on Dispute Resolution. He is an England & Wales qualified solicitor specialising in cross-border dispute resolution, tax litigation, advisory and succession planning.

He advises multinational family businesses, corporations and high-net-worth individuals on complex matters at the intersection of common and civil law systems in the UAE and GCC.

Mohammad’s dispute resolution practice encompasses DIFC and international litigation, onshore UAE litigation, tax litigation in the UAE and KSA, and arbitration-related proceedings. He has obtained interim injunctions, freezing orders, disclosure orders and committal for contempt orders in high-value cross-border disputes, and has experience in the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

In addition to his contentious practice, he advises on UAE Corporate Income Tax, VAT, succession planning and family business structuring, including advising ultra-high-net-worth families on the establishment of family companies, foundation structures in the DIFC and ADGM, and tax-efficient structures for diversified business interests across the UAE, KSA and the wider region.

His recent experience includes obtaining interim injunctions in support of LCIA arbitration for a US$3 billion multinational family corporation; obtaining interim injunctions in support of DIAC arbitration on a real estate sale involving an AED 1.1 billion property SPA transaction; obtaining interim proprietary and freezing injunctions in support of Hong Kong proceedings in relation to a US$456 million investment fund fraud; obtaining recognition and onshore enforcement of foreign schemes of arrangement in relation to a US$1 billion financial restructuring; advising a UHNWI on tax-related aspects of restructuring and succession planning for a US$3 billion portfolio; advising and implementing the establishment of an AED 1.8 billion family company for business continuity and succession planning; advising multiple entities on the applicability of the Qualifying Free Zone Person 0% tax exemption and the setup of foundation structures in the DIFC and ADGM; and conducting tax litigation proceedings in the UAE and KSA in relation to excess of AED/SAR 25 million in VAT and customs liability disputes.

He holds a Legal Practice Course MSc (Law, Business & Management) from The University of Law (Distinction, 2022) and an LLB from the University of York (2:1, 2019). He is a Solicitor of England & Wales and speaks English and Arabic.