Sajid Suleman specialises in commercial litigation and international arbitration. His practice encompasses civil fraud and asset recovery, banking and financial services, fintech and digital assets, company, shareholder and partnership disputes, investment disputes, insolvency and sanctions. He appears regularly in the Commercial Court and the Chancery Division, before the DIFC and ADGM Courts, and in arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, LMAA and ICSID Rules. He acts for and against banks and financial institutions, multinational corporates, investment funds, states and state-owned entities, and high-net-worth individuals.
Sajid’s arbitration practice spans energy and natural resources, construction, financial services, technology and digital assets, and shipping, and includes both commercial and investor-State disputes. Sajid is regularly instructed by Russian and CIS-based clients in investment disputes in London and the Middle East and is experienced in the sensitive issues that frequently accompany such work, including the enforcement of judgments and awards, sanctions exposure and related questions of asset control and compliance.
Much of Sajid’s work involves parallel proceedings in multiple jurisdictions, questions of foreign law and urgent interim relief. He is regularly instructed at short notice in applications for domestic and worldwide freezing orders, anti-suit and anti-arbitration injunctions, and Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust relief.
Sajid’s current instructions include acting for a member of a Middle Eastern Royal Family in Commercial Court proceedings concerning allegations of large-scale embezzlement and a worldwide freezing injunction; a US$1 billion shareholder dispute before the ADGM Courts arising out of the Leaf Tower development in Abu Dhabi; and a DIAC arbitration seated in Dubai (led by Andrew Spink KC) concerning an alleged crypto trading fraud of approximately US$90 million. He is also instructed in a Commercial Court dispute concerning air repatriation services; in proceedings for the cross-border enforcement of a foreign judgment; in applications for anti-suit and anti-arbitration injunctions; and in an investor dispute arising out of a mining project in Turkey.
Sajid has been instructed in several of the most significant disputes to come before the DIFC and ADGM Courts in recent years, including two landmark decisions of the DIFC Court of Appeal: Nashrah v Najem & Nex (ARB 005/2025), on the limits of the DIFC Courts’ anti-suit jurisdiction, and Al Mheiri v El Araj & Cameron, an AED 91 million claim in which he acts for a prominent Dubai businessman. His banking and Islamic finance work includes acting for the defendant investment firm in Alizz Islamic Bank v Alef Capital (CFI 048/2025), concerning the scope of a Wakil’s obligations under a Shariah-compliant Wakalah investment structure, and for the Second Defendant in the US$90 million asset recovery proceedings in Emirates NBD Bank PJSC v Almakhawi & Others (DIFC CFI 039/2025).
Sajid appears both as sole counsel and as part of larger counsel teams, often against King’s Counsel. He has substantial trial and appellate experience, including the cross-examination of factual and expert witnesses in high-value disputes.
Sajid has a busy commercial litigation practice encompassing contractual claims, joint ventures, supply and distribution agreements, media disputes and professional negligence, together with a substantial company and shareholder disputes practice that includes derivative actions, unfair prejudice petitions and disputes over the ownership and control of closely held companies. He is experienced in coordinating proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. Recent and current instructions include:
Venkataramana v Ali [2025] DIFC CFI 110 (DIFC Courts)
Acted as sole counsel for the successful claimant at the trial of a claim for repayment of an AED 5 million loan, in which the defendant denied ever having received the monies. Following a trial before H.E. Justice Sir Jeremy Cooke which turned on the credibility of the witnesses, judgment was entered for the full sum claimed together with compound interest and costs.
Amersi v BBC
Representing Mohamed Amersi in an interlocutory application brought by the BBC in a high-profile libel claim.
Acting in a Commercial Court contractual dispute concerning air repatriation services.
Acting in Commercial Court proceedings concerning the cross-border enforcement of a foreign judgment.
Instructed by Russian and Kazakh individuals in a derivative claim and unfair prejudice petition in the ADGM Courts.
Acting for the claimant in ADGM company proceedings concerning an alleged breach of statutory pre-emption rights and shareholder dilution of approximately US$1.3 million, with related issues of unfair prejudice, conflict of interest and self-dealing.
Representing an investor in multi-jurisdictional proceedings involving a technology company, with related litigation in the UAE, Lebanon and France.
Acting for a publishing company in claims against counterparties in Europe and the Middle East.
Defending a director in an unfair prejudice petition and advising on related whistleblowing issues.
Acting for a shareholder in a derivative claim, and for a shareholder in a claim concerning the registration of share ownership.
Sajid acts in arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, LMAA and ICSID Rules across a wide range of sectors, including construction, shipbuilding, energy and natural resources, technology and digital assets, joint ventures and international trade. In investor-State disputes, he has acted for both investors and States in matters spanning natural resources, real estate and shipping. He also appears in court applications in support of, or arising out of, arbitration, including anti-suit and anti-arbitration injunctions, jurisdictional and seat disputes, stay applications and the recognition and enforcement of awards. He appears as sole counsel in substantial arbitrations, including construction disputes concerning delay, variations and quantum. His experience includes:
DIAC arbitration (Dubai-seated)
Instructed, led by Andrew Spink KC, in claims of approximately US$90 million under UAE law for fraud, breach of contract and unlawful means conspiracy arising out of an alleged coordinated crypto trading scheme.
Acting for a Polish technology company in an ICC arbitration concerning an alleged breach of a sale and purchase agreement.
Instructed in an LMAA arbitration arising out of a shipbuilding contract.
Acted for the contractor in an AED 32 million ICC construction arbitration concerning delay, non-payment and termination on a Dubai steel-structure project, securing a 439-day extension of time, damages and a substantial costs recovery.
Defending an Omani state-owned entity in an ICC arbitration concerning delay and variations on a major infrastructure project.
Acting for a Dubai contractor in an AED 50 million ICC arbitration concerning delay, variations and quantum, including the cross-examination of delay and quantum experts at an evidentiary hearing.
Representing a respondent in DIAC proceedings concerning the validity of a pathological arbitration clause.
Acting in anti-suit and anti-arbitration injunction proceedings in the Commercial Court.
Acting in applications to enforce arbitral awards in the DIFC Courts.
Civil fraud and asset recovery form a significant part of Sajid’s practice. He has substantial experience of large-scale fraud disputes, including claims in deceit, misrepresentation, unlawful means conspiracy, breach of trust and dishonest assistance. His work frequently involves cross-border tracing exercises, jurisdictional challenges, foreign law issues and multi-jurisdictional enforcement, and he is regularly instructed in urgent applications for domestic and worldwide freezing orders, Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust relief and disclosure orders. Recent and current instructions include:
Emirates NBD Bank PJSC v Almakhawi & Others (DIFC CFI 039/2025)
Acting for the Second Defendant in asset recovery proceedings of approximately US$90 million, involving a worldwide freezing order, asset disclosure obligations, jurisdictional challenges and appeal proceedings concerning interim asset preservation relief.
Al Mheiri v El Araj & Cameron (DIFC Court of Appeal)
Acting for the appellant in an appeal from [2025] DIFC CFI 057 concerning a claim of approximately AED 91 million involving indemnity obligations, alleged misrepresentation and issues of deceit under the UAE Civil Code.
Acting for a member of a Middle Eastern Royal Family in Commercial Court embezzlement proceedings involving worldwide freezing relief.
Acting in DIFC proceedings in which he obtained a worldwide freezing order and Norwich Pharmacal relief against a cryptocurrency exchange following a fraud.
Acting for investors in claims arising out of an Abu Dhabi-based NFT and crypto-asset scheme.
Acting in a DIFC claim concerning an alleged civil fraud of AED 30 million.
Acting for a debtor in enforcement proceedings following judgment in an alleged Ponzi scheme.
Sajid acts for and against banks and financial institutions in disputes concerning lending, financial products, investment structures and Islamic finance. His banking work spans the English courts and the DIFC and ADGM Courts, and includes FSMA claims, mis-selling disputes and Shariah-compliant investment structures. Recent and current instructions include:
Alizz Islamic Bank SAOC v Alef Capital BSC(c) (CFI 048/2025, DIFC Courts)
Acting for the defendant, a Bahraini investment firm, in a Shariah-compliant investment dispute concerning a US$4.9 million Restricted Wakalah investment structure with an Omani Islamic bank. The claim raises issues of breach of contract, negligence, misrepresentation, limitation and the scope of a Wakil’s obligations where losses are alleged to arise from a third-party trade finance fraud.
Successfully acted for a lender in a DIFC dispute involving complex limitation arguments, securing judgment for his client after trial.
Acting for a bank in a claim arising out of the alleged mis-selling of financial products and breach of FSMA.
Sajid has extensive experience of construction and engineering disputes, particularly those arising out of major Middle Eastern developments. He acts in claims involving delay, disruption, defects, variations, termination and quantum, and advises at every stage of a dispute, from pre-action and adjudication through to arbitration and trial. He has particular experience of cross-examining technical, quantum and delay experts. His experience includes:
Acted for the contractor in an ICC arbitration arising out of the delayed construction of a steel-structure facility in Dubai, in which the tribunal awarded a 439-day extension of time together with damages and costs (AED 32 million).
Acting for the contractor on a well-known Dubai development in an ICC arbitration involving competing delay analyses, substantial variation claims and expert quantum evidence (AED 50 million).
Acting for the state-owned employer in an ICC arbitration arising out of a major infrastructure project in Oman, defending claims for delay and variations.
Advising a developer on insurance-related disputes arising out of a major Manchester development.
Advising on a professional negligence claim against an architect.
Sajid acts for liquidators, creditors and debtors in corporate insolvency and personal bankruptcy proceedings, including applications under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006. His work includes misfeasance claims, transactions at an undervalue, preferences, director disqualification, challenges to appointments and the enforcement of foreign insolvency processes. His experience includes:
Acting for the Official Assignee of New Zealand in cross-border insolvency proceedings in the High Court (Chancery Division) to realise equity in high-value property in Mayfair.
Acting for the applicant in Insolvency and Companies Court proceedings challenging the appointment of administrators, raising issues of disputed default, improper purpose and the legal basis for the appointment.
Acting for liquidators in proceedings against a former director for misfeasance, transactions at an undervalue and preference claims.
Acting in director disqualification proceedings concerning whether a director was unfit.
Representing creditors in recognition applications under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006.
Representing debtors in bankruptcy proceedings arising out of a construction funding arrangement and a partnership-related debt.
Sajid is regularly instructed in high-value disputes before the DIFC and ADGM Courts, where he has appeared in several of the most significant cases of recent years. His work spans civil fraud and asset recovery, shareholder and joint venture disputes, banking and Islamic finance, digital assets, employment and ESOP disputes, and urgent interim relief (including freezing and anti-suit injunctions). He has detailed experience of the procedural and jurisdictional issues particular to the DIFC and ADGM, including the enforcement of foreign judgments and awards and the interaction between the onshore and offshore courts. Recent and current instructions include:
Reported DIFC and ADGM cases in which Sajid has appeared as counsel include:
Sajid Suleman is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.
To find out more, contact Lexie Johnson on + 44 (0) 207 427 0801 for a confidential discussion.
