Skip to content

Nasser Ali Khasawneh

Partner
Chairman – Middle East, Global Head of AI & TMT

Connect with Nasser Ali Khasawneh:

Languages: English, Arabic, French

Nasser has been practising since 1994, both as in-house counsel and in private practice, acting for some of the leading regional and international companies across various sectors.

Nasser’s experience is primarily focused on two areas: commercial/TMT and disputes. He has represented some of the world's largest information technology, media and consumer companies, advising them on various commercial, licensing, cloud computing, IP rights, labour law, and other issues. As for his disputes work, Nasser has acted as counsel and as an arbitrator in major arbitration cases in various sectors.

Nasser plays an active role in the legal community and has been very active in the International Bar Association (IBA) and has served for several years (until end of 2018) as Co-Chair of the IBA’s Arab Regional Forum. In May 2019, Nasser was elected to the ICC UAE Commission’s Steering Committee, one of the country’s most important arbitration platforms.

Nasser founded the independent law firm Nasser Ali Khasawneh Legal Consultancy in 2003 which subsequently merged with Eversheds LLP. Nasser currently serves as both Chairman of the Middle East Region and Head of the Technology Media and Telecoms Sector internationally.

Prior to this, Nasser worked as a legal officer (1994-1996) at the United Nations Compensation Commission, set up by the United Nations Security Council to adjudicate the individual, corporate and government claims arising against Iraq as a result of the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 (and generally regarded as the largest exercise of dispute resolution in public international law and under the auspices of the United Nations). He then served as in-house lawyer managing various markets in the Middle East and Europe for Procter and Gamble (1996-1999) and Microsoft Corporation (1999-2002).

Some of Nasser’s recent experience includes:

TMT / Commercial

  • advising on various legal issues concerning electronic commerce, cloud computing, online liability, data protection, distribution/agency relationships, joint venture agreements and contractual liability under UAE law
  • management of anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting litigation on behalf of major multinationals and regional companies throughout the Middle East and Africa
  • advising major internet / digital companies on key strategic policy and regulatory issues
  • advising on number of aspects of M&A transactions in Middle East
  • handling the corporate formation of various multinational and regional companies in both mainland UAE and various free zones, such as the Jebel Ali Free Zone, the Dubai Airport Free Zone and Dubai Internet City
  • advising on a number of major employment law issues and disputes

As counsel

  • acted as co-counsel in a large construction dispute between a major multinational contracting company and a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) government department. The dispute arose out of a major civil engineering project with a contract value of over AED600m, and was subject to ad hoc arbitration rules under UAE law
  • acted as lead counsel in a commercial dispute between two GCC companies that has spawned three Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC) arbitrations. Overall value of claims was US$375m
  • acted as counsel in a real estate dispute under DIAC rules. Member of team representing the real estate developer in a dispute with a property purchaser
  • acted as lead counsel in a real estate dispute representing a property purchaser under DIAC Rules
  • acted as counsel in a commercial dispute representing the respondent, a major GCC company, in a AED30m claim brought against it in relation to a media rights matter
  • assisted another firm in the work concerning a major dispute between a leading multinational in the hotel industry and a GCC franchisee
  • defended a global power technology company in the quantum phase of a bifurcated DIFC-LCIA arbitration governed by UAE law, seated in DIFC

As Arbitrator

  • acted as Tribunal Chairman in major Intellectual Property Rights / Media Disputes under the Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC)
  • acted as co-arbitrator in a construction dispute involving various aspects of interior design
  • acted as sole arbitrator in five real estate disputes under Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC) rules
  • acted as sole arbitrator in two media disputes under Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC) rules
  • acted as co-arbitrator in a major Islamic finance dispute under the International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation and Arbitration Rules (IICRA)
  • acted as Chairman for an arbitration panel that adjudicated a real estate dispute under the rules of the International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation and Arbitration (IICRA)
  • appointed as one of the first Arab Domain Name Panellists at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration Centre. Since 2004, acted as lead adjudicating panellist or a member of a panel in scores of domain name cases issued under the UDRP system administrated by WIPO
  • guest lecturer at over a hundred conferences organised by the Business Software Alliance, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and various other organisations in the Middle East and Europe
  • published various articles, particularly concerning arbitration and legal challenges around digital transformation
  • CNBC Arabia TV appearance – The interview is in Arabic and starts at 3:35 – see here. Advancements in technology: Smart cities, 3D printing and digitalizing law firms (using some findings from The Looking Glass report)
  • Thomson Reuters - Point of view: How can regional firms address margin pressures and become better business enablers? Please click here for the link
  • ranked in Band 2 of the TMT United Arab Emirates Legal Rankings in Chambers & Partners 2022
  • ranked in Band 3 of the Intellectual Property United Arab Emirates Legal Rankings in Chambers & Partners 2022

Some of our clients’ comments on Nasser:

He thinks a few chess moves ahead and he is very personable and presentable with clients." – Chambers & Partners UAE TMT 2022

"One thing that makes him stand out is how he manages to build a relationship. He has an understanding of what I need, and his suggestions are based on what is going on in the market." – Chambers & Partners UAE TMT 2022

"I was really impressed with him. He was proactive, his team was available immediately and the cost was exactly what he said it would be." – Chambers & Partners UAE IP 2022

  • lead in the organisation and acted as co-chair of two of the largest IBA sponsored disputes conferences in the Arab world. First conference was in Dubai in May 2016 and titled “Dispute Resolution in Arab Region” and was held with the support of numerous firms and organisations including the DIFC courts. Second conference was held in Cairo in November 2018, and covered both disputes and investment issues in the Middle East
  • Commission Member of the ICC-UAE Commission on Arbitration and ADR
  • worked as a member of the Task Force of the UAE National Committee for International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), set up to prepare a compilation of UAE court decisions in arbitration matters
  • Foreign Lawyer with The Law Society in England and Wales (2012)
  • Licensed Legal Consultant in the Emirate of Dubai (2011)
  • member of the New York State Bar Association (2009)
  • Domain Name Panellist with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre in Geneva since 2003
  • Vice President of the Business Software Alliance, the leading international association in the field of software rights, (1999 – 2003)
  • LL.M. Law, University of London, UK, 1993
  • LL.B. Law, University of Oxford, UK, 1992
Nasser Ali Khasawneh

Partner

Chairman – Middle East, Global Head of AI & TMT

Nasser Ali Khasawneh

Partner

Chairman – Middle East, Global Head of AI & TMT

Email