Introduction
Dr. Hassan Mohsen Elhais is a name synonymous with legal advice in Au Dhabi. His more than 19 years of experience as a legal advisor in Abu Dhabi has made him an expert in many legal fields, including family law and issues such as adultery. His passion for ensuring that all his clients always receive the best possible outcome with their legal issues is just one of the reasons why he is amongst the best lawyers in UAE.
Qualifications
Dr. Hassan Elhais is passionate about criminal and public law, which compelled him to move to Dubai in 2006 and start his career in the legal field. It is there that he joined one of the top legal firms in Dubai, Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy, which was previously known as Al Rowaad Advocates & Legal Consultants. Driven by a desire to become the best legal consultant in Dubai, Dr. Elhais continually strived to further his knowledge and experience of the legal industry. This culminated in a Master’s Degree as well as a PhD in Law, which he earned from Monofiya University. Dr. Elhais chose to focus on multiple legal disciplines, including, but not limited to, civil law. This educational foundation, coupled with his dedication to excellence, is what has made him one of the best legal consultant in the UAE and enables him to assist clients with complex legal matters.
While he is adept at handling all areas of the law, including criminal, commercial, and civil disputes in the Emirates, his clients know him best for his exceptional legal assistance as one of the best Dubai family lawyers.
With a specialty in crafting detailed statements of claim while providing strategic consultations, Dr. Elhais is no stranger to working on expatriate cases involving everything from divorce and child custody to international family law. His reputation as one of the best family lawyers in Abu Dhabi sees him frequently being contacted by overseas lawyers who are in need of his guidance regarding family law situations in the UAE. This has made him an expert in drafting and executing Sharia/UAE laws-compliant post-nuptial and divorce settlement agreements. His experience in dealing with family law and issues such as adultery makes him an expert at helping clients with issues that are related to both marriage and custody, along with disputes that can stem from them. In matters involving multiple jurisdictions, Dr. Elhais has also collaborated with lawyers in foreign jurisdictions.
While practicing as a lawyer in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Elhais guides clients on marriage arrangements as well as inheritance cases that involve Muslims and non-Muslims. His expertise in family law also enables him to assist overseas clients with UAE ties and has seen him offering his expert opinions on the matter before foreign courts as far-flung as the United States, Canada, the UK, and Ireland. Over the years, Dr. Elhais has built up a solid reputation as one of the best legal consultants in UAE and has been dealing with family law disputes involving the UAE and other countries on a regular basis. Foreign embassies, such as Australia, France, the US, and UK have even placed him on the recommended list for providing legal assistance to their nationals. This has also meant that he provides consultation and legal opinions to these foreign nationals in the UAE on a regular basis on matters of family law.
Academia and Media Achievements
In addition to being one of the best legal consultants in Dubai, Dr. Elhais has used his legal expertise to contribute to academia and the media. In the process, he has become a prolific author and columnist whom many turn to as a trusted source for his expert legal advice and insightful opinions. His articles are regular features on prominent local and international news sites such as Bloomberg, Reuters, the Washington Post and The Associated Press, while readers of The National and Khaleej Times rely on him to answer their frequently asked questions.
Many clients consider Dr. Elhais to be the best legal advisor in Dubai. He is an expert at providing commentary that can help wider audiences understand the often complex UAE laws. He has used this talent to author numerous Lexis Middle East publications that cover many topics. These range from the UAE Commercial Fraud Law and UAE Consumer Protection Law, to Competition and Commercial Monopoly, Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, Fraud, Theft and Tax Evasion, and much more. For the 2023 edition of the International Comparative Legal Guides, published by Global Legal Group, Dr. Elhais authored a UAE chapter on family law. It is a vital resource giving practical cross-border insights into family law.
Global Influence and Engagements
Dr. Elhais’ reputation as one of the top lawyers in Dubai extends beyond the borders of the UAE and has made him a very sought-after speaker at internal legal conferences. He is fully committed to fostering international collaborations and regularly attends or participates in conferences and events hosted in other countries. These include MI Interact in Rome, XVI International Congress in Vienna, International Practice Group in Prague, and Rencontres Internationales in France, where he was a guest speaker. This dedication and passion have also helped elevate his firm’s reputation beyond that of other law firms in Dubai.
Expert Appointments
Dr. Elhais’ reputation as one of the top Abu Dhabi lawyers has also earned him the recognition of foreign lawyers, who have appointed him to act as a sole or joint expert on UAE laws before numerous foreign courts. His credentials in family law have seen him called on to draft legal opinions and expert reports in matters related to the UAE Family Law. This includes his legal opinion on matters related to divorce, application of foreign law and maintenance for a law firm in Switzerland, as well as his legal opinion about divorce proceedings between an expatriate couple before the UAE courts for a law firm in Scotland. Other law firms that have trusted Dr. Elhais for his legal opinions include firms in Canada, America, Australia, France, and the UK.
Professional Memberships
In addition to being counted amongst the top Lawyers in Dubai, Dr. Elhais is also a member of a number of prestigious international legal bodies and associations. He is a member of the Egypt Bar Association, a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), a member of the International Lawyers Network (AEUROPEA), a member of the International Society of Family Law, a member of the Law and Society Association, and a member of Resolution, which was formerly known as the Solicitors Family Law Assocation (SFLA). Dr. Elhais is also a member of Reunite International, a member of the European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA), a member of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), and a member of the Union Internationale de Avocats (UIA). Last but certainly not least, he is an American Bar Association associate member and has been listed in the Lawyer’s List of the British Embassy in Dubai, the Australian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, and the Canadian Embassy. He is also continually enhancing his managerial and leadership skills to stay on top as a legal advisor in UAE through training such as the International Lawyers Training Programme he completed via the Law Society of England and Wales, and the UIA Training Course by the International Association of Lawyers in Lisbon, Portugal.
Awards and Recognition On The Global Stage
As one of the best Lawyers in Dubai, Dr. Elhais’ work has not gone unnoticed, and he has earned numerous achievements and accolades over his illustrious career. He has won multiple “Legal Consultant of the Year” awards regionally and globally, from the likes of Corporate LiveWire and the ACQ5 Global Awards for Civil Law, which are renowned awarding bodies. As one of the best family lawyers in Abu Dhabi, he has the distinction of being the first expat member of the International Academy of Family Lawyers in the UAE jurisdiction.
His contributions have helped his firm become one of the top law firms in UAE and he is a familiar voice on many radio and television interview shows, such as The Agenda with Georgia Tolley on Dubai Eye 103.8, Al Aan TV. With more than 300 local and international publications, his writing has earned him recognition from many esteemed legal platforms, including the UK-based Mondaq Thought Leadership Awards. He was recognized as a leading author several times by the Lexocology Legal Influencer, and his contributions to the legal field have earned him over 30 awards and accolades. As one of the best family lawyers in Abu Dhabi he has been ranked as Band 1 by Chambers and Partners in the category of Family/Matrimonial for High-Net-Worth individuals for three straight years.
He was awarded the Best Legal Consultant of the Year by Global 100 in 2018 and 2019, Legal’s Finest in Civil Law in 2017, M&A Today in 2016, and the Corporate America Today Annual Award in the category Best Legal Consultant for 2020.
At Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy, we continue to build on our reputation as one of the best international law firms in Dubai, thanks to family lawyers such as Dr. Elhais. His expertise in family law is invaluable as we help clients deal with sensitive legal issues such as adultery.