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Kouzoupis Menelaus

Menelaus Kouzoupis

Partner

Menelaus, a renowned lawyer in international commercial law, focuses on marine, trade, and energy, delivering top solutions for energy firms, banks, and shipowners.

D (Dubai) +971 4 407 3909 (UK) +44 20 7809 2318
M (Dubai) +971 50 991 2663 (UK) +44 79 6118 8701

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Awards and Recognition

Recommended Lawyer - Shipping
The Legal 500 EMEA 2025, UAE

Biography

Languages - English, Greek 
Jurisdictions - England & Wales, United Arab Emirates

Menelaus is a distinguished lawyer with a broad international commercial practice, with particular focus on the marine, international trade, and energy sectors. Renowned for his strategic approach and problem-solving ability, he represents clients in complex disputes before leading arbitral institutions, including the LMAA, ICC, SIAC, DIAC and LCIA, as well as before the English High Court and Appellate Courts.

He has extensive experience in high-value, multi-jurisdictional disputes, often involving allegations of fraud, and regularly acts on urgent interlocutory applications such as freezing (Mareva) injunctions and other forms of interim relief. He is widely regarded for his expertise in international sanctions regimes and regularly advises corporates, shipowners and financial institutions on both contentious matters and ongoing compliance and risk management issues.

Beyond contentious matters, Menelaus maintains a strong non-contentious practice, advising clients on commercial transactions, cross-border insolvency and regulatory compliance. 

Menelaus leads our Superyacht team in the MENA region, and works closely with owners, banks, government and regulatory bodies, shipyards and brokers, offering comprehensive legal support across the lifecycle of yacht construction, ownership and operation.

Based in Dubai, Menelaus also divides his time between the firm’s London and Greek offices to provide clients with a seamless cross-border service. He is results-driven and committed to achieving the most effective and commercially focused outcomes for his clients.

Menelaus is recognised as a “Recommended Lawyer” for Shipping in the Legal 500 EMEA 2025 Guide (UAE), where is praised for acting “on many leading super-yachts and sanctions related matters”. He is a Lord Denning Scholar of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the Bar before qualifying as a solicitor.

EXPERTISE

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