Associate
Mostafa Emad is an associate at Stephenson Harwood, bringing extensive expertise in civil, commercial, and criminal litigation throughout the GCC region. He effectively advises leading corporates, financial institutions, and government entities on a wide array of contentious and non-contentious matters.
Languages – English, Arabic
Jurisdictions – Egypt (qualified lawyer), UAE (registered legal consultant)
Mostafa Emad is an associate at Stephenson Harwood, distinguished for his formidable expertise in civil, commercial, and criminal litigation, particularly in the GCC region. He consistently represents major corporations, prominent banks, and governmental entities in a wide array of contentious and non-contentious matters. His extensive experience in commercial and criminal litigation is sharply focused on fraud, cybercrimes, white-collar crimes, shipping, construction, and shareholder disputes.
Mostafa delivers powerful support in commercial and criminal litigation, adeptly assisting clients with intricate criminal matters in the UAE, including cross-border fraud, financial crimes, breach of trust, money laundering, cybercrimes, and regulatory offences. His work encompasses everything from conducting
internal investigations and analysing evidence to crafting defence strategies, particularly in high-stakes cases involving corporate embezzlement, banking fraud, forged documents, cross-border investigations and the misuse of public funds. His pragmatic approach, combined with bilingual proficiency, positions him as a trusted lawyer in navigating sensitive and complex prosecutions with both discretion and effectiveness.
Mostafa’s background as a former public prosecutor gives him a distinct edge in criminal litigation. This insider perspective allows him to anticipate strategies, identify weaknesses in opposing cases, and build resilient defences for his clients. His dual perspective as both prosecutor and defence attorney enhances his effectiveness in navigating sensitive investigations and high-stakes prosecutions with precision and foresight.
CIMIC Group Limited
Representing a leading construction company in an AED 340 million construction claim regarding building two residential towers and a luxury hotel in Dubai
YangMing Marine Transport Corp.
Representing a Singaporean company in a charter party dispute claim against a charterer in relation to stopping the discharge of the cargo pending the receipt of the freight and succeeded in obtaining a judgment from the Dubai Court of Appeal stating that the parties may agree not to comply with Article 222 of the UAE Maritime Law.
Greenline Yacht Interiors
Representing a high-profile interior design company in a complex facility agreement dispute of AED 600 million against a bank in Sharjah, UAE.
Omani state entity
Acting as counsel for an Omani state entity concerning several criminal cases before RAK courts to seek attribution for defamatory statements and cyber activities. Also represented in cases concerning embezzlement, breach of trust, and unauthorised dividend distribution.
Leading UAE bank
Representing a leading UAE bank in a commercial dispute concerning breaching an AED 1 billion loan agreement.
Johnson Controls
Representing a multinational air conditioning company in a multimillion-dirham dispute concerning the performance of a subcontract agreement.
Czech Republic governmental entity
Advising a Czech Republic governmental entity in a breach of trust act against one of their local contractors in relation to construction work in the UAE.
Local construction company
Acting as counsel for a local construction company in a criminal case in relation to an accusation of illegitimately receiving AED 22 million.
Chinese company
Acting as counsel for a Chinese company in an embezzlement accusation of AED 10 million. The embezzlement accusation involves high-end luxury vehicles and substantial funds.
Spanish tech company
Representing a Spanish tech company in an investigation against three employees for embezzlement by transferring funds to personal accounts using forged invoices.
