Shiraz will not only lead the expansion of DWF's service offering in the Dubai office, but in his role as head of the Middle East will be pivotal in shaping the strategic direction of DWF's Middle East business, as well as driving its approach to employee engagement and client service delivery.
Shiraz, who has a wealth of experience handling contentious and non-contentious employment and labour law matters in the UAE and is the co-author of the DIFC Employment Law commentary and proposed changes to the DIFC Employment Law, said: "DWF continues to strengthen its international footprint with the Middle East being a key growth area for the business. The strategic appointments of James and myself signifies an exciting new chapter in the success story of DWF in the Middle East. Our immediate priority will be to build on this success and continue to deliver unparalleled results for our clients in the UAE and throughout the wider MENA region. We look forward to working closely with our regional and international partners in achieving this goal and further establishing DWF as the go-to law firm for companies doing business in the Middle East."
James specialises in domestic and international arbitration and commercial litigation across the defence, security, real estate and hospitality sectors. As Head of Dispute Resolution for the Middle East, James will steer the growth of the business's litigation practice in the region.
James said: “DWF has a first class Dispute Resolution practice in the Middle East and we are building an enviable reputation by successfully delivering results to top tier clients. We have grown at a stellar pace and this is because our approach resonates with the businesses we work with – finding commercial solutions for our clients is in our DNA and clients really respond to it."
In 2017, DWF broadened its offering with an alliance with Harasani & Alkhamees in Saudi Arabia. It has also recently secured its license in Qatar, where its primary focus shall be in the construction and arbitration space. DWF has also made a number of strategic hires within different practice areas and most recently launched a banking and finance team with the appointment of Umera Ali who has extensive global finance capabilities including Islamic finance and debt capital markets.
Stefan Paciorek, CEO of DWF's International Division, added: "Shiraz and James have been key players within the Dubai team since joining last year. Their strong expertise combined with local knowledge and commercial insight has been crucial in delivering results for our clients and I am delighted that they will now be taking senior leadership roles to help guide the business and take advantage of the opportunities in this market."
