David Yates

David Yates is a Partner and the Regional Head of Digital & Data at Al Tamimi & Company, the largest law firm in the Middle East and North Africa, based in the United Arab Emirates. He has been named Technology, Media & Telecoms Lawyer of the Year in the UAE at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026, recognising his leadership in one of the region’s most dynamic and strategically important areas of legal practice.

Al Tamimi & Company and the Digital & Data team

Al Tamimi & Company is widely recognised as the leading law firm in the MENA region, with a substantial presence across the Middle East. David Yates leads the firm’s regional Digital & Data team, a group of specialist lawyers focused on technology, data and digital matters who support clients on projects across the Middle East and North Africa. Yates has a long association with the firm: he first formed its Digital & Data team during an earlier period with Al Tamimi from 2009 to 2013, and rejoined the firm in August 2022 as regional head to lead the practice once again.

Experience in technology, media and telecommunications

David Yates brings more than 15 years of international experience to his practice. Before rejoining Al Tamimi & Company, he was a partner in the technology, media, telecommunications and data practices of two top-tier Australian law firms, joining Al Tamimi from Corrs Chambers Westgarth. This background gives him a rare combination of deep experience in both the Australian and Middle Eastern markets, and a strong command of the commercial and regulatory issues that shape the global technology sector.

His practice focuses on technology acquisition and governance, digital transformation, and the commercialisation and governance of intellectual property. He advises clients on data commercialisation and transactions; on data protection, privacy and enforcement; and on digital commerce, providing legal advice and solutions for businesses operating in the digital economy. He is recognised as a commercially strong partner who regularly undertakes complex technology, media and telecommunications work, with a reputation for international expertise built across two very different but sophisticated legal markets.

Technology, media and telecoms law in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates has positioned itself as a regional leader in technology and digital innovation, investing heavily in digital transformation, data-driven industries and a modern regulatory framework. In recent years the UAE has introduced significant new laws governing data protection and the digital economy, reflecting the growing importance of data and technology to commerce in the region. For businesses operating in or entering the UAE market, this creates both opportunity and complexity: technology transactions, data governance, privacy compliance, intellectual property commercialisation and digital commerce all demand specialist legal advice attuned to the region’s evolving rules.

As Regional Head of Digital & Data, David Yates helps clients navigate exactly these challenges, supporting technology acquisitions, digital transformation programmes and data-driven business models across the MENA region. His leadership of a dedicated regional team allows the firm to bring coordinated, specialist expertise to bear on projects that often span multiple jurisdictions.

Technology, media and telecommunications work is distinctive in that it sits at the meeting point of commercial, regulatory and intellectual property law, and it moves at the pace of technological change. Advising in this area calls for lawyers who understand not only the legal framework but the business and technical realities of the projects they support — from the procurement and integration of complex systems and the negotiation of data-sharing and cloud arrangements, to compliance with privacy and cybersecurity requirements and the commercialisation of digital products and platforms. Having built and rebuilt the firm’s Digital & Data team and worked at senior level in two leading markets, David Yates brings a rare depth of perspective to this fast-evolving field, helping clients seize the opportunities of digital transformation while managing its legal and regulatory risks. His recognition in the UAE reflects both his individual expertise and the strength of the regional practice he leads.

Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026

The Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 — Technology, Media & Telecoms Lawyer of the Year in the UAE recognises David Yates of Al Tamimi & Company for his individual expertise and leadership in technology, media and telecommunications law. For clients pursuing technology, data and digital projects in the UAE and across the wider MENA region, Yates offers internationally seasoned counsel at the head of the Digital & Data team of the region’s largest law firm.