Dr Mohammad Zaidan

Dr Mohammad Zaidan is a co-founding partner of PRIMECASE and head of its corporate and arbitration practice. Based in Dubai, the firm advises on arbitration, litigation and dispute resolution across the Middle East and beyond, and has been named the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 “Arbitration Law Firm of the Year in the UAE”.

PRIMECASE and its dispute resolution practice

PRIMECASE is a Dubai-based law firm specialising in arbitration, litigation and dispute resolution, serving clients across a broad range of industries. The firm's work includes proceedings before the DIFC Courts, including bankruptcy and fraud matters, and international arbitration. It maintains a regional and international footprint, with offices in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Amman in Jordan, London in the United Kingdom, and Cairo in Egypt, reflecting the cross-border nature of the disputes it handles.

Arbitration is central to the firm's identity. The United Arab Emirates has developed into one of the leading seats for international arbitration in the Middle East, supported by modern arbitration legislation and established institutions, and by common-law jurisdictions such as the DIFC that sit alongside the onshore UAE courts. Parties to cross-border commercial contracts frequently choose arbitration to resolve their disputes, and firms with genuine depth in both arbitration and related court proceedings are well placed to serve them.

Dr Mohammad Zaidan, co-founding partner

As co-founding partner and head of corporate and arbitration, Dr Mohammad Zaidan leads the practice that lies at the core of the firm's recognition. He directs the firm's arbitration and corporate work, advising clients on the resolution of complex commercial disputes and on the corporate matters that often underlie them. Leadership of a dispute resolution practice in a market like the UAE calls for command of multiple procedural frameworks – institutional and ad hoc arbitration, DIFC Court proceedings and onshore litigation – and the judgement to steer clients toward the most effective forum for their case.

The firm's standing is reflected in independent recognition: PRIMECASE has been ranked in The Legal 500 EMEA and recognised in Chambers Global. Its recent work includes securing the recognition and enforcement of a substantial DIFC-LCIA arbitral award, an example of the enforcement-focused dispute resolution work that is often the decisive stage of an arbitration, when a successful party must convert an award into a real-world result.

Arbitration in the UAE

The UAE's position as a regional hub for trade, finance and construction has made it a natural centre for international arbitration. Major commercial and construction contracts routinely provide for arbitration, and the interplay between onshore UAE law, the common-law DIFC framework and international arbitral institutions gives the jurisdiction a distinctive character. Successful arbitration practitioners must be able to advise on the drafting of dispute resolution clauses, conduct arbitral proceedings, and navigate the recognition and enforcement of awards through the relevant courts. PRIMECASE's concentration on arbitration, litigation and dispute resolution, and its multi-office presence across the region, are aligned with these demands.

Enforcement and construction disputes

A defining feature of PRIMECASE's arbitration practice is its focus on outcomes that clients can enforce. Winning an award is only meaningful if it can be turned into recovery, and the firm's experience securing the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards, including through the DIFC Courts, addresses the stage at which many disputes are truly decided. The UAE's prominence in construction, infrastructure, energy and trade also means that many of the region's arbitrations arise from large projects, where technical complexity and multiple parties are the norm. Under Dr Mohammad Zaidan's leadership of the corporate and arbitration practice, and with offices spanning the Gulf, the Levant, Egypt and London, PRIMECASE is structured to handle these cross-border disputes from the drafting of the arbitration agreement through to enforcement.

The Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 “Arbitration Law Firm of the Year in the UAE” recognises PRIMECASE and co-founding partner Dr Mohammad Zaidan, head of corporate and arbitration, for the firm's expertise in international arbitration and complex dispute resolution in one of the region's most active markets.