Salih is a senior litigator with over 50 years of experience. He is widely recognised locally and regionally for his diligence, dedication and strategic approach. He has advised on some of the highest profile disputes in the UAE in a broad range of fields including real estate, intellectual property, agency agreements, banking, employment, oil and gas, procurement contracts and others. Salih’s dynamic experience has earned him a reputation as an industry leader in handling complex and high-value disputes in the UAE.

One of Salih’s most notable achievements includes the successful application to the General Assembly to reverse a High Federal Court Judgment which led to the reversal of all previous judgments of the Highest Courts in the UAE (across all Emirates) relating to Margin Trade Agreements. This historical achievement evidences Salih’s unmatched skills.

Salih was part of our award winning Chambers Middle East Litigation Team of the Year in 2023 and he was also included in The Legal 500 M.E Arbitration Powerlist 2023.

Prior to joining Hadef & Partners, Salih held multiple senior positions including being a Member of the Court of Appeal in Libya whereby he assessed appeals in various litigation matters including civil, commercial and criminal cases. Prior to this, he worked as a State Lawyer whereby he represented the state in a wide range of national disputes. Soon after qualifying, he worked as an assistant to the Attorney General handling primarily criminal cases. Before qualification, Salih also worked as a lecturer of Law in Derna, Libya for 9 years.

Admissions

• Libyan Bar Association

• Advised UNB as a Claimant against a company and its shareholders seeking an order to oblige the defendant to pay to the bank an aggregate amount of AED500 million, previously paid by the Bank as facilities. 
• Advising GSK Consumer Healthcare Export Limited (GSK) in one of the longest litigated cases in the UAE. The case was initially filed in 2000 and the UAE Federal Supreme Court issued the final judgment in December 2021. We acted for GSK in a claim filed by a UAE company purporting to be our client’s agent in the UAE for the selling of our client’s pharmaceutical products in the UAE. We understand this matter to be the longest litigated case to date in the UAE.
• Advised SDIC (the developer of the Al Saadiyat Island) on numerous cases filed by the purchasers of certain villas from the client as a developer. The purchasers in each case were seeking compensation to be paid by SDIC based on an allegation that it was in breach of the SPA concluded between the client and each purchaser. All these cases were rejected as courts on different levels adhered to our argument that those allegations raised by the purchasers were baseless. 
• Advised FAB in a distinguished and historical case whereby the General Assembly of the High Federal Court reversed all previous judgments nullifying the margin trade agreements. The High Federal Court accepted our argument that said agreement was valid and enforceable and therefore the case filed against the Bank was rejected. This judgment has become a precedent whereby Trade Margins are no longer challenged or questioned about their enforceability.