Mediation Services and Dispute Resolution Support

I am a mediator working across commercial, civil, workplace and family disputes. I am also a qualified solicitor (England & Wales) and have since 2003 spent much of my legal career advising on and negotiating commercial agreements and dealing with contractual and business disputes. This has given me experience of commercial relationships both when agreements are being made and when difficulties arise. Over time, one thing became increasingly clear to me: disputes are rarely about just the legal or commercial issues. Progress may be prevented by a breakdown in communication, damaged trust, or conversations that have simply become too difficult to have.

I take the time to understand the wider dynamics affecting each party, helping them assess risk and priorities and explore practical and workable solutions. My decision to become a family mediator was shaped in part by my own experience of separation, divorce and the ongoing realities of co-parenting. That experience gave me a very personal understanding of how difficult it can be to make important decisions when emotions are high, relationships are changing and there is still a need to find a way forward.

I bring this understanding to my work with families, while recognising that every family and every dispute is different. My family mediation work extends beyond separation and divorce to wider family disagreements where important relationships and practical or financial issues need to be navigated carefully. Having lived and worked in the region for over 12 years, I have a strong understanding of the cultural, religious and practical considerations that can influence relationships and decision-making, particularly for expatriate and international families.

Alongside my mediation practice, I am a senior university lecturer and an experienced legal and dispute resolution trainer. For 10 years, I have delivered professional training through the DIFC Academy to lawyers, in-house counsel and other professionals, in areas such as commercial law, negotiation and mediation. I have also delivered dispute resolution training for the Legal Affairs Department of the Government of Dubai. My wider dispute resolution work includes working closely with the DIFC Courts and members of the judiciary on the development of its Mediation Service Centre, including drafting the mediation rules and framework underpinning the Centre. I also undertake court-annexed mediation appointments for the ADGM Courts. Based in Dubai, I work with clients across the UAE, the UK and internationally. I speak English, Urdu and Hindi.