Sara Al Kabban is the Head of Commercial at Al Kabban & Associates, where she leads the firm’s English-language practice and plays a central role in its corporate, commercial, arbitration and cross-border advisory work.

Since joining Al Kabban & Associates in 2016, Sara has become an integral member of the firm’s leadership team, advising multinational corporations, financial institutions, investors, family offices and private clients on complex commercial transactions, dispute resolution and international legal matters.

Qualified in New Zealand and educated in both New Zealand and the United States, Sara brings an international perspective to the firm’s UAE practice. Her work frequently involves matters requiring coordination across jurisdictions, complex contractual and corporate arrangements, and the intersection of different legal systems.

Professional Expertise

Sara’s practice encompasses a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, with particular experience in:

• Corporate & Commercial Advisory
• Corporate Structuring & Restructuring
• Commercial Contracts & Negotiations
• Shareholder & Investment Arrangements
• Joint Ventures
• Business Acquisitions
• Cross-Border Transactions
• Commercial Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
• Regulatory Advisory
• International & Multi-Jurisdictional Matters

Sara works closely with businesses throughout their lifecycle, from company formation and investment structuring through to commercial expansion, contractual negotiations, dispute avoidance and strategic advisory matters.

Her role as Head of Commercial also encompasses oversight of the firm’s English-language commercial practice, including coordination of complex matters involving international clients and external counsel.

Corporate & Commercial Practice

Sara advises on sophisticated commercial arrangements involving businesses, shareholders and investors operating in the UAE and internationally. Her experience includes corporate restructurings involving multiple investors, shareholder arrangements, joint ventures, business acquisitions and the negotiation of complex commercial agreements.

She has also advised on high-value commercial settlements and sensitive cross-border transactions where the commercial objectives of the parties must be considered alongside contractual, regulatory and dispute-related risks.

Her approach combines technical legal analysis with a strong understanding of the commercial considerations underlying a transaction, allowing her to provide advice that is both legally considered and responsive to the client’s broader business objectives.

Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

Alongside her transactional practice, Sara has substantial experience in English-language arbitration and commercial dispute resolution.

She has been involved in arbitration matters since the early stages of her career in the UAE and continues to oversee English-language arbitral proceedings and complex contractual disputes handled by the firm.

Her commercial practice also places a strong emphasis on dispute avoidance, including identifying contractual and structural risks at an early stage and assisting clients in negotiating commercially viable solutions before disputes escalate into formal proceedings.

International & Cross-Border Practice

A significant component of Sara’s work involves international legal collaboration and the coordination of multi-jurisdictional legal teams.

She has worked alongside leading international law firms including Debevoise & Plimpton, Stephenson Harwood, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, and Vinson & Elkins, particularly on matters involving the Republic of Iraq.

Her work in this area has included coordinating with international counsel, analysing Iraqi legal frameworks and assisting with matters requiring an understanding of the interaction between common law and civil law principles.

Combined with her international legal education and UAE experience, this enables Sara to play an important role in the firm’s cross-border practice and its work with international clients and law firms.

Publications & Thought Leadership

Sara has contributed to legal publications and professional commentary on developments in UAE commercial law, arbitration, taxation and legal practice.

Her published work includes commentary addressing:

• Terms and Conditions for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, examining the importance of appropriately structured contractual terms for SMEs.
• Arbitration and Public Policy in the UAE, co-authored analysis examining the implications of public policy within the UAE arbitration framework.
• Value Added Tax in the UAE, including professional commentary addressing practical questions following the introduction of VAT.
• Assessment of Lawyers’ Professional Fees, co-authored analysis following a significant Dubai Court of Cassation judgment concerning the assessment of lawyers’ fees in the absence of a valid fee agreement.

Her earlier work has appeared in The Oath Legal Magazine, while she has also contributed professional commentary to the Khaleej Times.

Sara’s publications reflect the breadth of her commercial practice and her continuing engagement with developments affecting businesses, legal practitioners and investors in the UAE.

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Master of Laws (LL.M.) – University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 2024 – Specialization in Business Law and Media, Entertainment, Technology & Sports Law
• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) – University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Admitted as a Lawyer in New Zealand

Languages

• English
• Arabic

Leadership & Professional Focus

As Head of Commercial, Sara combines client-facing legal practice with responsibility for the continued development of the firm’s English-language and international commercial capabilities.

She has also been involved in strengthening the firm’s internal operational framework through the implementation of structured digital workflows, enhanced client onboarding procedures and improvements to the coordination of English-language and international matters.

Her combination of common-law qualification, UAE legal experience and international commercial exposure enables her to act as an important bridge between the firm’s local capabilities and the requirements of multinational businesses, international counsel and cross-border clients.

Professional Standing

Since joining Al Kabban & Associates in 2016, Sara has developed from a member of the firm’s English-language legal team into a senior leadership role as Head of Commercial.

Her international legal education, transactional and dispute resolution experience, and work alongside leading international law firms complement the firm’s established UAE capabilities and support its continued development in corporate, commercial and cross-border matters.