Expertise
Ben Brown is a UK-qualified partner in our employment practice, based in Dubai. Ben has over 10 years of experience and was born and raised in the Middle East.
Ben's practice covers all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law in the United Arab Emirates and its free zones (including the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Abu Dhabi Global Market), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Ben advises clients in a variety of sectors with a particular focus on financial services, insurance, construction, energy and aviation.
Ben advises employers on recruitment and immigration issues, drafting and implementing employment documentation in compliance with local labour laws, managing performance, employee transfers, manpower supply arrangements, bonus disputes, employment data protection and issues arising on the termination of employment including the enforcement of post-termination restrictions and the protection of confidential information and trade secrets.
Ben has extensive experience advising on employment issues arising from team moves, complex internal investigations (in relation to both financial wrongdoing and complaints of inappropriate workplace behaviour, including harassment), corporate restructurings, outsourcings and multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions.
Ben advised the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority on the implementation and drafting of DIFC Law No.2 of 2019 (the primary piece of employment legislation in the DIFC) which came into force on 28 August 2019, and has given expert evidence to US courts on matters of DIFC law.
Ben has also advised other UAE free zone authorities on drafting and implementing free zone-specific employment regulations.
Ben has handled significant amounts of employment litigation in a variety of forums, including the High Court and employment tribunals in the United Kingdom, the DIFC and ADGM courts in the UAE, and local labour courts in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Experience
- United Arab Emirates / Dubai International Financial Centre / Abu Dhabi Global Market
- Advising international and local companies on complying with Emiratisation, the UAE labour law and the requirements of the UAE General Pension and Social Security Authority.
- Advising the DIFC Authority on the implementation and drafting of DIFC Law No.2 of 2019, the primary piece of employment legislation in the DIFC.
- Advising on numerous UAE federal labour court cases including:
- defending an international construction company in the Abu Dhabi courts to recover outstanding loans from an ex-employee
- defending a UAE-based oil company in the Dubai Court of Cassation (the UAE's highest court)
- defending a UAE-based international construction company against claims of arbitrary dismissal bought by a number of senior employees in the Dubai Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal
- defending an international clothing company on a multi-jurisdictional personal injury claim
- Representing employers and employees in a range of DIFC and ADGM Court litigation including:
- Representing the defendants in Daoud Theodore Youssef v (1) Now Health International Limited (2) Now Health International (Investments) Limited [2017] DIFC CFI 029
- Representing the defendant in Ibrahim Mohammed Siddig v Expresso Telecom Limited [2017] CFI 012
- Representing the defendant in SCT328/2018
- Representing the defendant in SCT104/2018
- Representing the claimant in SCT331/2017
- Representing the claimant in Rubingh v Veloqx RSC Limited [ADGMCFI-2020-005]
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Advising international companies on complying with their obligations under the KSA labour law and the requirements of the General Organisation for Social Insurance.
- Advising on the employment issues arising from the post-completion integration process following the merger of two domestic banks in KSA.
- Advising international companies on complying with Saudisation and resourcing their operations in KSA.
- Advising an international company on the implementation of a global employee performance incentive plan in KSA.
- Advising an international management consultancy on labour court proceedings.
- Advising a number of global banks on all employment-related matters in KSA.
- Advising on the enforcement of post-termination restrictions in KSA.
- Kingdom of Bahrain
- Advising international companies on complying with their obligations under the Bahrain labour law.
- Advising a global telecoms company on legal risks arising from recruiting individuals in the Middle East, including Bahrain.
- Advising an international law firm on the dismissal of local and expatriate employees in Bahrain.
- Advising a global company on resourcing its local distributors in Bahrain.
- Publications
- Professional Memberships
- Solicitor admitted in England and Wales
- Registered Practitioner in the DIFC Courts
- Registered Practitioner in the ADGM Courts
- Member of the American Bar Association
- Testimonials
Market Insiders say he is "Very good on the law…the law is changing quite a bit and he is very up to speed with new developments." One client particularly appreciated his ability to "Understand middle eastern culture and the sensitivities involved in dealing with employees in the region."
Chambers & Partners Global
