Saif is a bilingual (Arabic and English) Partner based in Stephenson Harwood’s Dubai office, with significant expertise in marine insurance and a deep understanding of the UAE shipping industry. He is regularly instructed by international insurers, reinsurers, and P&I Clubs to handle complex and high-value insurance disputes across the region.

His practice spans both wet and dry shipping claims, with a strong emphasis on insurance coverage disputes, liability claims, and recovery actions arising out of collisions, casualties, fires, groundings, salvage, oil pollution, total loss claims (including CTLs), and cargo damage. He frequently advises on charterparty disputes, trade finance insurance claims, and enforcement of foreign arbitration awards and judgments, and has become a go-to lawyer in the UAE for maritime and marine insurance litigation and arbitration.

Saif is particularly experienced in managing coverage disputes involving P&I, H&M, war risk, and cargo insurance policies, and is often called upon to support clients in urgent situations, such as the repatriation of abandoned crew and ship arrests linked to insured losses. He also counsels insurers on subrogation rights, claims mitigation strategies and local law compliance.

Recognised for his strong track record in the courts, Saif has successfully set legal precedents in complex civil law matters. Notably, he established, for the first time in the history of the region’s civil courts, a limitation fund under maritime law before the Aqaba Court in Jordan, following a major pollution incident. He also recently secured a landmark win in the UAE, with the Dubai court applying English law principles and awarding full recovery of legal fees, loss of profits, and consequential losses in a delayed marine insurance settlement case.

Saif is ranked as an “Up and Coming Partner” for Shipping: Dispute Resolution in the Chambers and Partners Global 2025 Guide. He is also listed as a “Next Generation Partner” for Shipping and a “Recommended Lawyer” for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation in the Legal 500 EMEA 2024 Guide, UAE.

Owing to his standing in the market, he was shortlisted for ‘Young Leader of the Year’ at the 2023 Middle East Insurance Industry Awards and led the core team that received an honourable mention for ‘Insurance Team of the Year’ at the 2023 Oath Middle East Legal Awards.