We are Daniel, Estrela and Ammar, law students from Kings College London and Middlesex University in Dubai, with a shared interest in commercial law at a leading international law firm. 

Over the course of our two-week experience at Freshfields Dubai, we had the opportunity to rotate between the Dispute Resolution and Global Transactions teams, gaining valuable insights into both transactional and contentious practice areas within the MENA region.

During our first week with the Dispute Resolution team, we were immersed in arbitration and litigation proceedings specific to the region. A highlight was drafting a research note on breach of contract provisions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with a particular focus on the construction sector. This involved identifying relevant clauses across various legislative instruments and understanding their application within a Sharia law framework. This provided us with an understanding of Islamic legal principles in commercial contexts.

In parallel, we contributed to producing the Freshfields weekly digestible letter through the research of new project announcements in the Middle East for the Business development team. We also conducted thorough research into the growing trends of tribunal's interpretations on investment law treaty provisions in the Middle East, regarding the tribunal's expansionist approach in their interpretations and how it may potentially affect clients entering investment arbitrations.  

Our second week in the Global Transactions team deepened our understanding of Islamic finance. We produced training materials to explain Islamic financial structures, comparing them with conventional financing models, to potential clients in collaboration with the Business Development team, enhancing our commercial awareness and how law firms market themselves to clients. This experience enhanced our grasp of the legal and ethical foundations of Islamic finance and its growing relevance in global markets.

We leave Freshfields with a deeper understanding of the complexities of Islamic law and the dynamic evolution of the MENA region, an understanding of how we want to shape our careers and gratitude towards all those who played a part in demystifying law.