The legal sector in the UAE has undergone tremendous changes in the past two decades. The industry has been facing challenges related to economic growth, increased foreign investment, and complex cross-border transactions. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are major business centers in the UAE; therefore, there is an increase in civil, commercial, and family laws involving international elements. The UAE’s judicial institutions have witnessed an increase in civil compensation claims, commercial disputes, and family law cases among expatriates. Legal consultants have been allowed to contribute to case laws, compliance, and litigation strategy.
Hassan Mohsen Elhais, born on August 5, 1984, in Biyala, Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, entered the UAE legal sector in the mid-2000s. After completing his Bachelor of Laws at El Monofia University in 2005, he pursued additional studies at Mansoura University before returning to El Monofia for postgraduate work. He completed a diploma in private law in 2015, covering areas such as civil law, commercial law, Shariah law, trial procedures, and philosophy of law. In the same year, he obtained a master’s degree in law and later earned a doctorate in civil law in 2019. His academic background provided a foundation for consultancy and litigation in the UAE’s evolving legal environment.
In July 2006, his professional journey started in Dubai, where he became a legal consultant with Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy. The organization, established in 2003 under the name Advocates Without Frontiers, has been operating as a legal consultancy in the UAE. Over the past two decades, he has contributed to numerous cases across civil, commercial, criminal, and family law. He handles advisory and litigation matters related to property, mortgages, and civil compensation disputes. He is currently associated with Amal Alrashedi Lawyers & Legal Consultants, which he joined in 2026. The knowledge and expertise he has accumulated are much like those of legal consultants, especially in cases that straddle both local and global issues.
One of Elhais’s legal disputes illustrates how UAE statutory law intertwines with complex financial and family situations. In 2025, Elhais was involved in a commercial case in which the Dubai Commercial Court dismissed his client’s claim against a real estate developer. The case was dismissed because it was established that the project was executed in accordance with the contract terms, providing clarity for commercial development contracts. In the same year, the Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation upheld the dismissal of a bank’s claim in a Murabaha finance contract, as it was found that the bank’s salary transfer arrangement did not comply with the statutory requirements of an enforceable security.
Criminal laws have also been included in Elhais’s list of cases handled. From 2024 to 2025, his criminal case list included cases of possession of drugs, charges of forgery, and amendments to international legislation on narcotics. Some of his notable criminal cases include an acquittal of a Dubai resident based on amendments to UAE legislation on narcotics and an acquittal of a death sentence of a British national convicted of trafficking drugs due to procedural errors discovered during the appeal. Additionally, an expatriate client was acquitted of various charges related to possession of a forged university degree.
Family law and child relocation have been a key area for Elhais’s consultancy practice. He has dealt with cases related to cross-border custody disputes, divorce cases related to expatriates, and child abduction cases. The Abu Dhabi and Dubai courts have issued rulings related to equal parental custody and jurisdiction for expatriate families. Elhais’s expertise in this area stems from his position as co-chairman of the Relocation of Children Committee at the International Academy of Family Lawyers. This is related to his participation in professional networks focused on complex legal issues, procedural guidance, and international family law practice.
Compensation claims and disputes involving property have also formed part of his case history. In 2025, the Dubai court awarded compensation to the family of an abducted and murdered person by holding the perpetrators liable for the damages. The role of Elhais in compensation claims reveals his familiarity with tort laws and their principles. In other cases, there have been property-related claims arising from conflicts of interest between banks and developers. The case proceeded despite disagreement over the property’s security interests, revealing the complexities of property law in the UAE.
Elhais’s professional contributions have been recognized through multiple awards and rankings. He was named Best Legal Consultant of the Year by Global 100 in 2018 and 2019 and by Corporate America Today in 2020. In 2021, he received Legal Consultant of the Year (Litigation) at the Legal 100 Asia Awards. Leaders in Law recognized him in 2024-2025, and Corporate INTL awarded him in 2025. Legal’s Finest listed him among the top 200 civil law lawyers globally in 2016. Additionally, Chambers and Partners ranked him Band 1 in Family/Matrimonial High Net Worth from 2022 to 2025. His professional influence has also been noted in Lexology Legal Influencers and JD Supra Readers’ Choice listings.
His education and qualifications, along with his professional and leadership positions, establish him as a credible legal consultant. His educational background, including a PhD in civil law, establishes him as a formally qualified legal consultant. His educational background in private and commercial law, as well as trial procedures, provides additional context for his legal work. In aggregate, Dr. Hassan Mohsen Elhais’ qualifications and educational background establish him as a formally qualified and educated legal consultant.
Dr. Hassan Mohsen Elhais’ career establishes a legal consultant involved in civil, family law, criminal law, extradition, probate, and inheritance in the UAE. His involvement in precedent-setting cases in civil and commercial litigation, property and finance disputes, and international child relocation cases establishes him as a legal consultant involved in significant legal work. His awards and rankings, as well as his leadership positions in committees and organizations, establish him as a legal consultant involved in the legal profession. His educational background establishes him as formally qualified.
