Thabit Al Tameemi

Thabit is a senior legal practitioner with more than 20 years of experience leading legal, compliance, corporate governance, and board secretariat functions across governmental, semi-governmental, and private sectors. A litigation and arbitration lawyer, and a registered arbitrator, Thabit has handled over 120 court and arbitration cases, primarily in real estate, construction, and infrastructure disputes. He has practiced in Baghdad, Iraq and the UAE, both within private firms and in-house in a number of roles, including Chief Legal Officer and General Legal Counsel.

Thabit’s experience is predominantly with energy, infrastructure, oil and gas, water and electricity, and wastewater treatment entities. He has a proven track record in establishing and managing legal departments, advising senior management on strategic, regulatory, and compliance matters, and representing organizations in complex litigation and arbitration across the Middle East.

With extensive experience in drafting and negotiating contracts, including EPC, PPP, and oil and gas agreements, Thabit has also been a formal member of the UAE delegation in judicial treaty negotiations. Certified as an international compliance officer, he brings a strong commitment to governance, risk management, and ethics policies, supporting boards and executives with clear legal guidance.

Corporate Transactions, Litigation, and Operations

Select experience prior to joining Hunton:

• Advised on transactional documents and drafting required amendments.
• Advised on litigation and arbitration claims or complaints during the performance of contractors.
• Advised several private or public joint stock companies in legal matters including advice on M&A transactions and project finance.
• Provided legal support on all types of contracts from the tender stage and implementation issues to settling claims raised under the contract and handling litigation. 
• Provided legal support to various CEO’s and Senior Vice President’s offices relating to administration and business.
• Provided legal advice based on business and operational requirements.
• Provided advice in legal guideline compliance and organizational policies.
• Provided legal advice to senior management in developing and interpreting policies.
• Drafted all types of contracts and agreements, including Articles of Association, JVs, Operating Agreements, and EPCs for UAE-based companies according to applicable laws in the UAE.
• Provided legal advice on alignment of processes, policies, forms, and functions to federal lawmakers and other regulations.

Compliance Management

Select experience prior to joining Hunton:

• Spearheaded various aspects of the compliance function and ensured the implementation of an entity’s Code of Conduct.
• Defined and implemented compliance function-related policies, such as anti-corruption, anti-fraud, and conflicts of interest.
• Investigated compliance cases and submitted recommendations to management.
• Organized compliance awareness sessions for management and employees as a member of the compliance committee.
• Evaluated compliance risks and ensured implementation of controls to mitigate potential risks.
• Managed the corporate governance module of an entity and assessed the performance of various corporate committees.
• Evaluated an entity’s delegation of authority and provided advice to all business lines in exercising delegated powers.

Board Secretariat

Select experience prior to joining Hunton:

• Functioned as the secretary to an entity’s board, prepared board meetings, agendas, and board materials.
• Drafted and presented required board and shareholders resolutions based on organizational policies and procedures.
• Participated in all works of the board committees (e.g., NRC, PFC, Audit, and FNCO).
• Drafted and reviewed federal and local legislations.
• Managed the legal team responsible on advising UAE governmental and semi-governmental entities.

• Formally recognized as a member of UAE delegation in multiple negotiations contributing to international legal cooperation and treaty development.

• Government of Dubai Legal Affairs
• Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
• Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Center (ADCAC)
• Advocacy Licence of the Iraqi-Bar Association

• Arab Lawyers Union
• Iraqi Human Rights Society