A trailblazer in UAE Law
At the helm of the law firm Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy, Awatif Khouri leads the way with comprehensive knowledge, landmark case wins and exceptional contributions to the UAE’s legal sector.
Awatif Khouri, a distinguished Emirati lawyer, is the owner and director of Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy, previously known as Al Rowaad Advocates & Legal Consultancy. She leads a team of over 45 professionals at branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Awatif’s diverse educational background significantly contributes to her expertise and accomplishments in the legal field.
Education and Early Life
Awatif graduated from the prestigious University of Hassan II in Casablanca where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in law. Fluent in Arabic, English, and French, her multilingual abilities enable her to serve a diverse clientele effectively.
She began her legal training and qualification in Dubai, starting her practice in 1989 working with various UAE law firms before founding her own law firm.
Experience
With a legal career spanning over three decades, Awatif has established herself as a formidable figure in the UAE legal landscape. As one of the first few Emirati female lawyers, she has been a trailblazer, breaking barriers and setting new standards in the legal profession.
Awatif is licensed to represent clients in all UAE courts, from the Court of First Instance to the Supreme Court, showcasing her comprehensive legal capabilities and deep understanding of the UAE judicial system. Her practice areas include Criminal Law, Family Law, Litigation, Civil Law, and Commercial Law, reflecting her versatility and wide-ranging expertise.
High-Profile Cases
Custody Battle for a Malaysian Mother: In a landmark case, Awatif represented a 38-year-old Malaysian mother in a complex custody battle before the Dubai courts. The mother’s 9-year-old son had been abducted by his father under the guise of a vacation to Dubai, leading to a travel ban on the child. Despite initial setbacks and jurisdictional challenges, Awatif presented compelling evidence to the Supreme Court, including testimony from a witness flown in from Malaysia. This led to awarding custody to the mother and successfully flying the child back to Malaysia despite COVID-19 restrictions.
Indian Mother’s Custody Victory: This case highlights Awatif’s strategic legal approach and deep understanding of international treaties. She leveraged a treaty between India and the UAE to have an Indian court’s ruling, which granted full custody to the mother, upheld by UAE courts. The case involves an Indian mother whose husband had taken their daughter to the UAE and sought custody through the Dubai Personal Status Court.
Nigerian Mother’s Bigamy Accusation: In a high-stakes custody battle, Awatif represented a Nigerian mother accused of bigamy by her husband. Despite adverse rulings from lower courts, she proved her client’s innocence at the Court of Cassation. She presented critical evidence from Nigerian authorities confirming the client’s prior divorce, which was initially overlooked. The court overturned the bigamy charge, granted the mother custody, and mandated substantial alimony and educational expenses from the husband.
Custody for a Jordanian Mother: In a case reflecting Awatif’s dedication to protecting vulnerable clients, she won custody for a Jordanian mother seeking full custody after discovering her husband’s infidelity and inappropriate exposure of their son to pornography. Awatif provided the Dubai court with a psychologist’s report documenting the child’s distress and behavioural issues. This led to a court decision that all visits with the father be supervised.
Surrogacy and Divorce for an Indian Woman: In a pioneering case involving cross-border and ethical dimensions in the UAE, Awatif represented an Indian woman seeking divorce after discovering her husband’s surrogacy arrangement without her consent. Arguing that surrogacy contravened UAE’s laws and public morals, she secured a court ruling in favour of her client. The court’s decision included ordering a DNA test, which the father failed to comply with, leading to a judgment that declared the child was not the biological offspring of the client.
Professional Affiliations and Recognition
Awatif’s professional affiliations reflect her commitment to excellence and her active engagement in the legal community. She is a member of TaG Law Alliance, the third largest legal alliance in the world, the Lawyers Union in Dubai Court, the Ministry of Justice, and a member of the International Practice Group. Her involvement extends to other international organisations, including the International Bar Association, where she is a member of the Family Law Committee, and the American Bar Association, where she serves as an associate member on the Family Law Committee. She has actively attended and organised a large number of law-related international conferences.
Her exceptional contributions to the field have been recognised with numerous awards. Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy has been recognised by various prestigious institutions worldwide, with more than 30 awards to their name.
These include the ‘Global Awards Winner 2022’ for ‘Full-service Law Firm of the Year in the UAE,’ the Best Advocates & Legal Consultants of the Year 2021 in the Corporate America Today Annual Awards, the Legal 100 Asia 2020 Client Choice Awards for ‘Litigation Law Firm of the Years 2019 and 2020, and the M&A Annual Award for Law Firm of the Year 2018 by KMH Media Group, and most recently, the Litigation Law Firm of the Year 2023 by LeFonti AWARDS, among many others.
Client Base
Awatif’s comprehensive legal capabilities and deep understanding of the UAE judicial system are evident in her extensive legal career and large client base, which included esteemed entities like the French Embassy in the UAE, Emirates NBD, Shell Petrol L.T.D, and the University of Middlesex. Awatif has represented or consulted for over thousands of clients, cementing her reputation as a leading legal practitioner in the UAE.
