Reflecting on 2024: Yungo Law’s Year in Review

Navigating Legal Landscapes in Middle Eastern-European Business

As 2024 comes to an end, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what has been an exciting year for Yungo Law. We’ve grown, faced new challenges, and experienced many moments we’re proud of. We’ve helped families make important decisions, supported businesses through their legal needs, and worked to create a more inclusive legal profession.

This year, we focused on building strong relationships and making meaningful progress for our clients and our team. We expanded our services, moved to a larger office, and watched our people thrive. These everyday moments are what truly define who we are and why we do what we do.

Here are some of the highlights from 2024 that made this year so special for us at Yungo Law.

Supporting Business Growth in the UAE

In 2024, we proudly worked with businesses across the UAE and Europe, helping them tackle challenges and discover new opportunities. We supported international exhibitions, safeguarded intellectual property, and focused on helping our clients grow with confidence.

This year, we collaborated with business owners to meet regulations, plan events that respect local culture, and protect their creative ideas. Seeing our clients expand into new markets and overcome challenges has been incredibly rewarding, and we can’t wait to continue building on that success together.

Guiding International Exhibitions

Organising an exhibition in the UAE means making sure everything is legally secure. Our blogs, Mitigating Risks and Ensuring Legal Compliance for Large-Scale Events in the UAE and Essential Contractual Elements for Successful Event and Exhibition Management in the UAE, provided practical advice for event organisers, making sure they knew how to protect intellectual property, adhere to cultural standards, and keep their events running smoothly.

Balancing IP Protection and Cultural Sensitivities

In Securing Intellectual Property and Managing Cultural Sensitivities When Managing Exhibitions in the UAE, we shared strategies for protecting intellectual property while respecting local customs. Our cross-border expertise in European and UAE markets helped bridge these gaps for clients, ensuring success in both regions.

Empowering Women in the Legal Profession and Beyond

One of the things we’re most proud of this year is our commitment to creating an inclusive environment, especially for women in law. In Back to the Bar: How Yungo Law is Championing Women’s Return to Their Legal Careers, we highlighted our “Empowerment Through Reintegration” program, which supports individuals—particularly women—looking to return to their legal careers after a break. We’re making strides to create a more balanced and supportive legal profession, and this program is one of the ways we’re doing just that.

The program has been recognised by the local legal industry as instrumental to fostering inclusivity and diversity in the legal profession and has gained us the LexisNexis Middle East, Women in Law Awards 2024 for Equality Initiative of the Year (2024 Winners – LexisNexis Women in Law Awards).

On this note, we are beyond happy to share the addition of a mother of two and brilliant Solicitor specialised in Family Law, Michelle Aly. Michelle has practiced law as an advocate and a mediator in family disputes resolution in the UK for fifteen years. By joining our Team, Michelle will be heading the Family Law – UK disputes department and further expand our services in the sector of private wealth, family law and private clients legal services.

Yungo Law has sponsored and organised a series of four seminars directed to educate women on their economic and financial rights, with the help and support of St James’s Place Middle East and Asia, the DIFC Academy (Skill Building for Women by Women: Legal, Leadership & Financial Acumen from Real Journey-Makers! Session 4 | DIFC Academy), HR consultancy firm Farihas.com and LexisNexis Middle East as Media Sponsor, culminating with our last session held at the DIFC Academy on December 5. Our managing partner, Clotilde Iaia Polak, along with Fariha Salahuddin and Sharon Calderini (Managing Partner of St James’s Place – Dubai and founder of The Wheel of Wealth), have led four engaging seminars, educating and networking with over 250 participants. The same series of seminars is also ongoing for the Abu Dhabi community, where we are cooperating with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council.

Empowering Families and Businesses

Supporting families and businesses is central to everything we do. In 2024, we addressed many of the common concerns our clients face. We focused on key topics like family succession planning, marriage contracts, and estate management.

Keeping Family Businesses Strong

Family-run businesses are the backbone of the UAE’s economy, and this year, we dedicated time to making sure these businesses stay strong for generations. In Common Legal Challenges for Family-Owned Businesses in the UAE, we explored how essential succession planning is, and how the right governance structures can keep things running smoothly, avoiding unnecessary disputes and future-proofing businesses.

Helping Families Plan for the Future

When it comes to estate planning, making sure your wishes are followed can be a challenge without the right help. That’s why we covered everything from wills, guardianship, and asset management in our blogs, An Introduction to Personal Succession Planning in the UAE and Requirements and Options for Wills in the UAE. Our goal is clear: to help our clients understand their choices, so they can make sure their loved ones are cared for just as they wish. We’re here to offer guidance, support, and peace of mind, making sure every decision is fully informed and reflects what matters most to you.

Guiding Families Through Key Moments

Family law is often deeply personal, and we understand just how important it is to get it right. This year, we made it our mission to offer honest, caring support for families facing important life decisions. Whether it was helping with wills, guardianship, or marriage agreements, we focused on providing clear advice and a steady hand during challenging times.

Marriage Contracts for All Couples

Whether you’re a non-Muslim couple exploring prenuptial agreements or a Muslim couple looking into marriage contracts under Sharia Law, we aimed to provide clarity. Our blogs, Prenuptial Agreements: A Simple Guide for Non-Muslim Couples in the UAE and Marriage Contracts for Muslim Couples in the UAE, were created to help couples plan ahead, protecting their rights and ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Stronger Protections Against Domestic Violence

One of the biggest steps forward this year was the introduction of Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2024, which strengthened protections against domestic violence in the UAE. Our blog, UAE’s New Domestic Violence Law: What You Need to Know, broke down what the law means and how victims can seek help. We believe in standing by individuals who are going through difficult times, and this new law is a big step in the right direction.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Yungo Law

This year has been all about growth, and it’s not just about expanding our expertise. It’s also about expanding our team and making Yungo Law a place where talented people thrive.

As we step into 2025, Yungo Law is poised to build upon its achievements and embrace ambitious goals that align with our core values of growth, excellence, and client-centricity.

Our marketing and business development strategies will take centre stage, with Clotilde leading efforts to expand our outreach and strengthen our brand presence. By focusing on social media, client engagement and management, we aim to attract a broader client base and solidify our reputation as a leading private practice law firm in the UAE.

The Family Law team is gearing up to challenge local competition by fostering partnerships with UK-based legal experts and gaining recognition through prominent cases. “I envision Yungo Law becoming the ‘go-to’ firm for family law in the UAE,” shares Michelle, who is also driving initiatives to enhance the firm’s visibility and accolades.

2025 will also see the expansion of our private client services. Zarqa plans to position Yungo Law as a leader in expatriate-focused will drafting and probate services while continuing to develop her expertise across commercial matters. “Our goal is to meet clients’ needs with a versatile and well-rounded approach,” she adds.

Ahmed Sabry and Annibale D’Addario are focused on bolstering the firm’s expertise across diverse practice areas, publishing legal insights, and fostering stronger ties with court officials and clients alike. Their efforts underscore our mission to provide comprehensive and exceptional legal support.

Additionally, Yungo Law is committed to bolstering the legal profession by keeping its vacation scheme active, exploring opportunities to hire new trainees, and celebrating milestones like Annibale’s anticipated qualification as the firm’s first English solicitor through the training contract route. “This achievement demonstrates our commitment to fostering talent and creating pathways for professional growth,” Annibale notes.

Together, these collective ambitions reflect Yungo Law’s vision for 2025: to grow, innovate, and strengthen our position as a premier law firm in the UAE, setting new benchmarks for success while continuing our efforts to build a human centric and truly inclusive and diverse environment.

None of this would have been possible without the trust our clients put in us and the amazing partners we’ve worked with this year. We are incredibly grateful for your support and look forward to what 2025 has in store for us all.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re looking for a legal partner who will stand by your side through every challenge and opportunity, reach out to us at Yungo Law. Let’s work together to protect what matters most—your family, your business, and your future.

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