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About Chris
Being resident in the UAE since 2008, Chris Williams uses his keen understanding of the region to guide his leadership of Bracewell’s Dubai office, as well as his own active corporate practice. Chris has particular experience in advising on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, complex commercial contracts and corporate advisory work, as well as experience advising on labour and employment matters (contentious and non-contentious), and managing litigation disputes in the UAE.
The 2013 edition of The Legal 500 noted Chris’ “excellent knowledge of the Middle East,” a skillset that he brings to his clients doing business in the region and the 2014 edition of The Legal 500 commented that he was “responsive and business savvy.” The 2014 edition of Chambers Global noted that, “impressed sources described him as very sensible, good to deal with and commercial,” the 2015 edition of Chambers Global commented that he was “extremely responsive at all times, very thorough, very adept at preparing documents and at advising on strategy,” and the 2016 edition of Chambers Global noted that he is “flexible, pragmatic and makes sure the client is well looked after.”
Experience
Recent Notable Matters
General Motors — throughout the Middle East on a number of commercial arrangements including vehicle dealership arrangements, supply chain arrangements, employment law issues, trading and local law compliance issues, and financing and securities arrangements
L-3 Communications — expansion of its business throughout the Middle East, Africa and the Far East, including advising on corporate structuring, commercial contracts and both contentious and non-contentious employment matters
Recruitment and manpower service companies — including Brunel Energy, Moorland Gray, Cielo, Robert Walters and SSQ in respect of their Middle East corporate, commercial and employment-related matters
Dover Corporation — and its various operating company groups on corporate, commercial, regulatory and employment matters throughout the GCC
Publicly traded companies — such as Nalco Champion, John Bean Technologies and Naspers on all manner of corporate, commercial, regulatory, litigation disputes and employment matters
Fintech start-ups — advising on shareholder agreements, financing arrangements, employment and commercial contracts and regulatory matters in the UAE
Defense contractors — in respect of their business operations in the UAE and in particular offset obligations
Manufacturing and service providers — structuring and implementation of joint ventures (contractual and corporate) and the appointment of commercial agents, distributors and franchise holders in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan
Companies and c-suite executives — advising on all manner of employment disputes, including redundancy, arbitrary dismissal claims and performance issues, throughout the Middle East
Publications and Speeches
"Supply contracts country questions: United Arab Emirates" Practical Law, Thomson Reuters, Oct. 13, 2016.
"Consumer contracts country questions: United Arab Emirates," Practical Law, Thomson Reuters, Sept. 19, 2016.