A London‑based law firm has taken legal action in England against investment vehicles linked to the Emirati Al‑Sari family, underscoring the complexities of cross‑border client work that Canadian advisers increasingly encounter.
The dispute stems from the firm's earlier representation of Grand Valley General Trading, an entity tied to the Al‑Sari group, in arbitration proceedings in Singapore and related cases before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts. Conflicting instructions from rival factions within the family left the firm caught between demands to hand over case files and orders to withhold them.
In March 2023 the DIFC judge described the claim as unusual and ordered the firm to retain the documents until ownership disputes are resolved, while also requiring three defendants to cover the firm's legal costs of AED 160,800 (about £32,300). The ruling drew a line between matters the DIFC could decide and those that belong in English courts, given the firm's status as a DIFC practitioner.
Following the Dubai decision, the firm filed a suit in the London Circuit Commercial Court against Al Soor Investments LLC and Sari Investments LLC. The filing, seen by City AM, does not disclose the precise claim but places the dispute in a specialist venue for mid‑tier commercial cases.
The Al‑Sari family is also involved in a separate multi‑million‑pound battle spanning Dubai, London and the British Virgin Islands, where the Commercial Bank of Dubai seeks to recover more than £80 million in debt from family members.
For Canadian law firms and professional advisers, the case illustrates the regulatory and ethical challenges of serving clients with assets and litigation across multiple jurisdictions, a scenario that is becoming more common as Canadian investors deepen ties with the Gulf region.