Awatif Al Khouri Verified Lawyer

Experience

Awatif Al Khouri is the owner and principal of Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy, a Dubai-based firm renowned for handling a broad spectrum of UAE legal matters. She trained and qualified in Dubai and has practiced law since 1989, gaining experience across UAE law firms before founding her own practice in 2003. This long tenure in the UAE legal landscape has positioned her to navigate the local court system from the Courts of First Instance through the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, reflecting a deep understanding of the procedural pathways that govern civil, commercial, and family disputes in the United Arab Emirates. Over more than two decades, Al Khouri has built a diverse practice that includes representation for corporate clients as well as individual litigants. Publicly available information indicates that her firm has advised and represented well-known entities such as Shell Petroleum Ltd., Schlumberger, and Middlesex University, illustrating a capacity to manage high-stakes matters across both corporate and institutional contexts as well as private disputes. This breadth of experience demonstrates her ability to marshal complex facts, coordinate cross-border considerations where relevant, and deliver strategic advocacy across multiple fora within the UAE’s evolving legal environment. In addition to her litigation work, Al Khouri maintains active professional credentials and relationships that enhance her ability to serve international clients. She is fluent in English and French, which supports effective communication with foreign nationals, embassies, and multinational organizations. She is approved by the French Embassy in Dubai and by both the British Embassy and the American Embassy in Abu Dhabi to provide consultancy and to represent their citizens in individual matters. This embassy recognition reflects a level of trust and proficiency in handling cross-border legal issues and dealing with foreign jurisdictions from within the UAE framework. Al Khouri is also a member of the Lawyers Union in the Dubai Court and the Ministry of Justice, underscoring her ongoing engagement with the regulatory and professional standards that govern UAE legal practice. Her professional profile on the firm’s website highlights a continued commitment to public service and professional development. The firm emphasizes the breadth of its practice areas under the leadership of Awatif Al Khouri, illustrating a sustained ability to serve both local clients and international stakeholders through the UAE’s modern judiciary. This combination of local expertise and international liaison positions Al Khouri as a capable advocate for clients navigating the UAE’s civil, commercial, and family-law landscapes, including matters that involve cross-border considerations and multi-jurisdictional implications.

Specialty

Awatif Al Khouri’s practice centers on family law within the United Arab Emirates, with a strong emphasis on divorce and related separation matters. Publicly available professional profiles describe her docket as encompassing appeals, divorce, child custody and visitation, domestic violence protection orders, and the enforcement and modification of financial orders and property division. Her work also touches on pre- and post-nuptial agreements and involves enforcement and modification of support and property orders, including cases that intersect with the Hague Convention on international child abduction. This array of family-law expertise reflects her role in guiding clients through often intricate cross-border and multi-jurisdictional family disputes within the UAE’s civil-family framework. Al Khouri’s international orientation is reinforced by her multilingual abilities—Arabic, English, and French—which enable her to represent foreign nationals and multinational clients in the UAE. Her cross-border experience is complemented by affiliations with international family-law communities, underpinning her capacity to address relocation, custody, and financial-order issues in a manner consistent with both UAE law and international expectations. This combination of local expertise and international perspective aligns with the UAE’s position as a hub for expatriates and high-net-worth families seeking efficient, discreet resolution of complex family matters.

Education

Achievements and Recognition

• 2017 – Family Lawyer of the Year, M&A Today Awards. https://www.alrowaad.ae/our-firm/our-team/awatif-shoqi/
• Embassy listings for international client representation: French Embassy in Dubai, and British and American Embassies in Abu Dhabi list her for consultancy and representing their nationals in civil and family disputes. https://www.gulf-times.com/article/719861/business/multilingual-legal-expert-awatif-al-khouri-earns-embassy-approvals-for-international-client-representation
• Profiles by the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) recognizing her as owner of the firm and highlighting cross-border family-law work (relocation, child abduction, enforcement issues). https://www.gulf-times.com/article/719861/business/multilingual-legal-expert-awatif-al-khouri-earns-embassy-approvals-for-international-client-representation
• Family Lawyer of the Year UAE 2026: Mrs Awatif Al Khouri. https://www.alrowaad.ae/our-firm/our-team/awatif-shoqi/
• Award Winner 2026 Corp Intl. https://www.alrowaad.ae/our-firm/our-team/awatif-shoqi/