Govind Gahlot

• Act as an in-house Legal Counsel for a diversified real estate and investment group, advising multiple group entities
across mainland UAE and free zones (ADGM, DIFC, Meydan, JAFZA, SHAMS).
• Lead end-to-end contract drafting, review, negotiation, and risk assessment for a wide range of agreements including
SPAs, Sub-leases, NDAs, Referral & Brokerage Agreements, Development Management Agreements, Retention Bonds,
and Consultancy Agreements.
• Provide strategic legal support to real estate development projects, including review of RERA-mandated clauses, SPA
alignment, escrow-related provisions, agency fee recovery clauses, and termination consequences.
• Manage corporate governance and secretarial matters, including drafting Board Resolutions, Shareholder Resolutions,
MOA/AOA amendments, incumbency updates, and authority matrices for banking, property acquisition, and
restructuring transactions.
• Supporting corporate structuring initiatives, including share transfers, holding company realignments, and inter-group
ownership changes.
• Handling regulatory compliance matters, including KYC, AML, and UBO documentation, coordinating with banks, free
zone authorities, and external counsel.
• Actively managing litigation and dispute-related matters, including coordination with external counsel for Dubai
Courts and RDC proceedings, execution cases, and enforcement documentation.
• Reviewing and negotiating professional engagement terms with external law firms, including fee structures, payment
terms, liability allocation, and dispute resolution clauses.
• Serving as the key legal interface between management and operational teams.

• Acted as lead associate advising private investors, brokerage firms, and real estate developers on a wide range of real
estate matters in the United Arab Emirates, including regulatory, transactional, and dispute-related issues.
• Drafted, reviewed, and negotiated various real estate and project-related agreements, including Sale and Purchase
Agreements (SPAs), booking forms, consultancy agreements, Development Management Agreements, Joint Venture

• Worked for investment giant i.e. Blackstone Inc., supported in its real estate deals by incorporation of legal entities in Luxembourg, coordinating with compliance heads to ensure adherence to jurisdiction-specific regulations and timely filings.
• Assisted in M&A transactions by conducting due diligence, reviewing documents, and supporting the integration of acquired entities to ensure smooth transitions and regulatory compliance.
• Reviewed and drafted diverse complex transactional documents including letters of intent, memoranda of understanding, shareholders agreements, asset purchase agreements, board resolutions approving investments, etc.) while liaising with account managers, external counsels and business stakeholders involved in M&A transactions for disposals and acquisition of real estate assets of more than US$ 50 million to US$ 1 billion.
• Involved in due diligence of asset ownership verification documents i.e. shareholder resolution, land registers, bank statement, funds flow and KYC documents, simultaneously preparing consolidated reports and circulating the same with clients and business stakeholder for their review.
• Monitoring various land registers to keep a record of commercial lease agreements of value more than US$ 50 million and its validity and further renewing/ terminating the lease by drafting relevant legal documents including amendments and addendums.
• Identified and mitigated legal risks by collating legal terms from SOW for penalties of damaging assets in leased property and simultaneously assisting external counsels while preparing legal notices.
• Acted as a key liaison between account managers, compliance leaders, and legal teams, ensuring alignment on legal requirements and providing updates on incorporation and contractual matters.
• Attended and involved in multiple trainings provided by external counsels of boutique law firms on subject matter like data privacy and latest updates on laws and regulations in EMEA region.
• Maintained organized records and repository of incorporation documents, compliance reports, and M&A transaction files, assisting senior counsel in due diligence and ensuring timely retrieval of records for audits.

Agreements, and related transactional documentation.
• Advised and assisted clients in the conveyancing and completion of property transactions, including project and
unit registrations, Oqood filings, and title deed issuance, ensuring compliance with Dubai Land Department (DLD)
and RERA regulatory requirements.
• Supported clients in both contentious and non-contentious real estate matters, including preparation of legal
notices, contractual correspondences, and enforcement documentation relating to property and development
disputes.
• Conducted comprehensive legal research and regulatory analysis on UAE real estate laws, including matters relating
to off-plan and secondary market transactions, and provided legal opinions and strategic advice on regulatory
compliance, contractual risk allocation, and dispute strategies.
• Worked on complex real estate and contractual disputes, including but not limited to project cancellation claims, cheque
execution proceedings, breaches of payment obligations under Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs), investor claims
relating to non-registration of properties with the Dubai Land Department (DLD), pre-handover investor exit strategies
through resale of units, and brokerage commission disputes concerning entitlement to and recovery of agreed
commissions.
• Coordinated with counsel representing clients in real estate disputes before the competent courts in the UAE, monitoring
case progress, assisting with case strategy, and ensuring timely communication of developments to clients.
• Liaised with clients and technical experts to compile and submit supporting documentation for court proceedings and
expert submissions, ensuring compliance with procedural requirements and efficient case management.
• Monitored developments in UAE real estate regulations and market practices, advising clients on legal implications
affecting ongoing property transactions and development projects.

• Tasked with supervising a team of three associates and assisted client i.e. Johnson Controls in the EMEA region with the review, drafting, and negotiation of commercial contracts, ensuring compliance with local laws and
international standards.
• Supported clients in managing the full lifecycle of contracts, including drafting, amendments, renewals, and terminations, ensuring all contractual obligations were met and documented accurately.
• Conducted comprehensive legal research on jurisdiction-specific laws and regulations, providing clients with insights and risk assessments to mitigate legal and financial exposure in contractual agreements.
• Collaborated with internal legal teams and external counsels to ensure contracts were aligned with clients business objectives and complied with relevant jurisdictional regulations and industry practices.
• Assisted clients throughout M&A transactions by meticulously reviewing substantial volumes of transactional documents including Share Purchase Agreements (SPAs), Confidentiality Agreements, and Closing Documents, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and client objectives.
• Assisted by conducting comprehensive due diligence for M&A transactions, reviewing corporate records, contracts, and legal documents to assess potential risks and provide insights on legal liabilities and compliance issues.
• Maintain and timely update the records of company compliances, and templates, along with tracking and monitoring the accuracy of the legal documents and other relevant documents in the client tool/portal.

• Represented corporate and individual clients in commercial disputes, real estate disputes, and arbitration
proceedings before District Courts, High Courts, and arbitral tribunals.
• Assisted senior counsel in domestic arbitration proceedings, including enforcement of arbitral awards, interim relief
applications, and challenges to arbitral awards.
• Drafted and settled pleadings, legal notices, arbitration petitions, affidavits, written submissions, and interim applications.
• Conducted extensive legal research on contractual interpretation, jurisdictional challenges, arbitrability, and enforcement
of awards.
• Advised corporate retainer clients on day-to-day legal and compliance matters, including drafting, reviewing, and
negotiating a wide range of corporate and commercial agreements such as Service Agreements, Vendor Agreements,
NDAs, MOUs, Term Sheets, Sale and Purchase Agreements, Expressions of Interest, Board Resolutions, and related
amendments and addendums, while ensuring regulatory compliance and effective risk mitigation.
• Assisted in pre-litigation strategy, case preparation, evidence review, and settlement negotiations.
• Supported counsel during hearings through preparation of briefs, case summaries, and procedural filings.
• Maintained internal legal research databases and precedent repositories for commercial litigation and arbitration matters.

• Spearheaded legal support for day-to-day business operations, ensuring all activities were conducted in compliance with applicable laws, internal policies, and industry standards.
• Advised senior management on legal and regulatory issues related to business operations, contracts, intellectual property, and corporate governance.
• Managed legal disputes, including pre-litigation strategies and negotiations, to resolve potential legal conflicts swiftly and cost effectively while preserving the companys interests.
• Led the drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex commercial agreements, including vendor agreements, service contracts, and partnership arrangements, ensuring alignment with business goals and risk management strategies.
• Provided legal counsel on HR matters, including employment law, employee relations, workplace disputes, employee benefits, and compliance with labor laws.
• Led legal review of internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with changing laws, including data privacy regulations and information and technology laws.
• Collaborated with external law firms and external counsels, managing communication, briefing, and directing them on case strategies, litigation/ arbitration matters, and IPR issues above US$ 3 million.
• Managed legal aspects of corporate governance, including preparation of board resolutions, minutes, and compliance with company laws.
• Drafted and reviewed corporate policies, including those on intellectual property, data protection, and corporate social responsibility, ensuring consistency with evolving legal standards.
• Facilitated training and workshops for staff on legal compliance matters, raising awareness about key legal issues impacting business operations, including intellectual property and consumer protection.
• Assisted management on government contracts and tender bidding by legal researching on RFPs (tender documents) and its requirements to mitigate potential risks and complexities during the submission process.
• Assisted in mergers & acquisitions, and business restructuring, providing legal support on due diligence, negotiation, and drafting of transaction-related documents.
• Supported the company in legal audits and compliance reviews, identifying potential areas of concern and recommending improvements to mitigate risks.

• Supported partners and senior counsel in managing commercial arbitration cases that were subject to challenges in national courts, including setting aside, enforcement, and jurisdictional challenges.
• Conducted legal research on procedural grounds for challenging arbitral awards in national courts, including issues related to public policy, arbitrability, and due process.
• Assisted in drafting pleadings, affidavits, and submissions for court proceedings challenging or defending arbitral awards, including responses to motions for set-aside or non-recognition.
• Analysed and summarized case law on enforcement and annulment of arbitral awards under national and international frameworks such as the New York Convention.
• Prepared detailed research memoranda and legal opinions to assist senior counsel in developing arguments for defending or challenging arbitral awards before national courts.
• Coordinated with litigation teams to gather evidence, review documents, and prepare briefs for hearings, ensuring
consistency between arbitration and court submissions.
• Attended virtual court proceedings alongside senior counsel, taking notes, handling documents, and providing on the-spot research to address procedural and substantive issues raised in court.
• Assisted in drafting applications for interim measures or injunctions to stay enforcement pending court decisions on arbitration challenges.
• Managed communication with corporate clients regarding procedural updates and case developments, ensuring clients were informed of potential impacts of court decisions on arbitration outcomes.
• Maintained a repository of relevant judgments, procedural precedents, and legal updates on arbitration challenges to support the firms litigation and arbitration teams.