Fatima Balfaqeeh, Emirati lawyer and international arbitrator, shares an extended read on the evolving legal landscape in the Middle East.
She highlights significant infrastructure and legislative advances in Egypt and the UAE, and how regional centres are adopting international best practices to attract foreign investment. She makes the case for governance and early succession planning as decisive to the longevity of family businesses, while advocating for mediation as a culturally resonant tool for dispute resolution.
Drawing on a background spanning finance and government, she explains how proactive conflict avoidance and "green" legal practices contribute to economic sustainability. She also reflects on her own path as a woman in a global field, with strategic advice for aspiring practitioners on continuous learning, professional integrity and linguistic proficiency.
The conversation closes on the collaborative ecosystem of judiciary, legislation and arbitration that has established Dubai as a premier global seat for legal proceedings.