Our Team

Dr. Mohamed Karbal is the founding partner of Karbal Law, which was established in Dubai in 2002 and later in Tripoli, Libya, in 2010. He is a highly experienced attorney specializing in investments and cross-border transactions, with more than 50 years of transactional legal experience, including matters related to cross-border investments, commercial transactions, oil & gas, maritime law, construction, and public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Drawing on extensive in-house, private practice, and government experience, Dr. Karbal provides practical, business-oriented legal solutions to support client growth and long-term success. His transactional practice includes advising clients on cross-border investments and transactions across the technology, healthcare, commodities, oil and gas, maritime, and real estate sectors. He regularly assists clients with structuring transactions, managing risk, conducting due diligence, and negotiating and drafting complex commercial agreements.

Dr. Karbal has extensive experience in emerging markets and international business transactions, having worked in the United Arab Emirates for more than 20 years. Throughout his distinguished career, he served as the most senior attorney in the legal departments of several UAE government agencies, including the Abu Dhabi Education Department, the Abu Dhabi Health Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport. His unique background enables him to provide strategic legal guidance on international investments, government projects, and cross-border commercial matters across emerging markets and the MENA region.

In addition to his transactional work, Dr. Karbal also serves as an expert legal witness in Libyan and UAE law, having supported legal teams by providing legal opinions and serving as an expert legal witness in various courts and arbitration centers, including:

• London Court of International Arbitration

• International Chamber of Commerce

• Dubai International Arbitration Centre

• Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre

• Dubai International Financial Centre Courts

In addition to practicing law, Dr. Karbal has served as an associate professor at various American and international universities, teaching international law and international politics.

Notable Transactional Experience

As an experienced cross-border transactions lawyer, Dr. Karbal has advised clients on a broad range of domestic and international transactions, including:

• Represented clients in acquiring intellectual property of a SaaS business and advised on CFIUS compliance matters.

• Represented clients in a multi-party international transaction involving the sale of Gasoline A-80 among parties from multiple countries.

• Represented clients in international precious-metals commodity transactions.

• Co-drafted the joint venture agreement between the international contractor Leighton Group and Al Habtoor Group, which led to the establishment of Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG).

• Led negotiations between a Libyan oil services company and a foreign oil services company to form a joint venture in Libya.

• Negotiated and co-drafted an international hotel management agreement in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

• Negotiated and co-drafted hospital management agreements for the Abu Dhabi Health Authority.

• Supervised and advised an Abu Dhabi government authority on the management and operation of public schools under a PPP model.

• Represented an Abu Dhabi government authority in acquiring public transportation buses.

• Represented an Abu Dhabi government authority in the procurement and selection process for the construction of a major highway under a PPP framework.

Notable Human Rights Experience

Dr. Karbal’s notable experience in human rights includes:

• Serving as an expert legal witness on Libyan law, instructed by Leigh Day for the case of Belhadj and another v. Straw and Others (Libyan criminal law and criminal procedures). 

• Serving as a legal expert in the case of Habtom Tedros v the Ministry of Defense (UK) and Others.