Dr. Abdullah is licensed by the Ministry of Justice and serves on the Board of the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA). He has extensive experience in litigation and arbitration, particularly in commercial, real estate and contracting disputes.

He served as a judge for 11 years in various Saudi cities, including Riyadh, Diriyah and AlAhsa. He is a Fellow of the British Royal Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), an accredited arbitrator and mediator with the SCCA, and an arbitrator at the Commercial Court of Appeal. He chairs and serves on several arbitration panels in commercial and real estate cases.

Dr. Abdullah is also a licensed notary, real estate registrar, bankruptcy trustee and expert. He represents local and international companies and government agencies before various judicial bodies, including commercial, general and administrative courts, as well as banking and securities dispute committees at all litigation levels, including the Supreme Court.

He has significant experience in banking, contracting, financing and Sharia-compliant transactions, having worked at Bank Al Bilad and advised several banks on structuring such transactions.

Relevant experience

Dr. Abdullah’s experience includes advising:

• A Saudi state-owned company in relation to its disputes over the purchase of medical equipment and accessories related to COVID-19 measures;
• A Saudi real estate company in a lawsuit relating to ownership of part of a real estate asset;
• Multiple international financial institutions on bankruptcy issues relating to Saad Trading and Financial Services Company and Maan Al-Sanea, in addition to the settlement of creditors’ outstanding debts;
• An international company in the healthcare sector in relation to its commercial dispute in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a judgment exceeding SAR 1 billion;
• A prominent family company in the field of real estate investment in relation to a dispute over real estate assets;
• A Saudi government body in relation to an agreement with a real estate developer and subsequent claims for default in relation to payment under such agreement;
• A company in the Middle East, as a shareholder in a Saudi company, in relation to claims submitted by another shareholder in the same Saudi company;
• An international company in the aviation sector in relation to its commercial dispute in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
• The Board of Directors and Executive Management of a listed Saudi company in relation to a lawsuit filed against them by a shareholder before the Committee for the Resolution of Securities Disputes (CRSD);
• Multiple international financial institutions in relation to the restructuring and settlement of the debts of Ahmed Hamad Al Gosaibi & Bros. Company (AHAB);
• More than one government entity in a lawsuit before the Board of Grievances regarding a dispute related to an administrative contract;
• A client by providing consultations in a dispute pertaining to a real estate development contract for a property with an area exceeding 17 million square metres;
• The employees of a bank in a lawsuit pertaining to violations of the Capital Market Law;
• A local company in a lawsuit pertaining to zakat dues;
• A fund manager in several lawsuits relating to a real estate fund;
• Bankruptcy trustees in lawsuits before the commercial and public courts demanding the recovery of and compensation for assets;
• The owners of a joint-stock company regarding disputes pertaining to its liquidation;
• A client regarding a dispute over the ownership of two properties with an area exceeding two million square metres;
• A listed company in cases filed before the Committee for the Resolution of Securities Disputes (CRSD) in relation to liability claims filed against the company and members of its Board of Directors; and
• A real estate company in a dispute related to a sale commission for a property worth more than SAR 1 billion.

Career & Qualifications:

• PhD in Shari’ah Policy (Laws’ Division), Higher Institute of Law, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Excellent Grade with honours- Oct 2016.
• Master’s Degree in Shari’ah Policy (Laws Division), Higher Institute of Law, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Excellent Grade with honors- Dec 2009.
• Bachelor degree, in Shari’ah specialization, Faculty of Sharia, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh with first honors- Jan 2007.