Karim Shiyab

Managing Partner

I am a tech-savvy legal consultant with 14 years of experience in the GCC region. I am also an entrepreneur and the founder of Legalintro. Having advised multinational companies in the past, I have decided to put my knowledge and experience at the service of startups, technology companies, and market entrants. My experience extends to a multitude of legal fields, including, banking and finance, corporate structuring, commercial related laws, intellectual property protection, licensing, regulatory and compliance.

I fluently speak Arabic, English and French and have worked in the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain and Jordan for a leading international law firm prior to establishing Legalintro. My deep understanding of the UAE and the region, coupled with my first-hand knowledge of practical risks that startups and companies face, enables me to provide a clear understanding of the risks involved and offer alternative solutions that align with our client’s business and commercial objectives, which is always a priority.

I highly enjoy encountering situations where innovation outpaces the available legal framework and legislation. I similarly enjoy observing how legislation in the region (and the UAE in particular) is adapting to innovation and providing the support that enables businesses to flourish and adopt the region as a hub for investment and innovation.

I am committed to empowering founders and rendering legal services more accessible to startups, scaleups and more established companies that wish to enter the regional market for the first time.

Ola Al-Kadi

Partner

A self-starter committed to community building and collaboration, I made the move from corporate to startup myself when I joined Legalintro. Prior to that, I had been working for 19 years in senior positions at a UK silver circle law firm in Dubai and a leading law firm in Jordan. I now leverage my extensive experience in corporate, commercial, regulatory and employment matters to benefit Legalintro’s clients across diverse industry sectors.

Qualified as a coach by the Co-active Training Institute, I am also empowered and motivated to take a holistic approach and support clients in navigating the legal and commercial aspects as well as the intertwining practical and personal challenges that they may be facing in their journey.

I graduated from the University of Bristol, England in 2001 and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2002. I am a native Arabic speaker and also a qualified lawyer in Jordan.

Renata Rai

Senior Legal Consultant

With over 17 years' experience as a lawyer, I am a UK qualified solicitor and bring extensive expertise in corporate, commercial, regulatory and banking and finance matters.  Prior to joining Legalintro as a consultant, I worked in senior positions in international UK law firms and also for a leading law firm in Dubai.

I graduated from the University of Aston, Birmingham, England in 2003, then completed two years of postgraduate study at The College of Law in Birmingham followed by a two year training contract with an international law firm, including time spent in London and Brussels. I was admitted as a solicitor of England and Wales in 2007.

Ceren Yuksel

Senior Legal Consultant

My career began as a corporate commercial lawyer specialized in company structuring and commercial agreements. Since 2017, I have been immersed in the startup ecosystem, guiding founders and startups through designing and implementing suitable company structures, drafting and negotiating legal documents to protect them and help them manage their day to day legal and commercial considerations My experience includes advising clients in relation to software licensing, intellectual property protections and data protection. I am a native Turkish speaker and am qualified as a lawyer in Turkey.

I consider it a privilege to be one of the first people to hear a founder’s vision and help them realise it.

Sabah Shelton

Senior Counsel

With 16 years of experience in a wide range of corporate and cross-border finance transactions, I have extensive experience advising companies, financial institutions and non-banking financial institutions, including fintech platforms. I thoroughly enjoy working with clients and advising on suitable, commercial solutions for their businesses. Prior to joining Legalintro, I worked for leading US and UK law firms in the City of London and continued my legal career with a US law firm in Dubai, which has been my home for the past 8 years.

One of the things I find most interesting about practicing law in the UAE is helping local and international clients navigate the evolving legal landscape throughout the Middle East. Having lived and worked in the UK, USA, UAE, Nepal, Philippines and Bangladesh, I am very adept at working with multicultural teams and understand the different cultural nuances, which is a real asset when advising clients. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. After pursuing a Fulbright Fellowship in 2003, I moved to London to study law and qualified as a UK solicitor in 2009.

Yusuf Hassan

Legal Consultant

I am an Indian qualified lawyer with experience in corporate and commercial law. I have worked with large multinational organizations in the past. Currently, I focus on assisting technology start-ups and traditional small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the UAE. In my role, I provide comprehensive legal advisory services to clients, addressing a wide array of legal matters and offering transaction support. Some of the key areas in which I specialize include regulatory licensing and corporate structuring, employment law and intellectual property rights, specifically trademark and copyright protection. Moreover, I am well versed at drafting various types of commercial agreements. This includes transaction-specific agreements and ongoing business agreements.

 

I completed my legal education at Amity University, India in 2016 and am licensed by the Bar Council of India. I am a native Hindi speaker.

Fiona Mendoza

Executive Assistant

I am a highly skilled and experienced executive assistant with a proven track record of providing exceptional support to senior-level executives. With over 19 years of experience in the field, I have developed a comprehensive understanding of the demands and dynamics of an ideal corporate environment, including forging strong client relationships. Prior to joining Legalintro, I worked as an Executive Assistant to the Managing Partner of a leading international law firm in Dubai. I hold a degree in Business Administration from one of the prestigious universities in the Philippines.