Harneys enhances Dubai practice with new partner

23 Mar 2026Appointments

Harneys has strengthened its Litigation & Insolvency practice in Dubai with the hire of Sabrina Devenish

Harneys has made a significant move to bolster its Dubai office by appointing Sabrina Devenish as a partner in its Litigation & Insolvency practice. With over ten years of expertise in cross-border litigation, Sabrina brings a wealth of knowledge in handling complex and high-profile disputes. Her primary focus areas include shareholder disputes, private wealth issues, and cases involving family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals across various sectors.

Before joining Harneys, Sabrina played a vital role in the International Dispute Resolution practices of two prominent law firms in the Middle East. During her tenure, she concentrated her efforts on the firm's offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh, enhancing her skill set and experience in navigating the intricacies of regional legal challenges.

Ian Mann, the Dubai Managing Partner at Harneys, expressed his enthusiasm about the new addition. He stated, “We are delighted to welcome Sabrina to our Dubai team. Her extensive experience handling complex, high-profile disputes for both private and sovereign clients, combined with her unique commercial perspective gained from her earlier career at a private equity firm, makes her an invaluable addition to our offering. Sabrina’s deep expertise in shareholder disputes and private wealth matters will significantly enhance our ability to serve our clients across the Middle East.”

Sabrina's arrival coincides with Harneys’ broader strategic ambitions following the launch of its Dubai office in December 2025. This move marks a crucial phase in the firm’s global expansion, enabling it to serve clients better in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. Additionally, it follows a series of partner appointments, including Ilona Groark, Ben McCosker, and Wei Lee Lim, to further strengthen the firm's growing Dispute Resolution team.

For decades, Harneys has led the development of offshore jurisprudence, becoming involved in numerous high-profile global disputes that have both won significant victories for clients and contributed to shaping legal precedents. Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, the firm remains committed to supporting its clients and colleagues throughout the Middle East during these challenging times, reflecting a deep sense of responsibility toward the community.

Legal News desk contact: editorial@solicitorsjournal.com

Latest Articles

Supreme Court tightens the reins on opt-out collective proceedings in Evans

The Supreme Court’s decision in Evans v Barclays recalibrates the balance between access to justice and procedural fairness, reinforcing the CAT’s discretion to refuse opt-out certification where claims are weak and opt-in proceedings remain viable

Digital Property law risks overreach after 2025 Act

Recent case law on virtual assets reveals growing confusion over rivalrousness and risks stretching property law beyond coherence

British Airways faces scrutiny over climate claims

The UK's climate action group Possible has prompted an investigation into British Airways' misleading carbon emissions statements regarding its sustainability efforts

Justice Investments v Visalia Energia: security for costs, strike-out, and the limits of open justice

Security for costs ordered against an apparently impecunious claimant company where evidence of beneficial ownership and control was opaque and incomplete.

Dhillon v Orchard: Court of Appeal rules section 26 FSMA rights cannot bind successors in title

Rights of recovery under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 do not extend to third-party purchasers of property.

Ranpariya v Government of India: High Court grants partial permission in complex extradition appeal

Extradition appeal raises significant questions on particularisation, torture risk, and the reliability of Indian diplomatic assurances.

KD v Home Secretary: Court of Appeal overturns asylum ruling for convicted murderer

A Turkish national who killed his wife cannot rely on the Refugee Convention due to danger to the community.

Tooley v Times Media: court refuses injunction and Norwich Pharmacal order in privacy and defamation dispute

The High Court declines interim relief and source disclosure in a case involving a private video.

Tooley v Associated Newspapers: limitation, relief from sanctions and the protection of journalistic sources

A claimant pursuing defamation claims against two national publishers secures a partial reprieve — but loses her primary action on limitation grounds.

Gardner Aerospace v Upton: director found in breach after lobbying against his own company's transaction

A CFO-turned-interim CEO covertly undermined a £35m refinancing deal to engineer his own re-employment.

Sousou Connect Limited v Abel: oral capital introduction agreements and the limits of quantum meruit

A High Court ruling dismisses a €1.5 million claim for capital introduction fees, finding no concluded oral agreement.

Chambi v Aristodemou: unfair prejudice, false accounts and a quasi-partnership undone

False company accounts, misappropriated funds and a decade of concealment found to constitute unfair prejudice under the Companies Act 2006.

Whitaker v White Rose Academies Trust: EAT rules on unpleaded section 43K worker status in whistleblowing claims

Employment Appeal Tribunal declines to extend tribunal duties in multi-respondent whistleblowing disputes.

Gambrill v NG Bailey: indemnity clauses, causation, and the cost of late amendments

A High Court ruling on settlement-based contribution claims and contractual indemnities in a subcontractor chain.

Laboratorios Leon Farma v Comptroller: SPC application for drospirenone-only contraceptive fails Article 3(d) test

An SPC cannot be granted where a prior marketing authorisation contained the same active ingredient, even combined with others.

SJ Interview: Keith Froud

Keith Froud, Global Co-CEO and International Chief Executive of Eversheds Sutherland, has spent over three decades in corporate M&A before moving into global leadership. In this interview, he reflects on deal strategy, decision-making in complex organisations, the evolution of the international legal market, and the impact of technological change on the profession

Power Shifts, Responsibility Holds

From AI liability and freezing injunctions to private equity governance and regulatory reform, this issue traces a legal system adapting to new pressures while keeping accountability firmly human.