Can China Force Your Business to Ignore Western Sanctions?

China can now lawfully order your business to ignore Western sanctions. On 2 May 2026, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) issued its first formal China blocking order, prohibiting recognition, enforcement, and compliance with US sanctions imposed on five Chinese petrochemical companies. What was once a theoretical tension between competing legal regimes is a live conflict […]

19 May 2026•By Rashid Gaissin

A DIAC award can be enforced through the DIFC Courts

Arbitration

Can You Enforce a DIAC Award Through the DIFC Courts?

You can enforce a DIAC arbitral award through the DIFC Courts, and for many creditors this is an increasingly attractive route. An award that cannot be realised against assets has little commercial value. The DIFC Courts have positioned themselves as a preferred forum for international enforcement: proceedings are conducted in English, procedures are familiar to […]

06 May 2026•By Rashid Gaissin

Sanctions & Export Control

Do the New UK Sanctions End-Use Controls Apply to Your Business?

The Sanctions End-Use Controls were introduced by the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026, which come into force on 13 May 2026. They add Regulation 55A to eleven sanctions regimes: Belarus, North Korea, Iran (including the nuclear regime), Libya, Myanmar, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. The architecture is cross-regime deliberate, though the government’s […]

05 May 2026•By Waleed Tahirkheli

Dispute Resolution

How to bring a claim in the DIFC Courts

DIFC Jurisdiction The first question is always jurisdiction. It most commonly arises through an express contractual clause, where the parties have agreed to submit disputes to the DIFC Courts. Such clauses are frequently used in international commercial agreements where parties seek a neutral common law forum. Alternatively, jurisdiction may be established where there is a […]

24 Apr 2026•By Rashid Gaissin

Force majeure is not a statutory concept but a contractual one under English law. It needs to be drafted carefully to cover events like the current Middle East conflict.

Dispute Resolution

Force Majeure in the Middle East: Legal Risks and Practical Realities

Force Majeure under English Law Force majeure clauses excuse contractual performance when events beyond a party’s control prevent fulfilment of obligations. Under English law, unlike many civil law systems, force majeure has no independent legal existence, it operates solely through express contractual terms. Courts interpret such clauses in a strict and narrow manner, requiring the […]

09 Apr 2026•By Rashid Gaissin

Arbitration

Kazakhstan Is Becoming The Go-To Arbitration Destination

Kazakhstan is a serious player in international arbitration. The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has built an independent court and arbitration centre that has genuinely attracted international business from across Central Asia, the Middle East, and China. I have been advising clients on commercial disputes in Kazakhstan and the surrounding regions for many years, and […]

08 Apr 2026•By Rashid Gaissin

Sanctions & Export Control

What UK Businesses Need to Know About Secondary Sanctions on China

The 2026 sanctions on China – update The UK’s approach to China sanctions has shifted significantly over the past two years. Where the UK once confined its China-related sanctions to a handful of entities linked to human rights abuses or cyber threats, it now regularly designates Chinese companies under the Russia sanctions regime for facilitating […]

24 Mar 2026•By Waleed Tahirkheli

Arbitration

Upcoming Event – How Arbitration Friendly is Kazakhstan?

Rashid Gaissin will be co-moderating the “How Arbitration Friendly is Kazakhstan?” event, hosted by Latham & Watkins in association with the CIArb London Branch and the British-Kazakh Law Association. This event will bring together leading practitioners to discuss the evolving arbitration landscape in Kazakhstan and its attractiveness as a dispute resolution hub. It promises to […]

19 Mar 2026

Dispute Resolution

Drafting and Enforcement Jurisdiction Clauses in International Contracts

A jurisdiction clause is a contractual provision that specifies which court has authority to resolve disputes between the parties. In cross-border commerce, where multiple legal systems may claim a connection to a transaction, these clauses provide the certainty that commercial parties need. Without one, a party may find itself defending proceedings in an unexpected or […]

18 Mar 2026•By Rashid Gaissin

Legal Blog

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