Adela is a seasoned corporate lawyer with over 23 years of experience, including over 15 in the Middle East. Based in Dubai, she advises on a broad range of local and cross border transactions, including M&A, joint ventures, private equity, venture capital, corporate reorganisations and corporate inward investment structures. Adela was named M&A Lawyer of the Year at the Lexis Nexis Women in Law Awards 2025.
Adela also advises on financial services regulatory matters, including fund management, investment management, virtual assets, and fund formation. She counsels clients on distribution and commercial agency agreements, escrow arrangements, and AML compliance.
In addition, Adela regularly advises on employment and labour laws including drafting, amending and updating employment contracts, handbooks and policies across the UAE (and its non-financial free zones), DIFC and ADGM, employment contract terminations and related notices and settlements agreements, and employee relocations and secondments. On employment related investigations and contentious matters, she works closely with the firm’s disputes teams to provide clients with holistic solutions.
Adela serves as Reed Smith’s UAE pro bono partner.
