A trial date has been set for a case containing ‘the most serious allegations ever levelled against English solicitors in civil proceedings’.

Claims lodged by two Jordanian lawyers – Karam Al Sadeq and Jihad Quzmar – against City firm Dechert and three of its current and former partners will be heard at a joint trial in October 2022. The trial is expected to last for 55 days. 

Both claimants are currently detained in Ras Al Khaimah, an emirate forming part of the United Arab Emirates, serving sentences for criminal offences. Both contend that the defendants to their respective proceedings committed ‘serious wrongs’ against them in the course of acting for the emirate.

These wrongs include being responsible for their initial arrest and illegal abduction from their homes in the UAE; orchestrating their extended detention in unlawful and degrading conditions; their being tortured; and their being denied proper legal representation. Each claimant alleges that the defendants also sought to draw false confessions from them.

Royal Courts of Justice

High Court: claims against Dechert and three of its current and former partners will be heard at a joint trial

Source: Thinkstock

The defendants deny ‘in the strongest possible terms’ that they committed any unlawful acts. They also maintain that each claim is flawed as a matter of UAE law, is an abuse of process, and is time-barred under UAE law.

Neil Gerrard, who recently retired from his role as Dechert’s global co-head of white-collar crime, is a defendant in both claims. Caroline Black, who is a defendant in the Al Sadeq claim only, is a current partner at Dechert. David Hughes, who is a defendant in the Al Sadeq claim only, is a former partner of Dechert-UK and now a partner at Stewarts Law.

Mr Justice Murray said the claimants were not exaggerating in describing the allegations as ‘likely among the most serious allegations ever levelled against English solicitors in civil proceedings’.

In a separate set of proceedings, the City firm representing Al Sadeq alleged that is has been subject to attempted cyber-attacks since taking on the detained lawyer’s case. Dechert, Gerrard, Black and Hughes deny any involvement in those matters and are not parties to those proceedings.