Education
David is a senior associate in Clyde & Co’s MEA employment group and is based in the Dubai office. He advises clients on day-to-day compliance with local labour and employment laws in the UAE and its free zones (including the DIFC and the ADGM) and across the GCC. David has been involved in a number of high-profile litigation matters in the DIFC and ADGM courts, with a particular focus on advising on workplace investigations.
Direct Lines
+971 4 384 4151 david.true@clydeco.aeMain Office
Dubai
+ 971 4 384 4000 + 971 4 384 4004Regional experience
Full Profile
David advises on the termination of employment, internal disciplinary matters, drafting and advising on employment contracts, policies and settlement agreements and has undertaken extensive investigations into allegations against senior executives. In addition, he also advises our clients on all employment aspects arising out of corporate acquisitions and restructurings.
David advises clients in all sectors, with a particular focus on the education, financial services, and healthcare sectors.
David is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales. He is a registered practitioner in the DIFC and ADGM Courts. David graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Birmingham, UK in 2012, the LPC in 2014, and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Chichester, UK in 2011.
Prior to joining Clyde & Co, David worked at Addleshaw Goddard in Dubai.
Experience
- Advising Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) on its successful acquisition of American International Group’s (AIG) global personal travel insurance and assistance business, including Travel Guard. The transaction involved over 40 jurisdictions across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. This global transaction was led out of the firm’s Dubai office.
- Representing Standard Chartered Bank in the first-ever discrimination and victimisation case to be decided under the current employment legislation in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Court.
Prior to joining Clyde & Co:
- Advising The Industrial Group in the DIFC Court of First Instance in the defence of a claim valued at over AED 50 million [The Industrial Group v Abdelazim El Shikh El Fadil Hamid [CFI-029-2018]].
- Advising The Industrial Group in a successful appeal in the DIFC Court of Appeal [The Industrial Group v Abdelazim El Shikh El Fadil Hamid [CA-005-2022]].
- Advising the claimants in the DIFC Court of First Instance in Emirates NBD Bank (P.J.S.C.) and others v KBBO CPG Investment LLC and others [CFI-045-2020], in a claim valued at almost USD 300 million.
- Advising the defendant in the DIFC Court of First Instance in Shiraz Mahmood v Standard Chartered Bank (Dubai Branch) [CFI-044-2021], a claim notable for being the first discrimination claim brought to trial in the DIFC.
- Advising the defendant on the defence of an injunction brought against it in the DIFC Court of First Instance in AES Middle East Insurance Broker LLC v GSB Capital Limited [CFI-060-2023].
- Advising the defendant in the DIFC Court of First Instance in AES Middle East Insurance Broker LLC v GSB Capital Limited [CFI-060-2023], in a claim valued at up to GBP 38 million.
- Advising a global software company in the Dubai courts in respect of claims for arbitrary dismissal, commission, notice and holiday pay.
- Advising a global energy recruitment agency following a team move to a competitor, orchestrated by the regional Managing Director, leading to a criminal complaint of theft of confidential information in the UAE and Qatar and cross-jurisdictional allegations of a breach of a director's fiduciary duties in the UK.
- Advising a global bank on its obligations under UAE pension legislation and to the UAE General Pension and Social Security Authority.
- Advising a global bank in relation to complaints of bullying and harassment.
- Advising a local UAE company on a highly sensitive and confidential matter relating to disciplinary action that the company was taking against its then CEO.
- Advising numerous international financial institutions on the enforcement of post-termination restrictions and protection of confidential information in the UAE.
- Advising a global company regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) on an internal investigation into serious misconduct by a senior executive.
- Advising numerous international and local companies, including banks, on complying with their obligations in respect of the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings Scheme plan.
- Advising on and assisting a global bank with a data subject access request in the DIFC.