BOOK AUTHOR

Mahmoud Abuwasel is the Disputes Partner at the global firm Wasel & Wasel and is practiced in international dispute resolution. He combines sophisticated courtroom advocacy with extensive experience in high-stakes cross-border litigation and arbitration. A Harvard graduate, Mr. Abuwasel holds a Juris Doctorate and multiple Master’s degrees. He is admitted as a solicitor in Australia (Supreme Court of Victoria), is a Qualified Arbitrator in Canada (ADR Institute of Canada), and is registered with the ADGM and DIFC Courts in the UAE.

The analysis presented in this volume is drawn directly from Mr. Abuwasel’s extensive experience as counsel in numerous landmark crypto-asset disputes. His pioneering work in this sector encompasses sophisticated advisory mandates and high-value litigation concerning the intellectual property rights associated with non-fungible token (NFT) assets, the structuring of play-to-earn (P2E) NFT projects, the complexities of revenue associated with NFT mint revenues, disputes arising from the sale of non-fungible token collections in high-frequency trading, and the novel integration of real-world NFT utility through wealth management frameworks.

Mr. Abuwasel’s contentious practice is at the forefront of crypto-related enforcement and recovery actions. This experience includes claims against unlicensed virtual asset service providers, against operators and directors for misrepresentation, prosecuting claims against directors exercising fraudulent control over corporate crypto-wallets, and litigating claims against investment promoters of investment misleading whitepapers.

Furthermore, he has extensive experience in disputes against major crypto-exchange platforms. These matters involve highly technical issues, including those related to market crashes and price drops, systemic issues arising from spot and futures trading, the behavior of leveraged tokens, the functionality and fairness of liquidation engines, and platform liability for system failures and malfunctions. His work in this specific area also addresses complex claims concerning compensation limits and realized and unrealized profit, disputes over API use and market data accuracy, and the adequacy and deployment of insurance funds. This frontline involvement provides him with an unparalleled understanding of the legal strategies essential for navigating this rapidly evolving jurisprudence.

Mr. Abuwasel is experienced in managing complex arbitration cases under major institutional rules (such as the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, HKIAC, and others). Furthermore, he acts in investor-state disputes, representing investors and sovereign governments in ad hoc, ICSID and UNCITRAL investment disputes.

His robust litigation practice spans multiple global jurisdictions as lead counsel, co-counsel, or instructing counsel including the UAE’s onshore, federal, DIFC, and ADGM courts, where he is routinely instructed by multinational corporations and high-net-worth individuals.

Additionally, Mr. Abuwasel serves as an expert on UAE law before international courts, including the Supreme Court of the State of New York and the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.