Igor Abalov

Igor Abalov is the Founder & Managing Partner of Lawford Legal Advisors (Dubai).

He advises private clients, entrepreneurs, family offices and international businesses on complex cross-border disputes involving the UAE, England & Wales, Europe, Russia and the CIS. His practice focuses on jurisdictional disputes, parallel proceedings, enforcement of foreign judgments, international family litigation and asset protection.

He has developed a distinctive international practice across family, extradition, and commercial dispute resolution. His family law experience includes acting in one of the most significant parallel proceedings between England & Wales and Russia, involving forum disputes, jurisdiction challenges, financial remedies, worldwide asset division, and recognition of foreign judgments, as well as representing a high-net-worth individual in a cross-border matrimonial dispute involving assets exceeding GBP 52 million. He has also represented a high-net-worth individual in multi-jurisdictional extradition proceedings, including a challenge to an INTERPOL Red Notice and an application before the European Court of Human Rights.

He also led the legal aspects of a cultural property repatriation project involving more than 300 artworks and historical objects, and advises senior executives and UHNW individuals on employment disputes and cross-border asset protection strategies.

Before establishing his UAE practice, Igor spent more than sixteen years representing clients before Russian courts of general jurisdiction, commercial courts and the higher courts of the Russian Federation. He regularly speaks at conferences on private international law, cross-border litigation and human rights, and has appeared as a legal commentator in international media, including Khaleej Times.