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Khadeeja Shabeen

Senior Partner

Khadeeja Shabeen has been practising law in the Maldives from 2007, with over ten years at the Attorney General’s Office. She was the Deputy Attorney General of the Maldives from January 2019 to November 2023.

Shabeen also worked at the President’s Office, at private law firms, and practiced law free-lance over the years. She has gained broad experience providing legal advice on diverse areas such as international law, land law and employment law, as well as advice on issues relating to Constitutional, legislative and contractual interpretation

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Commercial Law

Shabeen is proficient in issuing legal advice on commercial matters, and in preparing and vetting legal documents related to commercial transactions. In this regard, she has extensive experience in vetting loan and guarantee agreements entered into by the government, as well as commercial contracts such as for construction, real estate developments, public private partnership projects, and leases for various purposes including tourism and agriculture.

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Litigation 

Shabeen is licensed to appear before all courts of the Maldives, and has experience litigating before the Civil Court, High Court, and Supreme Court in civil matters.

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International Cases

Shabeen was a representative of the government of Maldives at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in the dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean, which concluded in 2023.

 

She further led the legal team of the Attorney General’s Office in the following international cases, working closely with international counsel appointed to represent the government:

  • Filing the Declaration of Intervention of the Republic of Maldives pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, in the case of the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v Myanmar), at the International Court of Justice

  • Submission of the Written Statement of the Republic of Maldives to the International Court of Justice in the Request for an Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences Arising from The Policies and Practices of Israel in The Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem

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Alternative Dispute Resolution

Shabeen is trained in mediation and international arbitration, and is well versed in these alternative dispute resolution methods. Related training undertaken include:

  • Summer Courses on Private International Law, the Hague Academy of International Law, 2023

  • 40 Hour Basic Mediation Training with Dr. Clare Fowler, 2023

  • International Commercial Arbitration workshop conducted by U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program, May 2023

  • Weinstein JAMS International Fellowship Program, class of 2020-2022

  • Mediating the Litigated Case, 40 hours of mediation training offered by the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, August 2022

  • ADR & International Trade and Investment workshop conducted by U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program, March 2022

  • Accelerated Route to Membership (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators), December 2019

  • Advanced Training for Arbitrators workshop conducted by U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program, December 2019

  • Introduction to International Arbitration (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators), September 2014

 

Shabeen was involved in an international mediation at the Singapore International Mediation Centre and several settlement negotiations which resulted in the peaceful settlement of international disputes that involved the Government of Maldives.

 

She further led the legal team of the Attorney General’s Office in the following international arbitrations, working closely with international counsel appointed to represent the government:

  • An arbitration between Nexbis Pty Ltd (Australia) and the Government of Maldives at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre

  • Two arbitrations initiated at the Permanent Court of Arbitration by Noomadi Resorts and Residences AG (Liechtenstein)

  • An ad-hoc arbitration initiated by Tuff Offshore Engineering Services Pte Ltd (Singapore) against the Government of Maldives

  • An arbitration initiated at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre by Prime Capital Maldives Ltd (British Virgin Islands) against the Government of Maldives

  • An arbitration initiated by M/S Lucky-Triveni JV (New Delhi) against the Government of Maldives under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules

  • An arbitration initiated by the Government of Maldives against Executors General Trading (United Arab Emirates), under the Rules of Arbitration of the Maldives International Arbitration Centre

 

Legal and Legislative Drafting

Shabeen is experienced in drafting and vetting legislation and subordinate regulations, as well as other types of legal documentation.

 

Affiliations and Membership

  • Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

  • Weinstein JAMS Fellow

  • Senior Fellow, Weinstein International Foundation

 

Educational Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (Honours), University of Melbourne, Australia

  • Master of Laws, National University of Singapore

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