Kiersten Lucas

Partner at Stephenson Harwood LLP

Speaker

Kiersten heads the Middle East employment team and is one of the most pre-eminent employment law advisors in the UAE.

She has extensive experience advising clients internationally across a wide range of industries (including maritime the sector) on the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious employment and HR matters arising under the UAE Federal laws, the laws of specific UAE freezones, including the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and under English law, including: restrictive covenants and the protection of confidential information; assisting with complex and sensitive investigations, including whistleblowing disclosures; providing strategic and operational advice on employment and HR matters that arise day-to-day; preparing employment contracts and policies; employee exits and disputes (including high value multi-jurisdictional litigation).

As a trusted advisor to a number of leading maritime companies in the region, Kiersten is known for her client-focused approach, providing expert guidance and tailored solutions that take into account the unique requirements of each business. With over two decades of experience in advising on employment-related matters, she is a sought-after speaker and regularly presents on a range of employment topics relevant to companies operating within the maritime industry.

She is also a published author, having co-authored several chapters in Bloomsbury’s Fourth Edition of “Employment Covenants and Confidential Information: Law, Practice and Technique” (a leading text that offers practical guidance in this field), as well as being commissioned by the DIFC Authority to co-author the employment law and data protection law chapters in LexisNexis’ Laws of the DIFC, Volumes 1 and 2 (and the updates to both).

As a result of her standing in the market, Kiersten is recognised as a “Leading Individual” for Employment law in prominent legal directories such as Chambers & Partners Global 2023 and Legal 500 EMEA 2022.

Clients describe Kiersten as "the star of the UAE employment team" and "a highly-experienced counsel with deep knowledge of local DIFC employment law, providing context to her advice based on her multi-jurisdictional experience." Additionally, she is acknowledged for being "an exceptional lawyer" when advising clients on their matters.