Nichola Reece-Burton
(MCIArb)

Partner, Head of Litigation, Dispute Resolution, and Real Property

Nichola Reece-Burton (MCIArb) serves as a Partner and is the Head of Litigation, Dispute Resolution, and Real Property at James Berry & Associates. Called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2004 (Lincoln’s Inn) and admitted to the Legal Affairs Department of Dubai in 2012, she holds DIFC Courts Part I and Part II (2013) registration. As an active participant in the DIFC Academy’s pro-bono scheme, she played an integral part in James Berry & Associates’s award for Pro-Bono Law Firm of the Year in 2016. She is a member of Lincoln’s Inn, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an associate member of 36 Group Chambers, London.

Nichola’s UAE practice is focussed on litigation and real property, with a vast span of cases between individual and corporate clients. From commercial and residential disputes to advising on criminal, regulatory and negligence cases, Nichola’s experience is extensive.

An active participant in professional networks, including the International Committee of Mackrell International Legal Network, British Business Group, ThoughtLeaders4 – FIRE and Disputes, Nichola is well connected. Outside of work, she is a member of the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club and serves as a board member for the Dubai Hurricanes Rugby Club and The British Social Club.

Membership of Professional Bodies
  • Member of Lincoln’s Inn
  • Member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Admitted
  • Called to the bar England & Wales – Lincoln’s Inn (2004)
  • Legal Affairs Department of Dubai (2012)
  • DIFC Court Part II Registered (2014)
Languages
  • English
  • Basic German
Membership of Social/Networking Groups
  • British Business Group
  • International Business Women’s Group
  • The British Social Club – Board Member
  • The Dubai Hurricanes RFC – Board Member
  • Mackrell International Legal Network – IC Member
Education
  • Lincoln University (LL.B (Hons) first class degree)
  • Nottingham Bar School (Bar Vocational Diploma )
Achievements
  • Member of the James Berry & Associates’ Pro Bono Team which was voted the DIFC Courts’ Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year 2016
Nichola Reece-Burton's articles

Latest Insights

Hassantuk Programme – Centralised Fire Alarm Systems for Villas
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and UAE
Non-Payment of Advance on Costs in Arbitration – Waiver of Right to Arbitrate?
Unemployment Insurance Scheme – commences 1 January 2023
Registration of Co-Occupants Across Properties in Dubai
Reciprocity of English and UAE Court Judgments
Off Plan Real Estate Dubai – The Risks, Rules and Due Diligence
Arbitration as a Form of Dispute Resolution
Three good reasons why parties should try to settle disputes
Judicial Appointments in the DIFC Courts – a pivotal moment for Female Emirati Lawyers in the UAE
UAE changes made to the Federal Criminal and Civil Codes
Amendments to the UAE Labour Law
COVID-19 – Support for Commercial Occupiers in Dubai (Outside of DIFC)
A Brief Overview of Litigation in Dubai
Top 3 tips for businesses when drafting T&Cs and-or other contracts in Dubai, UAE
Why opt for Arbitration in UAE?
What to do if an investment disappears
Introduction of Technology & Construction Division in DIFC – A welcome new forum for “technically complex” disputes
Is your Business ‘Fighting Fit’?
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Testimonials for Nichola Reece-Burton

What clients say about Nichola Reece-Burton

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Thank you for handling our case over those crazy few months. I think you managed us and the process thoroughly during a very stressful time and managed to deliver a positive and clean result….. I hope (please take this as a positive) we don’t require your services anytime soon, but will be recommending you to anyone who may require similar legal services.

Property Client

Fantastic level of service, very presonalised. Absolutely, we still use your services and we recommend JBL to any client which requires a Solicitor.

Litigation Client

During the course of attempting to buy our first villa in Dubai, the Seller, after signing the MOU and addendum contract, decided to then refuse to sell the property and thus fell in breach of the Contract.  We approached James Berry & Associates and we were immediately assigned to Nichola in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution/Real Property department.

Our case was handled personally, efficiently and professionally and after issue of a legal notice to the Seller and the various exchanges exchanged after that, Nichola successfully emphasised the Sellers legal weaknesses and their breach and an agreement to compensate us for that breach was agreed – out of court.

We wish to thank Nichola and Maricel for the fantastic work done on our behalf and we hereby highly recommend anyone in the same circumstances to seek Nichola’s assistance to secure your rights and compensation.

Alister & Katherine White

Thank you once again for your swift action on this matter and for keeping within the agreed time frames. It is good to know that your firm handles a variety of matters, so I am confident our paths shall cross again.

Property Client

I spoke to James Berry Law’s Partner/Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Nichola Reece Burton, about a financial dispute with a client over unpaid invoices and I couldn’t have hoped for better advice. Nichola was extremely knowledgeable and helped me understand the options available to me and the next steps I should take. I cannot thank her and James Berry Law enough for their expertise in this situation and I would firmly recommend them to anyone in a similar situation.

Anonymous

In 2023, I sold an apartment I owned in Dubai through a local estate agent. As I did not have a UAE bank account, I naively agreed to grant him Power of Attorney in respect of the sale and to receive the proceeds on my behalf for onward remittance into my bank in the United Kingdom.

The property was duly sold but, to my dismay, the proceeds were never transferred into my bank account. In desperation, I contacted James Berry & Associates in Dubai and was put in touch with the Head of litigation, Nichola Reece-Burton. She very promptly and efficiently undertook a thorough investigation of what happened, including a visit to the relevant Government departments. Taking quick decisive action and, with the assistance of Advocate Michel Chalhoub of International Counsels Advocates & Legal Consultants, a fraud claim was filed against the Estate Agent ( grantee) for breach of trust under the POA. By filing a criminal claim for fraud rather than a civil claim, the Dubai police would investigate whether the grantee was still residing within Dubai, place an alert at the exit/entrance points to the Emirate and potentially institute a travel ban to prevent him from fleeing while the fraud claim was being determined by the Dubai courts.

As the grantee had British citizenship and that there was a high possibility that he no longer resided in Dubai, there was a low probability of ever getting anything back. However, more than 6 months later, to my amazement, I received notification that the grantee had been arrested at the Dubai airport and a travel restriction placed on him pending the outcome of the criminal hearing. The grantee was more than willing to “settle out of court” and, in less than two weeks, the full amount of the sales transaction was repaid!

I cannot thank Nichola, who led the whole process, Michel and their teams enough for their support, encouragement and professional advice and the urgent action taken both on initiating the fraud claim and recovering the monies. I could not have wished for a better legal team anywhere in the world! Fantastic!

One very happy and satisfied client.

Patrick Bailey

Nichola and her team at James Berry have been fantastic throughout this long and challenging journey, bringing it to a successful conclusion. Being overseas has not been a hindrance at all and they’ve certainly gone the extra mile on numerous occasions. Thank you!

Darryl

I have been working with Nichola and the team at James Berry & Associates for several years and can always rely on their guidance when addressing complex legal matters. Nichola has most recently provided excellent legal advice relating to a complex commercial dispute. Nichola quickly built an accurate understanding of the complex dispute and provided timely practical legal advice with a view to finding a resolution. I would like to thank Nichola and the team at James Berry & Associates for their outstanding support.

A long-standing client - a multinational corporation with headquarters in East Asia

Nichola is responsive, knowledgeable about property law, and pragmatic.

Anthony Mcallister

Dear Nichola and team,

Hope all is well.

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your exceptional service and dedication in handling the sale of my property. Your professionalism and expertise made the entire process remarkably smooth and stress-free for me.

From our initial consultation to the final closing, I was impressed by your attention to detail and prompt responsiveness to all my questions and concerns. Your thorough knowledge of real estate law ensured that every aspect of the transaction was handled efficiently and accurately.

I particularly appreciate how you kept me informed at every stage, ensuring that I was aware of the progress and what to expect next. Your proactive approach and commitment to securing the best outcome for me as your client did not go unnoticed.

Thanks to your efforts, the sale of my property was completed without any complications or delays. Your guidance and support were invaluable throughout, and I am truly grateful for your hard work.

Please extend my thanks to all in your team.  Everyone I interacted with was courteous, professional, and helpful.

Once again, thank you for your outstanding service. I would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone seeking legal assistance in real estate matters. I look forward to working with you again in the future.

Farouq Al Eisa and Suzan Al Mutawa

Thank you for handling our case over those crazy few months. I think you managed us and the process thoroughly during a very stressful time and managed to deliver a positive and clean result….. I hope (please take this as a positive) we don’t require your services anytime soon, but will be recommending you to anyone who may require similar legal services.

Property Client

Fantastic level of service, very presonalised. Absolutely, we still use your services and we recommend JBL to any client which requires a Solicitor.

Litigation Client

During the course of attempting to buy our first villa in Dubai, the Seller, after signing the MOU and addendum contract, decided to then refuse to sell the property and thus fell in breach of the Contract.  We approached James Berry & Associates and we were immediately assigned to Nichola in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution/Real Property department.

Our case was handled personally, efficiently and professionally and after issue of a legal notice to the Seller and the various exchanges exchanged after that, Nichola successfully emphasised the Sellers legal weaknesses and their breach and an agreement to compensate us for that breach was agreed – out of court.

We wish to thank Nichola and Maricel for the fantastic work done on our behalf and we hereby highly recommend anyone in the same circumstances to seek Nichola’s assistance to secure your rights and compensation.

Alister & Katherine White

Thank you once again for your swift action on this matter and for keeping within the agreed time frames. It is good to know that your firm handles a variety of matters, so I am confident our paths shall cross again.

Property Client

I spoke to James Berry Law’s Partner/Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Nichola Reece Burton, about a financial dispute with a client over unpaid invoices and I couldn’t have hoped for better advice. Nichola was extremely knowledgeable and helped me understand the options available to me and the next steps I should take. I cannot thank her and James Berry Law enough for their expertise in this situation and I would firmly recommend them to anyone in a similar situation.

Anonymous

In 2023, I sold an apartment I owned in Dubai through a local estate agent. As I did not have a UAE bank account, I naively agreed to grant him Power of Attorney in respect of the sale and to receive the proceeds on my behalf for onward remittance into my bank in the United Kingdom.

The property was duly sold but, to my dismay, the proceeds were never transferred into my bank account. In desperation, I contacted James Berry & Associates in Dubai and was put in touch with the Head of litigation, Nichola Reece-Burton. She very promptly and efficiently undertook a thorough investigation of what happened, including a visit to the relevant Government departments. Taking quick decisive action and, with the assistance of Advocate Michel Chalhoub of International Counsels Advocates & Legal Consultants, a fraud claim was filed against the Estate Agent ( grantee) for breach of trust under the POA. By filing a criminal claim for fraud rather than a civil claim, the Dubai police would investigate whether the grantee was still residing within Dubai, place an alert at the exit/entrance points to the Emirate and potentially institute a travel ban to prevent him from fleeing while the fraud claim was being determined by the Dubai courts.

As the grantee had British citizenship and that there was a high possibility that he no longer resided in Dubai, there was a low probability of ever getting anything back. However, more than 6 months later, to my amazement, I received notification that the grantee had been arrested at the Dubai airport and a travel restriction placed on him pending the outcome of the criminal hearing. The grantee was more than willing to “settle out of court” and, in less than two weeks, the full amount of the sales transaction was repaid!

I cannot thank Nichola, who led the whole process, Michel and their teams enough for their support, encouragement and professional advice and the urgent action taken both on initiating the fraud claim and recovering the monies. I could not have wished for a better legal team anywhere in the world! Fantastic!

One very happy and satisfied client.

Patrick Bailey

Nichola and her team at James Berry have been fantastic throughout this long and challenging journey, bringing it to a successful conclusion. Being overseas has not been a hindrance at all and they’ve certainly gone the extra mile on numerous occasions. Thank you!

Darryl

I have been working with Nichola and the team at James Berry & Associates for several years and can always rely on their guidance when addressing complex legal matters. Nichola has most recently provided excellent legal advice relating to a complex commercial dispute. Nichola quickly built an accurate understanding of the complex dispute and provided timely practical legal advice with a view to finding a resolution. I would like to thank Nichola and the team at James Berry & Associates for their outstanding support.

A long-standing client - a multinational corporation with headquarters in East Asia

Nichola is responsive, knowledgeable about property law, and pragmatic.

Anthony Mcallister

Dear Nichola and team,

Hope all is well.

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your exceptional service and dedication in handling the sale of my property. Your professionalism and expertise made the entire process remarkably smooth and stress-free for me.

From our initial consultation to the final closing, I was impressed by your attention to detail and prompt responsiveness to all my questions and concerns. Your thorough knowledge of real estate law ensured that every aspect of the transaction was handled efficiently and accurately.

I particularly appreciate how you kept me informed at every stage, ensuring that I was aware of the progress and what to expect next. Your proactive approach and commitment to securing the best outcome for me as your client did not go unnoticed.

Thanks to your efforts, the sale of my property was completed without any complications or delays. Your guidance and support were invaluable throughout, and I am truly grateful for your hard work.

Please extend my thanks to all in your team.  Everyone I interacted with was courteous, professional, and helpful.

Once again, thank you for your outstanding service. I would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone seeking legal assistance in real estate matters. I look forward to working with you again in the future.

Farouq Al Eisa and Suzan Al Mutawa

Thank you for handling our case over those crazy few months. I think you managed us and the process thoroughly during a very stressful time and managed to deliver a positive and clean result….. I hope (please take this as a positive) we don’t require your services anytime soon, but will be recommending you to anyone who may require similar legal services.

Property Client

Fantastic level of service, very presonalised. Absolutely, we still use your services and we recommend JBL to any client which requires a Solicitor.

Litigation Client

During the course of attempting to buy our first villa in Dubai, the Seller, after signing the MOU and addendum contract, decided to then refuse to sell the property and thus fell in breach of the Contract.  We approached James Berry & Associates and we were immediately assigned to Nichola in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution/Real Property department.

Our case was handled personally, efficiently and professionally and after issue of a legal notice to the Seller and the various exchanges exchanged after that, Nichola successfully emphasised the Sellers legal weaknesses and their breach and an agreement to compensate us for that breach was agreed – out of court.

We wish to thank Nichola and Maricel for the fantastic work done on our behalf and we hereby highly recommend anyone in the same circumstances to seek Nichola’s assistance to secure your rights and compensation.

Alister & Katherine White

Thank you once again for your swift action on this matter and for keeping within the agreed time frames. It is good to know that your firm handles a variety of matters, so I am confident our paths shall cross again.

Property Client

I spoke to James Berry Law’s Partner/Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Nichola Reece Burton, about a financial dispute with a client over unpaid invoices and I couldn’t have hoped for better advice. Nichola was extremely knowledgeable and helped me understand the options available to me and the next steps I should take. I cannot thank her and James Berry Law enough for their expertise in this situation and I would firmly recommend them to anyone in a similar situation.

Anonymous

In 2023, I sold an apartment I owned in Dubai through a local estate agent. As I did not have a UAE bank account, I naively agreed to grant him Power of Attorney in respect of the sale and to receive the proceeds on my behalf for onward remittance into my bank in the United Kingdom.

The property was duly sold but, to my dismay, the proceeds were never transferred into my bank account. In desperation, I contacted James Berry & Associates in Dubai and was put in touch with the Head of litigation, Nichola Reece-Burton. She very promptly and efficiently undertook a thorough investigation of what happened, including a visit to the relevant Government departments. Taking quick decisive action and, with the assistance of Advocate Michel Chalhoub of International Counsels Advocates & Legal Consultants, a fraud claim was filed against the Estate Agent ( grantee) for breach of trust under the POA. By filing a criminal claim for fraud rather than a civil claim, the Dubai police would investigate whether the grantee was still residing within Dubai, place an alert at the exit/entrance points to the Emirate and potentially institute a travel ban to prevent him from fleeing while the fraud claim was being determined by the Dubai courts.

As the grantee had British citizenship and that there was a high possibility that he no longer resided in Dubai, there was a low probability of ever getting anything back. However, more than 6 months later, to my amazement, I received notification that the grantee had been arrested at the Dubai airport and a travel restriction placed on him pending the outcome of the criminal hearing. The grantee was more than willing to “settle out of court” and, in less than two weeks, the full amount of the sales transaction was repaid!

I cannot thank Nichola, who led the whole process, Michel and their teams enough for their support, encouragement and professional advice and the urgent action taken both on initiating the fraud claim and recovering the monies. I could not have wished for a better legal team anywhere in the world! Fantastic!

One very happy and satisfied client.

Patrick Bailey

Nichola and her team at James Berry have been fantastic throughout this long and challenging journey, bringing it to a successful conclusion. Being overseas has not been a hindrance at all and they’ve certainly gone the extra mile on numerous occasions. Thank you!

Darryl

I have been working with Nichola and the team at James Berry & Associates for several years and can always rely on their guidance when addressing complex legal matters. Nichola has most recently provided excellent legal advice relating to a complex commercial dispute. Nichola quickly built an accurate understanding of the complex dispute and provided timely practical legal advice with a view to finding a resolution. I would like to thank Nichola and the team at James Berry & Associates for their outstanding support.

A long-standing client - a multinational corporation with headquarters in East Asia

Nichola is responsive, knowledgeable about property law, and pragmatic.

Anthony Mcallister

Dear Nichola and team,

Hope all is well.

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your exceptional service and dedication in handling the sale of my property. Your professionalism and expertise made the entire process remarkably smooth and stress-free for me.

From our initial consultation to the final closing, I was impressed by your attention to detail and prompt responsiveness to all my questions and concerns. Your thorough knowledge of real estate law ensured that every aspect of the transaction was handled efficiently and accurately.

I particularly appreciate how you kept me informed at every stage, ensuring that I was aware of the progress and what to expect next. Your proactive approach and commitment to securing the best outcome for me as your client did not go unnoticed.

Thanks to your efforts, the sale of my property was completed without any complications or delays. Your guidance and support were invaluable throughout, and I am truly grateful for your hard work.

Please extend my thanks to all in your team.  Everyone I interacted with was courteous, professional, and helpful.

Once again, thank you for your outstanding service. I would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone seeking legal assistance in real estate matters. I look forward to working with you again in the future.

Farouq Al Eisa and Suzan Al Mutawa

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