UK born and raised, Samara gained her MA in Islamic Education at the University of Winchester, completing part of her formal Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria, making her an Islamic Scholar in the UK. She completed all her examinations at the Islamic Seminary in Arabic and is fluent in Arabic.
Samara is a member of the International Bar Association and has an unparalleled knowledge of Sharia law.
Samara has a modern approach to law, doesn’t use legal jargon needlessly, and is always upfront and transparent about legal costs. Samara is skilled in all aspects of family law and has specialist knowledge of domestic violence, child arrangement disputes, forced marriages, Sharia law and international divorce in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai and the UAE.
Samara is one of the few British lawyers experienced in the niche area of divorce litigation in the UAE, mainly the Dubai Courts. Samara gained first-hand experience of assisting clients with cases in their local courts and understands the litigation process thoroughly. For this reason, as well as for her years acting as a Legal Consultant registered by the Dubai Ruler’s Court, she is greatly respected by her clients in the UAE.
Given her experience as a Sharia law expert, Samara has also set up offices in Doha, Qatar and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, establishing the brand within these regions. Samara and her team provide UK expatriate clients in these areas with valuable legal assistance. Her clients also benefit from the expert links the company has with the Doha International Family Institute, with whom they work closely together.
Samara has also established the brand with the addition of a Branch office in ADGM (Abu Dhabi global Market) which has its own dedicated team to assist expatriate clients within that region, in addition to Samara’s own experience. This branch office’s primary aim is to assist expatriate clients in the UAE who have links to the UK and need expert advice.
Samara is a member of Resolution, which entails following a code of practice that promotes a non-confrontational approach to family problems. She always aims to resolve issues as cost-effectively as possible, ideally without the need for court intervention.
Samara is on the Panel as a Legal and Sharia expert for the UK’s first female Sharia Council which is led by the Muslim Women’s Council. This enables her to assist her female clients with their Sharia divorce applications.
She is a Guest speaker at Manchester Metropolitan University, on the subject “Masters of Law” and University of Bradford ‘Introduction to Law’.
Samara has previously acted as a Legal Consultant for Islamic Law Advocates (ILA) where she was able to combine her knowledge of Sharia law with English law. She provided UK clients with counselling and mediation on divorce, children’s rights and financial disputes.
She can also offer expert legal advice on all aspects of the ‘Mahr’ marriage gift for Muslim couples and is qualified to draw up Sharia-compliant wills, in accordance with English law.
Samara plays an active role in her local community, and speaks on local radio from time to time, on a range of family law topics, including forced marriages, female genital mutilation (FGM) and child sexual exploitation.
She has also appeared on the UK Islam channel show “Living the Life”, where she discussed topics such as the importance of making a Sharia compliant will. She has given presentations on family law in the UAE, and on child abduction, and has written for Dubai’s “The National”. She has also been a guest speaker on Dubai Eye radio, on various legal subjects.
Samara is known to be personable, approachable and professional, and she is recognised for her determination to deliver the best results for her clients. She works hard and is always contactable to her clients and listens to what they need.