Who we are

Osan Sultan Naji, the founder of the firm, has been a practicing lawyer for over 3 decades and is considered one of the most prominent female lawyers in Yemen. Osan Sultan Naji has developed particular expertise in acting on matters involving investment law, arbitration, Free Zone laws and regulations, maritime, public owned real estate, environmental issues and public law. This is because of her long standing and unparalleled experience in representing and advising state-owned entities, and most prominently the Aden Free Zone. She also possesses significant experience advising and representing private clients – especially Yemeni owned business conglomerates - on corporate structuring, court litigation, taxation and commercial contract matters.

Osan Sultan Naji was admitted as an advocate before the Supreme Court of Yemen in 1999, and in the same year she was also admitted as an advocate for representing the Yemeni State in its cases. She served as the General Director of Legal Affairs at the Aden Free Zone and continues to date to advise the Aden Free Zone and a number of state entities on complex legal issues. Prior to that she held leading roles in the legal departments of the Ministry of Construction & Housing and the Aden Local Council. 

In 1990, she obtained her law degree from the University of Aden, and joined the Law Offices of Hamida Zakariya to train and subsequently qualified as a lawyer at the firm. She was trained by Judge Hamida Zakariya - the first female judge in Yemen and the Middle Eastern region – and continued her career at the firm until she was made partner. During her time at the Law Offices of Hamida Zakariya, she worked on a variety of high profile and prominent cases.

Osan Sultan Naji is also a founding member and sits as the Secretary-General of Women's Charitable Association to Combat Poverty and Safe Childhood Centre (WACP). WACP was established in 1999 and is a women led organisation working in women empowerment, protection, child protection, education, poverty reduction and humanitarian response.