Husnu Al Suood

Husnu Al Suood is a distinguished legal expert with an accomplished career spanning judicial service, legal practice, legislative drafting and academia. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Maldives, during which he authored numerous landmark judgments that have significantly shaped Maldivian jurisprudence across a broad spectrum of legal disciplines.

His judicial rulings include notable decisions such as BMC Transport and Projects Pvt Ltd v Coral Gate Maldives Pvt Ltd(2013/SC-A/34) concerning discharge of contracts due to impossibility of performance, State (Ministry of Tourism) v Athama International Pvt Ltd (2020/SC-A/46) relating to contractual interpretation and implied terms, and Estate International Pvt Ltd v Fathimath Fathuhiyya Hassan & Ors (2020/SC-A/95), State v Villa Air (2019/SC-A/85), Maritime Academy of Maldives v State (2020/SC-A/34) have advanced the development of contract law regarding termination and assessment of damages.

In employment law, his decisions in cases such as Maldives Airports Company Ltd v Jabir Abdul Rahman (2018/SC-A/49), Maldives Airports Company Ltd v Asfaq Waheed (2019/SC-A/36), and Ismail Masood v Housing Development Finance Corporation (2014/SC-A/27) have redefined legal standards concerning wrongful termination, the obligation to pay compensation, and reinstatement.

His groundbreaking judgments in property law include Fathimath v Aminath (2018/SC-A/21), Hawwa Mohamed v Fonadhoo Council and Hussain Mohamed (2019/SC-A/52), and Ibrahim Azim et al. v Fathimath Ibrahim (2022/SC-A/61-63), Mohamed Yoosuf Moosa v Fathimath Nazima & Others (2018/SC-A/10).

His influential rulings in company law, such as Sharu Launch Services Pvt Ltd v Fenaka Corporation Ltd (2021/SC-A/69), Abdulla Arif v Apollo Holdings (2017/SC-A/40), and Save the Dream LLC v Hussain Shiham Ali (2022/SC-A/81), , Mohamed Shaweed v Mohamed Latheef (2017/SC-A/39), Ibrahim Rasheed and 2 Others v Abdul Azeez (2021/SC-A/39),   Save the Dream Private Limited Liability Company v Hussain Shiham Ali (2022/SC-A/81)  have clarified issues surrounding directors’ fiduciary duties, lifting the corporate veil, shareholder relationships, conflicts of interest, and disqualification of directors, significantly shaping corporate governance in the Maldives.

In constitutional law, his notable judgments include Mohamed Haleem & Asad Shareef v Yaugoob Abdulla (2020/SC-C/78-79), Maldivian Democratic Party v State (2023), Abdulla Jameel v Naifaru Council (2015/SC-A/17), Bank of Maldives v Information Commissioner (2024/SC-41), and Abdulla Yameen v Election Commission (2023/SC-32), addressing issues from discrimination to the right to information and presidential candidate disqualifications.

His contributions in criminal law and procedure include decisions such as Abdulla Nazeef v Prosecutor General(2023/SC-24), Mohamed Niyaz v Prosecutor General (2021/SC-A/83), and Prosecutor General v Irufan Thaqiyyu(2024/SC-14), ), Prosecutor General v A.KH.Meemu [2022] SC 39, Mafthooh Saeed v Prosecutor General (2021/SC-A/50); Mohamed Samah v Prosecutor general [2024] SC 49 on confessions; Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom & Ahmed Krik Riza v Prosecutor General [2023] SC 20; Mohamed Shaifan v. Prosecutor General (2016/SC-A/19); Prosecutor General v Mohamed Thaufeeq (2021/SC-A/18), among others, shaping the contours of criminal law, procedure and evidence law in the Maldives.

Prior to his judicial appointment, Suood enjoyed an illustrious career as a leading lawyer and served as the Attorney General for the Maldives. He was also an elected member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the present Constitution of the Maldives. His deep understanding of legal frameworks and governance continues to influence his commitment to delivering justice through collaboration, integrity, and innovative legal solutions.

Suood is also a prolific author, having published numerous influential works that are considered essential reading for students and practitioners alike. His notable publications include:

• Termination of Contracts and Assessment of Damages under Maldivian Law (2025), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Maldivian Constitutional Law, Vol.1 (2025), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Maldivian Contract Law (2023), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Maldivian Law of Tort (2022), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Principles of Islamic Law of Evidence and Its Application in the Maldives (2021), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Dhivehi Law Dictionary (2018), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Islamic Law of Inheritance (2018), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Drafting Commercial Contracts (2018), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Textbook of Maldives Land Law (2017), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Understanding Maldivian Law of Contract (2016), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Law and Society (2015), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• Model Civil Procedure (2015), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives.
• The Maldivian Legal System (2014), The Maldives Law Institute, Malé, Maldives (an authoritative text currently in use by students and practitioners).
• Understanding Maldivian Company Law (2009), Novelty Printers and Publishers, Malé, Maldives (a standard text for Maldivian company law).
• The Maldivian Legal System (2007), Loamaafaanu Printers and Publishers, Malé, Maldives.
• Our Rights – Our Nation (2006), Novelty Printers and Publishers, Malé, Maldives.
• International Human Rights (2004), Novelty Printers and Publishers, Malé, Maldives.

 

Suood brings a wealth of expertise and a steadfast dedication to the practice, contributing significantly to the firm's mission of delivering exceptional legal services and advancing the rule of law.