Alexander Kopenkin Interview
Alexander Kopenkin, founder of InTrouble, is redefining legal support in the UAE by offering rapid, high-stakes intervention for those caught in unexpected legal crises. Drawing on his diverse background in tech, media, and logistics, Kopenkin built InTrouble as a crisis-response unit fast, discreet, and deeply strategic. In this interview, he shares what inspired him to create InTrouble, how his multidisciplinary experience shapes his legal approach, and why preparedness is key for entrepreneurs and expats navigating the UAE’s complex legal system.
From Real Crises to Real Solutions
We started the interview by asking, “What inspired you to create InTrouble, and what gap does it fill in the UAE legal system?”
Alexander Kopenkin replied, “InTrouble was born from real stories not theory. I’ve seen how quickly someone’s life can flip here: a missed court date, a frozen account, a misunderstanding at the airport and suddenly you’re not just in trouble, you’re in the system. And the system here moves fast, but not always transparently.
I wanted to build a response unit not a traditional law firm, but something surgical, immediate, and designed for high-pressure cases. We don’t operate like consultants who schedule meetings. We work like crisis responders: fast, structured, discreet. The gap we fill is very simple when something goes wrong in the UAE, most people don’t know who to call. Now they do.”
Blending Industry Insight
The Arab Today: How does your diverse experience across tech, media, and logistics influence your legal approach?
Alexander Kopenkin replied, “In this region, legal problems are rarely just legal. They’re often tangled with systems corporate, financial, immigration, personal. My background across industries helps me see patterns quickly. Whether it’s a crypto dispute, a forged document case, or a bad check incident I don’t just look at the law, I see the context: what failed, who missed what, and how we reverse the damage.
At InTrouble, we use that logic every day. We don’t just “respond,” we deconstruct situations. My past gives us an edge we don’t treat clients like case files, we treat them like operations to be executed with discipline, creativity, and speed.”
Precision Under Pressure
The Arab Today: In critical legal moments, how do you balance urgency with accuracy and confidentiality
Alexander Kopenkin replied, “We operate like a military unit, but in suits. When someone’s detained or banned from travel, we don’t have the luxury of second drafts. Every case starts with full disclosure: documents, timeline, and risks. Then we assign it — fast — to the right expert. The client sees a clear strategy within hours, not days.
Accuracy and confidentiality aren’t separate from urgency they’re part of it. You can’t move fast if you don’t know what you’re doing, and you can’t protect someone if their case leaks through a dozen inboxes. We’ve built a system that does all three: protect the person, move the case, control the message.”
Courtrooms to Creative Spaces
The Arab Today: You’ve also founded Marchand Gallery and Whale Solutions. What drives you to manage such varied ventures?
Alexander Kopenkin replied, “They may look different on the surface, but all my projects are about clarity. In business, in art, in legal trouble people are often overwhelmed. I like solving that.
Marchand is where I unplug it’s about aesthetics, ideas, and the kind of freedom you don’t get in courtrooms. Whale Solutions is more strategic it’s where we help individuals and businesses relocate, restructure, or rethink their plans in the UAE and beyond.
What unites everything I do is architecture: building systems that make life clearer, smarter, and more structured whether that’s a legal rescue operation, a business setup, or a curated gallery space.”
Navigating Law in the UAE
Lastly we asked, “What advice would you give to entrepreneurs and expats trying to navigate the UAE’s legal landscape?”
“Don’t wait to learn the system by suffering from it.
The UAE rewards people who prepare well and punishes those who assume things will “work out.” You need proper contracts. You need someone who can translate the real meaning behind that fine print or that SMS from the police. And you need to respect that this system isn’t chaotic it’s just different.
If you’re serious about life or business here, get a local ally. Not just a lawyer someone who understands how this country thinks. That’s what we try to be at InTrouble: not a hotline, but a strategic shield.” Alexander Kopenkin concluded
Connect with Alexander Kopenkin on LinkedIn
Visit InTrouble to learn more about it
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