Hot Topics in International Arbitration Practice & Procedure in the MENA Region

Described as a "star" with a “superb reputation for Middle East disputes”, Amir is an experienced international arbitration partner. He has acted as counsel in more than 100 international commercial and construction arbitrations administered under the rules of all the major arbitral institutions, as well as in ad hoc proceedings. In addition to his arbitration work, Amir regularly appears as an advocate before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts of First Instance and Appeal.

He represents clients across a number of sectors, and has developed particular experience in relation to large, complex and high-value infrastructure, energy and construction disputes. His clients include project owners and developers, EPC and EPCM contractors, architects and engineers, major equipment suppliers, insurers and subcontractors. Amir also represents governments (or their ministries) and major corporations in energy disputes, involving chemical, petrochemical and other manufacturing and processing plants; onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities; FPSOs; refineries; desalination plants; pipelines; and nuclear and fossil fuel plants.

Amir regularly sits as an arbitrator (including as presiding and sole arbitrator), under the ICC, LCIA and DIFC-LCIA Rules. He is a solicitor-advocate (England and Wales) and an advocate of the DIFC Courts (UAE). He has lived and practised international arbitration in London (where he trained), Dubai and Paris. Over the years, Amir has been recognised for his work in the field of international arbitration by, among others, Chambers Global, Chambers UK, The Legal 500 – EMEA, The Legal 500 – UK, WWL: International Arbitration and The Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration.

Julia is a solicitor advocate, qualified in England and Wales. She advises clients in English, French and Italian.

She is a specialist arbitration practitioner and has represented clients in commercial proceedings under the rules of all the major arbitral institutions. She has also represented clients in high-value investor-state proceedings under the ICSID Rules and UNCITRAL Rules, including on behalf of investors against the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Lithuania, and advised States in relation to proceedings brought against them.

She has provided advice in relation to complex disputes in a variety of sectors, including oil and gas, mining, hospitality, and pharmaceuticals, and involving parties from countries including Belgium, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Tanzania, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, the US, and Uzbekistan.

Julian has 20 years’ experience in claims management, contract risk assessment, commercial management, cost management, procurement, negotiation/amicable settlement, mediation, arbitration, prolongation and delay costs, escalation, project management, project controls, project monitoring and program management. Julian has an LLM in Construction Law and Arbitration, an LLB (Hons) in Law and is a Fellow of the Chartered institute of Arbitrators.

He has held commercial and contract positions with operators, contractors and consultants in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Iraq, Qatar, India, Algeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and United Arab Emirates where he has been a resident for over seven years. This experience has enabled Julian to become a specialist in contractual claims for time and cost, dispute resolution, which has resulted in the successful conclusion of large value and/or complicated accounts on a wide variety of projects, employing various forms of contracts.