Sara Koleilat-Aranjo

Partner, Al Tamimi & Company

Sara regularly advises and represents clients in arbitration and arbitration-related court proceedings, including recognition, enforcement and set aside proceedings. She also sits as an arbitrator and acts in mediation proceedings, both as mediator and counsel.

She was the first MENA-based woman to be elected to serve on the Board of Directors of ArbitralWomen in 2018, a Paris-based NGO founded in 1993 seeking to promote women in arbitration.

Sara is a member of several professional organizations. She is appointed as a Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR and serves as a Track Leader on its Task Force on Arbitration & ADR. Sara is appointed as an IBA Officer of the IBA Arab Regional Forum as well as a Member of the IBA Subcommittee on International Arbitration Case Law. Sara has been recently appointed as an expert member of the DIFC Courts’ Arbitration Division Working Group.

Sara is featured in Who’s Who Legal – Arbitration (2021) and has been selected as the recipient of the Middle East Rising Star Lawyer of the Year Award (2019) by The Association of Corporate Counsel, the American Lawyer and the Legal Week (UK).

Sara is an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Université Paris II – Panthéon-Assas where she lectures on comparative judicial systems (civil law and common law) and Islamic law.

Sara holds an LL.B. in French and Lebanese Law from the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), a M.A. in International Business Law from the University of Paris, a M.S. in Finance and Management from the ESSEC Business School in Paris and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School. Sara is admitted to the New York, Paris and Beirut Bars. She speaks English, French and Arabic.

Dr Asma Al Rasheed

Partner of Al Rasheed & Partners, United Arab Emirates

Dr. Asma Al Rasheed is a member of the Executive Committee of Sharjah International Arbitration Centre (TAHKEEM) and Partner at Al Rasheed & Partners law firm.

She received her PhD in Maritime Law from the University of Sharjah in 2017. She also holds an LLM in Commercial and Maritime Law, University of Hertfordshire, UK and a Bachelor of Law from University of Sharjah, UAE.

She is a practicing lawyer licensed to appear before the UAE Courts of all levels. Her practice areas are focused on commercial, corporate, and maritime matters.

Mahmood Hussain

Mahmood Hussain is the founding partner of the Mahmood Hussain Law Firm, a leading legal services provider in the UAE. He has extensive knowledge in Dispute Resolution and International Commercial Arbitrations, Civil and Commercial Litigation and Corporate Governance. As an experienced litigant, Mahmood has successfully settled several money-spinning shareholder disputes. He has also acted in more than 30 International Arbitration proceedings under the ICC, LCIA, ADCCAC and DIAC rules. He is often appointed as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator or chairman of arbitral tribunals in International Arbitration proceedings. Mahmood has set a benchmark for effective representation involving complex issues. Mahmood has received recognition the Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC), where he was awarded as the most rising arbitrator in the region.   Mahmood is arguably a fast rising legal expert with extensive experience that cuts across Dispute Resolution and International Commercial Arbitrations, Civil and Commercial Litigation, as well as Corporate Governance.   He has a deep understanding as well as vast knowledge on matters that touch on Civil law, Sharia law, and Arbitration. His unmatched expertise in these three key areas makes Mahmood one of the most sought after lawyers in the region.

 

Robert Stephen

Robert Stephen is the Registrar of the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre (DIFC-LCIA). He is an arbitration specialist who has been based in the UAE since January 2011 and practised with Herbert Smith Freehills for more than 10 years before joining the DIFC-LCIA on 1 May 2017.

During his time at Herbert Smith Freehills, Robert advised and represented clients on international disputes across a wide range of industry sectors, including the oil and gas, energy and natural resources, construction, real estate, and finance and banking sectors.

He has advised and represented clients in international arbitrations under the DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, ICC, LCIA, and SIAC Rules as well as in ad-hoc proceedings and DIFC and English Commercial Court litigation.

Prior to moving to Herbert Smith Freehills’ Dubai office in January 2011, Robert had also practised from Herbert Smith Freehills’ offices in London, Moscow and Paris.

He is the former Chair of the UAE Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Member’s Group Committee and is a member of the Global Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Young Member’s Group Committee. Robert is also a member of the ICC Young Arbitrators’ Forum, and the LCIA Young International Arbitration Group.

Bushra Ahmed

Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution at KBH Kaanuun, Dubai & Barrister at Ely Place Chambers, London

Bushra Ahmed is a Partner in the law firm KBH and a practicing barrister of more than 18 years standing. She is a litigation specialist focusing on commercial litigation and international arbitration across the full range of commercial, corporate, employment, financial services law and regulatory matters.  She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2001 and did her pupillage and became a tenant at Ely Place Chambers, London, Chambers of William McCormick QC.  She is currently a door tenant there.

She joined KBH in January 2013 and within a year of joining, she was made Head of Dispute Resolution overseeing and supervising the team.

Bushra has extensive experience of working in the United Kingdom and the Middle East and has advised, represented and acted in important employment cases in the United Kingdom as well as landmark and precedent setting cases in the DIFC. She has a reputable client led practice, which includes public and private entities across a broad spectrum of regulated commercial activity, focusing on cross border business issues and international dispute resolution, representing clients in arbitration centres including London, Paris, Dubai and Bahrain.

Bushra is one of the most active senior barristers in the DIFC. As well as appearing as the advocate in KBH’s cases, she has been instructed to act as Counsel by Stephenson Harwood, James Berry & Associates, and other local law firms such as Al Suwaidi & Company.  Her reputation as a skilled advocate coupled with her strategic thinking and commercial acumen saw her voted the DIFC Lawyers’ Lawyer of the Year 2015.  She is a Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer and is also a ranked lawyer in Chambers & Partners 2017 and 2018 in the field of dispute resolution and employment.

Prior to joining KBH, Bushra sat on the Bar Standards Board Disciplinary Tribunal and was often instructed to chair investigations on behalf of blue-chip companies and government authorities. As BSkyB’s Counsel of choice she was regularly called upon to advise on a number of legal and commercial issues affecting the business. She was a former visiting Lecturer in Law, Middlesex University, Dubai and is a regular speaker for the Academy of Law, DIFC. Bushra also regularly speaks on the DIFC Employment Courses hosted by Thomson Reuters.

As a CEDR accredited mediator since 2005, Bushra has been appointed as a mediator both in the UK and in Dubai. She also sits as a co-arbitrator in a number of DIAC arbitrations.

Bushra has contributed articles to Business Law Journal, PLC Magazine and the International Arbitration Review, on international dispute resolution and arbitration across the GCC. She also contributed the DIFC Employment Law Commentary, 2017 and has rsat on a panel with Jacques Vissar, the General Counsel of the DIFC Authority consulting on the proposed amendments to the new DIFC Employment Law.

Prof. David Russell AM, KC

Prof. DAVID RUSSELL AM, KC

Barrister | Outer Temple Chambers

David commenced legal practice in 1974. He is admitted to practise in Australia, England and Wales (Lincoln’s Inn), the Courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre, New York (as a Legal Consultant), New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

He currently practises in Dubai, London, and Abu Dhabi (Outer Temple Chambers), Sydney (Ground Floor Wentworth Chambers) and Brisbane (Sir Harry Gibbs Chambers). He has acted for Commonwealth and State Governments as well as individuals and corporations. David was President of the Taxation Institute of Australia from 1993 to 1995, and of the Asia Oceania Tax Consultants’ Association from 1996 to 2000.

He has lectured at the University of Sydney for the Master of Taxation course, the University of Queensland for the Master of Laws course and served as an Adjunct Professor of the University of Queensland. He is the co-editor of the Oxford University Press Journal Trusts & Trustees.

He was the Inaugural Chairman of the STEP International Client Special Interest Group, was Deputy Chair and a director of STEP and a member of its World Wide Council and various Committees, and is a co-chair of the United Arab Emirates Chapter of the International Section of the New York State Bar Association, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Section, an Academician of The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, a Member of the Middle East and North Africa Branch Committee of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (UK), a member of the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers, a Freeman of the City of London and an Honorary Member of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong. In 2016 he chaired the DIFC’s Wealth Management Review Working Group.

David is listed in the Taxation Category in the Australian Financial Review/Best Lawyers review of the Australian Legal Profession in 2008 and all later years and in 2014 was the Tax Institute’s Chartered Tax Adviser of the Year. In 2010 he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (with Gold Rays and Neck Ribbon) for his services to Australia-Japan relations. In 2012 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for, among other things, “service … to taxation law and legal education.” Since 2016, he has been recognised by Legal Week and The American Lawyer as part of the Private Client Global Elite.

Michael Patchett-Joyce

Michael Patchett-Joyce FCIArb is a barrister, arbitrator, mediator with over 30 years’ professional experience.

His expertise is focused on commercial litigation, international commercial arbitration, and indirect tax (VAT).

As well as practising at all levels of the courts and tribunal hierarchies in England and Wales, he acts as Counsel in cases before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Courts. He has also acted in four cases heard by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg.

He is experienced as an arbitrator or arbitration Counsel in institutional arbitrations, including cases under the ICC, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC and LMAA rules.

He is a frequent speaker at international conferences on all aspects of his practice – commercial litigation, arbitration and VAT. In the DIFC, he has presented seminars on the DIFC Court Law at the launch and follow-up events for the publication of the Laws of the DIFC: Volume 1.

He has also spoken on the rise of international commercial courts at both academic and practitioner Conferences. He has recently been commissioned to write a chapter for a forthcoming book on the topic.

He is a member of the Scientific Board of the LexisNexis MENA Business Law Review, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Center for International Commerce and Dispute Resolution (CICDR) in Lebanon.

He is Vice-Chair of the Bar Council International Committee, of which he is a long-standing member.

He practises from Ely Place Chambers in London.

Guillaume Deroubaix

Mr. Deroubaix holds a Master degree in private law, a master degree of International Business and a Post graduate in International Business law.

He has been editorial Director for more than 7 years at LexisNexis before becoming a member of the LexisNexis executive committee, Business Development Director for EMEA and Managing Director Middle East & North Africa since 2014.

Mr. Deroubaix is also a member of La conference des presidents,  is president of the Groupe Droit/ Edition juridique et fiscal and created the Paris Mena Legal Club Association.

 Finally, Mr. Deroubaix is a professor at the prestigious University Panthéon-Assas (Paris II).

Leonora Riesenburg

Chair of the UAE Branch for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)

Leonora Riesenburg is an International Arbitrator and Commercial Mediator, registered with arbitral institutions worldwide including AIAC, CRCICA, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, EMAC, ICC and LCIA, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), the presiding Chair of the UAE Branch of the CIArb and an Independent Member of Board of Management of the CIArb. Dual qualified from the UK as a barrister and a solicitor, Ms. Riesenburg has been in the MENA region since 2007.

She is invested in the advancement of private dispute resolution in all of its forms; including through strategic collaborations, and education and training initiatives. Recognised as a leading female figurehead, Ms. Riesenburg’s professional contributions are marked by many prestigious awards and honorary roles. She is celebrated as ‘Outstanding Woman of the Year’ amongst the international arbitrators and engineering experts community in the UAE (IAEE UAE 2019), ‘Most Influential Woman in ADR in the Middle East’ by Acquisition International Legal Awards 2019, ‘Mediator of the Year in the UAE’ by Acquisition International Dispute Resolution Awards 2018, ‘Arbitrator of the Year in the UAE’ by Acquisition International Dispute Resolution Awards 2017.

Benoit Le Bars

Benoit Le Bars, co-founder and Managing Partner of Lazareff Le Bars, is a recognized expert in international arbitration, with respect to institutional and ad hoc arbitral proceedings, international dispute resolution, and disputes in Africa. His practice focuses principally on commercial and investment arbitration involving complex trade relationships between businesses, investors and States, and spans a broad range of jurisdictions and arbitral institutions (more than 70 countries to date).

In addition to his work as counsel, Benoit is often appointed as arbitrator and has extensive experience in arbitral forums worldwide.

PhD in private law, Benoit Le Bars is also a Professor of law in the United States and in France.

His international arbitration expertise is recognized in leading international legal directories, including Chambers, Legal 500.

Benoit speaks French, English, Spanish and Russian and is a citizen of France.