John Gaffney
Arbitration lawyer – Al Tamimi
John Gaffney is an arbitration lawyer with the Abu Dhabi office with 20 years experience of assisting clients in relation to disputes concerning construction, property, corporate/commercial, energy, investments, IP/IT, and telecommunications matters. John has previously worked with leading international arbitration practices in Paris and London, as well as serving as a legal officer with the United Nations in Geneva. John has published widely on international dispute resolution issues.
Thomas R. Snider
THOMAS R. SNIDER
Partner and Head of International Arbitration | Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Thomas R. Snider is a Partner and the Head of International Arbitration at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP based in the firm’s Dubai office. He is a globally recognized international arbitration specialist whose experience covers a wide range of industries, sectors, and types of disputes. He is experienced in international commercial arbitration, international investment disputes, state-to-state arbitration, and foreign sovereign immunity issues. Among other roles, Tom is a member of the Board of Directors of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) and the Court of Arbitration of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC).
Tom is recognised as a Thought Leader in the Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal Arbitration) and is ranked for dispute resolution in Chambers United Arab Emirates, which notes that he is “superb at guiding clients through complex, expensive and potentially stressful situations” and “manages arbitration really well and inspires confidence.” He is also recognized as a Leading Partner for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation in the United Arab Emirates by Legal 500, where he has previously been described as having “cross-examination skills [that] are excellent. He listens hard, is polite to witnesses and yet wields an iron fist beneath his velvet glove.”
Tom frequently writes and speaks on topics involving international law and dispute resolution. Before moving to Dubai, he lectured in law at George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC.
Laila El Shentenawi
Senior Associate – Al Tamimi
Laila El Shentenawi is a qualified Lawyer in Egypt and a Senior Associate in Al Tamimi & Company’s Arbitration & Dispute Resolution team. She is also a member of Al Tamimi’s Sports Law Group.
Laila’s practice focuses on international commercial arbitration, investment arbitration, mediation and sports dispute resolution. Her clients include governments, regional organizations, international organizations, multi-national companies, banks, investors, international athletes and sports bodies. She worked with different arbitration rules including the ADCCAC, CRCICA, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, ICC, ICSID, LCIA, SCC and the UNCITRAL.
Laila is a CEDR accredited mediator; she is a listed mediator with the CRCICA as well as the Investors Dispute Resolution Center affiliated to the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones in Egypt (GAFI). She is a visiting lecturer at Middlesex University, an external CEDR Faculty and regularly leads seminars on Arbitration, Mediation and Negotiation.
Laila also holds several positions including:
• Member of the ICC Arab Arbitration Group;
• Middle East and Africa Representative for the IBA Mediation Committee;
• Co-Chair for the IBA Mediation Subcommittee for Young Mediators; and
• Visiting Lecturer at Middlesex University, Dubai.
Hassan Arab
Head of Dispute Resolution, Al Tamimi & Company
Dr. Hassan Arab is a leading dispute resolution expert in the UAE and the wider Middle East with full rights of audience before all courts in the UAE. He regularly sits as an arbitrator and is called upon to provide legal expert opinions before arbitral tribunals and foreign courts.
Dr. Arab has been recently elected as the Chair of the Steering Committee of the ICC-UAE Commission on Arbitration & ADR. He has authored several publications on arbitration and dispute resolution, including a book on the Civil Procedures Law in the UAE and the Summaries of UAE Courts’ Decisions on Arbitration.
Robert Mitchley
Associate – BSA
Robert is an Associate with the Corporate, M&A and Real Estate practices, based in the DIFC office in Dubai.
Robert advises clients in relation to real estate, corporate and commercial law. He has extensive experience in drafting commercial contracts and structuring business transactions with a particular focus on joint ventures, sales of shares, commercial agencies and private equity. He also advises on conveyancing of real estate and property development.
Robert is also admitted as a practitioner with right of appearance in the DIFC Courts with his areas of focus being commercial dispute resolution and employment law within the DIFC.
Robert was admitted to practice as an Attorney in the High Court of South Africa in 1998 and prior to relocating to Dubai, he practiced in a commercial and real estate law firm in Durban, South Africa.
Nadim Bardawil
Nadim is the regional head of our TMT and FinTech practices based in our DIFC office in Dubai. He has been advising technology and media companies in the region for the last 6 years and has been part of several successful transactional matters in the industry.
Nadim also advises fintech companies and on crypto related projects for a number of years along, both at the start-up level but also for more established entities looking to comply with local and regional regulations
Nadim publishes articles on various TMT related matters and contributes to public forums related to tech, crypto and fintech.
Fluent in English, French and Arabic, Nadim holds a JD degree from the Hofstra University School of Law and is admitted to practice in New York and in Dubai.
“Nadim Bardawil – highly astute, able and approachable. Nadim is our first call for TMT and corporate matters. He is incredibly hard working always available to us. We consider him a trusted and valued advisor” – Legal 500
“Partner Nadim Bardawil is very-well versed in technology files and is always up to date on the latest developments in the sector” – Legal 500
“Responsive, quick on the uptake, and gets what the client needs” – Chambers & Partners
John Peacock
Senior Associate – BSA
John is a Senior Associate with the Corporate and M&A and Real Estate practice, based in the DIFC office in Dubai. An admitted attorney and property conveyancer since 1995, he specialises in a vast range of corporate matters including commercial contracts, and advises on all aspects of property transactions, including strata developments.
John regularly advises on international commercial and property matters, including joint ventures, hotel and restaurant management, trademark licensing and property development plans incorporating strata plans. He has assisted clients in the drafting, review, and operation of strata plans for large composite property developments.
Sarah Malik
CEO and International Disputes Counsel, SOL International Ltd
Sarah Malik is an experienced and well-regarded lawyer whose 21-year career to date has spanned internationally.
Prior to founding SOL International Ltd in August 2018, she practiced as a Barrister at a leading set of Chambers in London, worked as employed Counsel at a leading UK law firm and headed the Advocacy and Investigations team of an International law firm in Dubai.
Sarah is a member of the SIAC Users Council in the Middle East and is appointed on the Lagos Panel of Arbitration Neutrals and is involved with the Lagos Court in teaching arbitration practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.. Sarah undertakes international commercial arbitrations as Counsel (DIAC, ADCCAC, DIFC-LCIA, ICC) and practices commercial litigation in the DIFC and ADGM Courts. In addition to practice, she is a visiting lecturer at Middlesex University Dubai in International Commercial Litigation and Arbitration. Sarah is regularly involved in high profile arbitration seminars, events and training, both within the UAE and internationally, including training on advocacy, drafting and cross-examination skills.
Victoria Perkin
Private Client Solicitor
Victoria is a proficient Private Client Solicitor, admitted to The Law Society of England and Wales in 2009. She received a BA in Law and Business Studies from the University of Warwick UK, and completed the Legal Practice Course at BPP Professional Education in Leeds, UK. She is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Victoria worked with TWS Legal Consultants, a leading Dubai based Private Client firm specializing in Wills and Probate services, and frequently advised clients of varying nationalities on the distribution of their assets situated in Dubai in accordance with both Sharia and DIFC WPR laws. During these two years, she was also an active member of the legal working group committed to establishing the DIFC WPR Rules.
In the UK, Victoria trained and practiced with the Private Client team at Gordons LLP, an award winning UK Commercial law firm, for over five years and specialized in advising clients on succession planning and inheritance tax issues, often involving multijurisdictional matters. Victoria drafted Wills for some of the wealthiest individuals in the North of England and developed specialist advice services to families with vulnerable beneficiaries and individuals suffering from mental capacity issues. She also provided tailored succession advice to the elderly and infirm, in particular end of life tax planning and prepared several urgent death bed Wills.
Victoria is a proficient Private Client Solicitor, admitted to The Law Society of England and Wales in 2009. She received a BA in Law and Business Studies from the University of Warwick UK, and completed the Legal Practice Course at BPP Professional Education in Leeds, UK. She is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.