Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), an initiative of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, recently honoured, in a first of its kind ceremony, top-performing arbitrators, law firms, and strategic partners for their outstanding performance and valuable contribution to the growth of Dubai’s international arbitration practices.
During a special ceremony held at the Dubai International Financial Centre’s premises, awards were presented to 18 winners covering several categories. Mr Karim Nassif, Partner, LPA-CGR Avocats, in the diamond category; Mr Yasser El Hawary, Managing Partner, Al Hefeiti Advocates and Legal Consultants in the gold category and Dr Reyadh El Kabban, Managing Director Al Kabban & Associates in the silver category, all received the awards in the Best Sole Arbitrators category.
Mr Alain Farhad, Partner, Squire Patton Boggs in the diamond category, Mr Adrian Cole, Partner, King & Spalding in the gold category; and Dr Hussam Al Talhuni, Legal Advisor, Ministry of Finance in the silver category; all were honoured the awards of Best Chairperson of the Arbitral Tribunal.
Award winners in the Co-arbitrators category were Mr Ali Al Aidarous, Managing Partner, Al Aidarous Advocates and Legal Consultants in the diamond category; Mr Victor Leginsky, Independent Chartered Arbitrator, Arbitralis ADR Brokerage LLC in the gold category; and Mr Ahmed Ibrahim Partner, Fenwick Elliott in the silver category.
Receiving the award in the Best Young Arbitrators below 40 category were Ms Celine Kanakri, Senior Counsel, Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla in the diamond category; Ms Aarta Alkarimi, Partner Chrysalis LLP in the gold category; and Ms Laila El Shentenawi, Senior Associate, Al Tamimi & Company in the silver category.
Ms Sally Kotb, Senior Associate, Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla in the diamond category; Mr Mahmood Hussain, Founding Partner, Mahmood Hussain Law Firm in the gold category; and Dr Talal Jaber, Managing Partner, Jaber Law Firm in the silver category, were all presented with the awards in the Promising Arbitrators category. In addition, Norton Rose Fulbright, placed in the diamond category; Al Tamimi & Company in the gold category; and Clyde & Co. in the silver category received awards in the Best Law Firms category. This, in recognition to their outstanding efforts and their contributions towards developing arbitration practices in the UAE.
Dr Habib Al Mulla, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre and Chairman of Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla thanked DIAC’s strategic partners for their dedication, contribution and support in the development of arbitration practices in the UAE. He stressed on the significance of the Dubai Arbitration Awards as the awards play an important role in fostering best international practices and improving arbitration processes, which have a positive impact on the business community.
For his part, Dr Tarek Riad, the Chairman of DIAC Executive Committee, explained that the Dubai Arbitration Awards fall in line with DIAC’s efforts to enhance its support to the business community and improve ease of doing business in Dubai, adding that the awarded companies and individuals have raised the bar for arbitration practices in the region.
The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), the largest arbitration centre in the Middle East, provides local and international business communities with commercial arbitration services. DIAC was initially established by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1994 as the Centre for Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration.
