Zaid Gardner

Kirkland & Ellis entered the Saudi market in 2023, opening a Riyadh office under a regional headquarters license shortly after the Kingdom loosened regulations for foreign legal practices. Kamran Bajwa, Riyadh partner and founder, leads the firm’s only Middle East office and has built a team of 20 lawyers handling cross-border deals and projects. Key clients include subsidiaries of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which manages over $1 trillion in assets. The team also launched a construction practice that supports the firm globally. Before rejoining Kirkland in 2011, he spent eight years in Dubai and Cairo, including working as chief legal officer at a MENA investment bank. In this interview with LDCI's Dario Sabaghi, Bajwa discusses the firm’s work in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the scale and focus of its operations: https://lnkd.in/ezccJX_y

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Speaker at a Dubai Event on “Corporates adopting mediation and arbitration versus court litigation”, where I highlighted how: 🔹 Cost-efficiency influences corporate preference for mediation and arbitration. 🔹 Time savings make ADR a more strategic choice over lengthy litigation. 🔹 Competency of mediators and arbitrators directly impacts trust, enforceability, and outcomes for corporates. As global businesses expand, mediation and arbitration are emerging as strategic tools for corporates seeking speed, confidentiality, and expertise — making them a preferred alternative to traditional court litigation. Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, Dubai #Mediation #Arbitration #Litigation #CorporateLaw #DisputeResolution #Dubai #LegalProfession #LawAndBusiness #LegalStrategy #Leadership #ETLegal #LawAndTechnology #LegalInnovation #FutureOfLaw #GlobalBusiness #CorporateStrategy

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The Dubai Court of Cassation has confirmed that arbitral tribunals in the UAE have the authority to issue interim measures, including anti-suit injunctions, under Article 21 of the UAE Arbitration Law. This landmark ruling overturns a previous decision by the Court of Appeal and reinforces the UAE’s position as a pro-arbitration jurisdiction. It affirms the tribunal’s exclusive power to manage provisional measures, strengthening the integrity and autonomy of arbitration proceedings seated in the UAE. A significant step forward for dispute resolution in the region! Read the full update here: https://lnkd.in/d6X8RB4W Luka Kristovic-Blazevic, Sally Kotb FCIArb, Marlize Dumas, Taisiia Vorotilova #LegalUpdate #DisputeResolution #UAEArbitration #ArbitralTribunal

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I first walked into DIFC in 2009 — when it was half-empty, jokingly called the Dubai International Food Court, and surviving on a $20bn bailout. Today, it’s a global financial hub. • 7,700+ active companies (double since 2020) • 47,900 workers from London, Mumbai, Hong Kong • 1.6mn sq ft new space under construction The energy today is unrecognisable. But as the Financial Times recently highlighted, rapid growth brings competition and challenges: • Abu Dhabi is deploying $1.7tn in sovereign wealth to attract funds. • Saudi Arabia is pushing bankers and consultants to base in Riyadh. • Rising rents, costs, and congestion are testing DIFC’s edge. From a regulatory lens: • Resilience: The UAE’s swift removal from FATF’s grey list showed its ability to adapt under scrutiny. • Compliance: Openness is a strength, but it demands vigilance from firms. • Crypto: Dubai is one of the few jurisdictions giving structure to a volatile sector. The takeaway: DIFC has proven itself on the world stage. The challenge now is sustaining credibility and growth through agility and compliance. How has the DIFC shaped your journey? Share your perspective below. #DIFC #ADGM #Dubai

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Ahmed El Far, a senior associate in the London office of Three Crowns LLP, has co-authored the “Subcontracts and Multiparty Arbitration in Construction Disputes” chapter with Stavros Brekoulakis of 3 Verulam Buildings and National University of Singapore in the sixth edition of Global Arbitration Review’s The Guide to Construction Arbitration. Major construction projects typically involve several parties and interrelated contracts, including subcontracts. While the provisions of the main contract between the employer and the contractor do not usually become a part of the subcontractor’s agreement, a dispute arising out of the main contract may give rise to claims and disputes under the subcontract and vice versa. The chapter explores the use and importance of subcontracts in construction law, as well as their relationship to main contracts. The authors also discuss the circumstances that give rise to multiparty arbitration in construction disputes. In doing so, particular attention is given to the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) conditions of contract and subcontract for construction. To read the chapter online, please click here: https://lnkd.in/ePmpDx4n To find out more, click below:

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