DR. ZAIN AL ABDIN SHARAR
Senior Legal Counsel, Qatar International Court & Disputes Resolution Centre (QICDRC)
DR. ZAIN AL ABDIN SHARAR has over 23 years’ experience in the legal field. Prior to joining the QICDRC, Dr. Sharar was the Director of Legal Affairs & Enforcement at the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA). Dr. Sharar also served for three years on the QFMA’s disciplinary committee.
Dr. Sharar has taught corporate law and corporate governance at a number of Australian universities and has provided advice to board members of several Australian publicly listed companies. He worked at Qatar University for three years as an Assistant Professor of Commercial Law, where he taught companies law and arbitration law. He has also taught commercial law and maritime and aviation law at the Ahmad Bin Mohammed Military College in Qatar and has lectured on many topics at the Legal and Judicial Studies Centre at the Qatar Ministry of Justice.
Dr. Sharar is a certified mediator at the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution in London and a qualified arbitrator at the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre. He has provided mediation and arbitration services in many commercial and construction cases. He also participates in ADR training programmes.
Dr. Sharar has a Bachelor of Laws, a Master's in International Trade Law, and a Doctor of Legal Sciences from Bond University in Australia, specifically focused on corporate governance.
SULTAN M. AL-ABDULLA
Founding Partner, Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners
SULTAN M. AL-ABDULLA is the founding member of the Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners and a current member of the Board of the Qatar Lawyers Association.
In his private practice, Sultan focuses on litigation and arbitration matters. As a litigator, he is ranked in Band 1 and Tier 1 by major directories.
As part of his arbitration practice, Sultan Al-Abdulla has represented numerous entities in local and international arbitration matters. In addition, he frequently sits as a sole arbitrator or as part of a tribunal. Moreover, he is frequently called to appear as a Qatari law expert before international arbitral tribunals.
Sultan Al-Abdulla was designated as an arbitrator on the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators for a period of six years with effect from May 2019. He was elected as a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for a three-year term starting on July 1, 2021.
ABDULLATEF AL-MOHANNADI
Deputy Registrar, Qatar International Court & Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC)
ABDULLATEF AL-MOHANNADI is the Deputy Registrar at the Qatar International Court & Dispute Resolution Centre. He is responsible for promoting the court and tribunal as a forum for dispute resolution both nationally and internationally. Prior to joining the QICDRC, he ran his own law firm dealing with corporate, criminal and civil case from 2013 to 2019. He worked for the State Public Prosecution from 2011 to 2013.
Abdullatef Al-Mohannadi holds a Bachelor of Law from Qatar University.
MUBARAK AL SULAITI
Chairman, Al Sulaiti Law Firm
MUBARAK AL-SULAITI is the Chairman and Founding Partner of Al Sulaiti Law Firm. He is a Cassation Advocate & a certified arbitrator in Qatar. He obtained a Bachelor of Law from Beirut Arab University in 1997 and is a member of the board of the Qatar Lawyers Association.
HILARY BELL
Assistant Professor, Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law
Hilary Bell is an Assistant Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law. She teaches construction and infrastructure development law, dispute resolution and legal skills courses. In addition to teaching, she coaches teams competing in the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.
Professor Bell has 11 years of professional dispute resolution experience, she holds an LL.M (Distinction) in Construction Law and Arbitration from Robert Gordon University and an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Glasgow.
Professor Bell is a solicitor and notary public, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration.
Professor Bell’s scholarship focuses on construction law, dispute resolution and legal education. She regularly presents to international audiences at education conferences.
PAULA BOAST
Partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
With 15 years’ experience on the ground, Paula is an award-winning Middle East Partner specialising in construction, engineering, and projects throughout the region including Qatar.
Her extensive experience includes real estate, master planned developments and regeneration, major social and logistical infrastructure such as roads, railways, ports, airports housing, sewage and waste, utilities including oil and gas, power and water, green energy and renewables, hotels and hospitality, leisure and tourism, industrial and commercial, education and healthcare. She advises both the private and public sectors, acting on behalf of government and regulatory clients, project employers and developers, lenders and investors, contractors, subcontractors, consultants and specialist procurement and supply chain.
Paula has worked on key Qatar projects including Duqm Road East, Energy City, Hamad Hospital, Doha Convention Center, Marriott West Bay, Education City, Hamad International Airport, Abraj Quartier Tower at The Pearl, and the Lusail and Halul Island Gas Farms.
SIMON CHAN
Counsel, K&L Gates
Simon Chan is Counsel in the Doha office of the international law firm, K&L Gates, and has been based in Doha since 2010. Before joining K&L Gates, he worked for Allen & Overy. Before moving to Doha, he spent ten years practicing in London from 1999 to 2009.
Simon was ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers Global 2021 for Corporate/Commercial: Banking & Finance in Qatar. He is well-versed in a wide range of finance matters, acting for both borrowers and lenders. He is also noted for his skills in fintech and banking regulatory matters. Simon is also rated by The Legal 500: Qatar.
Simon has extensive experience advising financial institutions, corporate sponsors, and borrowers on general financing, including project finance, leveraged finance, asset finance and Islamic finance and also on restructurings.
HUW DAVIES
Senior Legal Counsel, Qatar Free Zones Authority
HUW DAVIES works within the Legal Department in the Qatar Free Zones Authority. QFZA was established in 2018 to oversee and regulate the world- class free zones in Qatar.
Huw is a qualified barrister of England and Wales, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors accredited mediator. Huw joined QFZA in 2019 after previously working in Qatar for eight years and has extensive experience advising both private and public sector firms in developing and securing commercial contracts and regulatory frameworks and translating complex legal and compliance requirements into practical solutions.
Prior to working in Qatar, Huw held a number of senior governmental positions in Wales, United Kingdom, working as a legal advisor to the government.
LAUREN DJEDID
Senior Legal Counsel, Qatar Financial Centre Authority
Lauren has over ten years of experience within banking and finance legal practices including both transactional and advisory legal work. Before joining the Qatar Financial Centre Authority, Lauren trained and qualified at Clifford Chance LLP where she spent five years as an associate within the Banking and Capital Markets practices in London, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Subsequently, Lauren held the position of Senior Legal Counsel within the Global Banking & Markets practice of HSBC Bank Middle East in Dubai and supported a broad range of capital financing products and services including bilateral & syndicated lending, mergers & acquisitions, project finance, export finance and financial advisory work.
Lauren currently holds the position of Senior Legal Counsel at the Qatar Financial Centre Authority and is responsible for compliance, regulatory and corporate advisory work and implementation.
Lauren completed her undergraduate study in Jurisprudence at Oxford University and a postgraduate degree in law at College of Law, London. Lauren won the “Legal Counsel of the Year” award at the Qatar Business Law Forum in 2019.
JAMES DOUGLASS
Partner, K&L Gates
James Douglass is an energy lawyer delivering complex high value projects for clients in many different market and legal environments particularly in emerging markets. He has deep experience in Asia, Africa, Russia, Central Asia, Turkey, the Middle East, the CEE, and Latin America/Caribbean. Through his time living and working in Asia, he has developed an understanding of the requirements of Asian investors in their global energy projects.
James' practice primarily focuses on power (conventional and renewables), Oil & Gas (LNG, upstream, midstream, downstream), infrastructure, and resources. In addition, James has substantial experience advising on project finance and other structured lending and on project contracts/EPC, M&A, and shareholders joint venture arrangements.
KIRK DURRANT
Partner, DWF
KIRK DURRANT is a construction law partner in DWF’s Doha office. He has lived and practised full time in Qatar for over 12 years. The range of Kirk's work covers both non-contentious transactional matters and contentious claims/dispute matters.
He has considerable experience advising clients in relation to FIDIC Contracts, international arbitration, and PPP-delivered construction projects. His expertise includes matters relating to major pipeline projects (energy, water, waste), utility projects (district cooling, power, water), process facility projects (solar, desalination, bio-fuels), transportation projects (BRTs, urban transports, airports, sea-ports, railway), infrastructure projects (roadways, bridges, tunnels) and commercial projects (mixed-used developments, hotels, theme parks).
Kirk has worked on matters throughout the Gulf and further afield, including several PPP urban transport and renewable energy projects in Pakistan, Tanzania, Rwanda and North Macedonia.
SARRAH ELJAILI
Associate, Hamad Al Yafei Law Firm
SARRAH ELJAILI has been in the legal practice since 2015. She trained and worked extensively in the dispute resolution department in prominent law firms in Qatar, and subsequently worked in an in-house counsel role. Sarrah holds a Bachelor of Law from Qatar University and an LL.M in Private Law – Arbitration and Corporate Law, from the same university. She is well-acquainted of Qatari civil and commercial laws and has a deep understanding of the Qatari legal system. Sarrah has also been active in legal research and analysis of comparative laws.
RAQUEL FERREIRA
Senior Associate, Hamad Al Yafei Law Firm
Raquel Ferreira is a Senior Associate lawyer at Hamad Al Yafei Law Firm, with 20 years of professional experience. She specialises in dispute resolution, focusing particularly on banking, civil, corporate and commercial, financial litigation and international arbitration.
Raquel has represented clients from a varied range of sectors including the banking, industry, information technology, labour, and real estate sectors. She has advised clients on highly complex court cases involving multiple jurisdictions in several areas of law, and has extensive experience in commercial and corporate litigation, disputes between shareholders, human resources, labour, construction disputes, contracts and tort cases.
Raquel worked as an in-house lawyer at a major Portuguese bank for eight years, advising on all areas of banking, compliance and commercial law, where she was co-responsible for the internal Compliance unit.
Raquel has a Bachelor of Law from the University of Lisbon and is a member of the Portuguese Bar Association since 2000. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
AMR HOSSAM
Legal Consultant, Al Sulaiti Law Firm
Amr Hossam has been a Legal Consultant at Al Sulaiti Law Firm since 2014. He has ten years' experience in practising law, particularly in the areas of commercial, corporate, contracts, and alternative dispute settlement, and relevant industry experience. Amr holds an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from American University in Cairo, Egypt and a Bachelor of Law from LL.B., Assuit University (Egypt).
MUHAMMAD AMEEN HASHIM
Head of Corporate & Contracts Department, Al Sulaiti Law Firm
MUHAMMAD AMEEN HASHIM has more than ten years' experience in corporate and contracts law and is Head of Corporate & Contracts Department at Al Sulaiti Law Firm. He advises clients on corporate, construction, debt recovery, employment, cybercrimes, data privacy, intellectual property, franchise and distribution agreements. He deals with both contentious and non-contentious matters in both English and Arabic.
Muhammad has extensive experience in advising investors and franchisors in establishing their business in Qatar and in negotiating their commercial agreements with their local partners. He also has substantial experience of working on complex and high value construction and other litigation cases including: commercial and contractual disputes, shareholder disputes, liquidation, debt recovery, cybercrimes, debt recovery, defamation, and employment.
Muhammad earned a Bachelor of Law from Alexandria University in Egypt. He represented numerous entities and individuals in Egypt in various fields of law before joining Al Sulaiti Law Firm in 2010.
SUSAN L. KARAMANIAN
Dean, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, College of Law and Public Policy
SUSAN L. KARAMANIAN is Dean of the College of Law at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and was previously Associate Dean for International and Comparative Legal Studies at the George Washington University Law School. She has lectured at law faculties around the world, and at the OAS Academy of International Law and the Hague Academy of International Law (Director of English Studies). Susan is a member of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) and was previously Vice President of ASIL. She is a Trustee of the Center for American and International Law (CAIL), where she also serves as chair of the Southwestern Institute for International and Comparative Law. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Council on Germany, the American Bar Foundation, and the Texas Bar Foundation.
SEAN KHALID
Barwa Real Estate Company
SEAN KHALID is an English-qualified solicitor with over 10 years’ experience in Qatari law practice, working for both a local law firm and now in house for Barwa Real Estate Company. Sean came to Qatar to work on Dolphin Energy’s pipeline refinancing in 2009. He then developed a diversified practice across a range of sectors with a corporate and commercial focus, working on both local and multi-jurisdictional cross-border transactions.
Some of the matters Sean has worked on and led in private practice include: advising CH2M Hill on their successful bid and appointment as the Programme Management Consultant for 2022 FIFA World Cup™; advising Pembroke on the financing of three B777 and five B787 aircrafts for Qatar Airways; and advising Arcapita Bank (a Bahraini commercial investment bank in Chapter 11 bankruptcy) on the sale of their 50% share in Lusail Golf Course to Barwa Real Estate Company.
ROHIT SINGHAL
CEO, Masin
ROHIT SINGHAL is the Chief Executive Officer of Masin, one of the leading international construction arbitration expert firms.
Mr. Singhal has over 23 years of international experience involving construction contract disputes, expert testimony, and project management. He has extensive arbitration and expert appointment experience and has been appointed as expert witness more than 50 times on delay, technical and quantum matters for construction arbitrations.
Mr. Singhal has presented and published numerous articles and undertaken several speaking assignments on the subjects of claims, schedule and damage analyses and claims prevention in construction and engineering projects. He was awarded with prestigious “Outstanding Expert of the Year Award 2019” by International Arbitrators & Experts in Engineering Sector (IAEE), UAE.
Before Masin, Mr. Singhal was Chief Executive Officer of a major international oil & gas EPC contractor. In this role, he had the responsibility for managing the profit and loss account of a company worth USD 0.5 billion in India and the MENA region.
PAWEL PIOTROWSKI
Partner, K&L Gates
PAWEL PIOTROWSKI, a partner in the Gates’s Doha office, is a projects lawyer concentrating in EPC contracts. He assists with public procurement matters as part of his practice and is well recognised for his knowledge of public-private partnerships (PPP). Pawel has been involved in negotiating and drafting all forms of project agreements, including procurement regime, contractual documentation, construction, and financing in various jurisdictions, including Qatar, Poland, Singapore, Pakistan, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia and in various sectors, including social infrastructure (schools), transport (motorways, metro, airports, railways, car parks), oil and gas, sport infrastructure (2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012), waste management (waste to energy incineration plants), water and sewage, ports (container terminal), health care (radiotherapy centres), and energy (construction of new plants, CCS projects).