Paul Key K.C. is recognised as one of the leading QCs at the English Commercial Bar. He has particular expertise and specialism in arbitration, both international commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration (including ICSID). He also regularly appears in arbitration-related Court matters, including appearing in the English Supreme Court in Jivraj v Hashwani. He has been ranked in the top tier (band 1) rankings for arbitration for over 10 years and has consistently been identified as one of the leading figures in that field (“a real arbitration expert”, “few can rival his expertise, ability and knowledge in the field of arbitration”, “the first port of call for important arbitration disputes”, “an arbitration guru”). He has appeared as advocate in over 300 major international arbitrations worldwide, as well as appearing regularly before the English Courts (at all levels) and foreign Courts on arbitration matters. In addition to his extensive experience in international commercial arbitration, he is one of the very few English QCs to have real expertise in investment arbitration. He has been lead counsel in a very large number of BIT / investment arbitrations, acting both for and against States. He is Visiting Professor in international arbitration law at King’s College, London, and has lectured and published widely in this field. He has been a longstanding representative of the UK on the ILA International Commercial Arbitration Committee and is also a delegate for the UNCITRAL Working Group on Arbitration.

Sean, a Senior Managing Director at Vertex, brings to the table extensive expertise as a Testified Delay and Disruption Expert. His proficiency spans the specialized domains of delay and disruption analysis. Prior to assuming this role, Sean held key project-based positions, including Site Engineer, Project Manager, Project Controls Manager, and Planning Manager, on complicated projects. Sean has significant EPC experience in Oil and Gas in both a dispute setting and practical work experience. As an Independent Delay and Disruption Expert, Sean has been entrusted with drafting numerous expert reports, testifying and undergoing cross examination, offering unbiased opinions on construction project delay and disruption. He is well-versed in adhering to the best practice protocols outlined in AACE International Recommended Practice No. 29R-03 and the SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol. Additionally, Sean has undergone formal training in expert witness testimony and advanced cross-examination techniques. Sean's expertise has been recognized through his appointments as an independent delay/disruption expert under the arbitration rules of ICC, DIAC, QICCA, and LCIA. His contributions in this capacity have led to him being recognized by WWL under the category of Arbitration Future Leaders – Expert Witnesses.

Leonora Riesenburg is an Independent Chartered Arbitrator and Accredited Mediator at INTADR DMCC, Dubai, and an International Tenant at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square in London. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), a Fellow of Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AIADR), and stands as a leading figure in international arbitration, mediation and adr in Middle East, Asia, and the UK. Leonora specialises in complex disputes across key sectors, notably in investment, infrastructure, construction, real estate, joint ventures, banking and finance, and receives routine Chairmanship appointments. Her affiliations with prestigious arbitral institutions—among them the ICC, LCIA, SIAC, DIAC, ADCCAC, SCCA, MIAC, AIADR—further solidify her standing as a leading figure in international arbitration. Leonora’s leadership is reflected in her previous roles as Branch Chair of CIArb UAE, as an Elected Member of the Board of Management for CIArb London, and member of DIFC Courts Arbitration Division Working Group. She is a member of LCIA Arabs Users’ Council and a member of the Swiss Arbitration Association. Leonora is a highly in demand faculty member for the CIArb globally and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in the MENA Region and in the UK, playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of dispute resolution practitioners. Her global influence extends through her service with leading institutions worldwide, including in Asia, the Governing Council of the Hyderabad Arbitration Centre (HAC) in India as well as the Global Advisory Panel for Musaliha International.

Nick Oury is a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and leads the firm’s Middle East construction and infrastructure disputes practice. Based in Dubai, he focuses on dispute resolution in the construction and infrastructure sectors, with particular emphasis on international arbitration. Nick advises clients on complex matters across energy (including renewables), real estate, oil & gas, transport, and infrastructure. He has acted in arbitrations under all major institutional rules used in the region, including SCCA, DIAC, ICC, and LCIA, and represents both employers and contractors across a range of procurement models. He also advises on disputes involving project-related agreements such as power and water purchase agreements, joint ventures, facilities management, and O&M contracts. An Oxford graduate and English-qualified solicitor, Nick has represented clients in some of the most significant construction disputes across the Middle East, with a growing focus on Saudi Arabia

Julian has 30 years of specialist experience of heavyweight international, and domestic, disputes. Sums in dispute in his cases vary from small to in excess of USD 2 billion. In addition to acting as counsel, he also regularly sits as an arbitrator. Julian has over 10 years’ experience in the MENA region, including 2 years based full time in Dubai, and an ongoing long-term commitment to the region. Julian has been involved in projects and disputes in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Benin, Sierra Leone and Mali.   Julian was called to the Bar in England & Wales in 1990. He was with Pinsent Masons’ Construction Disputes practice in London and Hong Kong from 1993 to 2009. He left Pinsent Masons as a partner in 2009, and was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2010. Julian is particularly well known for his heavy weight practice in relation to the Construction and Engineering sectors, the Energy, Oil and Gas sectors and International and domestic arbitrations.

HK Suresha is the Senior Partner and Country Head for Masin in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He is an engineer and surveyor with over 23 years of experience. Suresha specialises in delay and quantum analysis, with extensive experience in mega and large-scale projects in understanding, identifying, and evaluating engineering and construction disputes and claims, contracts and project advisory. He also specialises in dealing with complex issues by simplifying them towards resolution. Suresha has provided expert testimony in international arbitrations, such as ICC, LCIA, QICCA, DIFC, and DIAC, and has been cross-examined in arbitration hearings. Suresha has also acted as an arbitrator and mediator, leading numerous claims negotiations and settlements. Suresha has worked on various types of projects in sectors like oil & gas (up-stream and down-stream), international airports, metro rail, process plants, power projects, treatment plants, buildings (residential, commercial, highrise and mix development), highways, infrastructure, and renewable energy. Suresha is an RICS Registered Expert Witness and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the Society of Construction Law (SCL), and the American Association of Cost Engineering (AACE International).

Yulia Barnes is our Managing Partner and an experienced solicitor of more than 20 years. She specialises in commercial and corporate law, dispute resolution and corporate governance for commercial clients and high net-worth individuals. Yulia first qualified in Russia, before then qualifying in England and Wales. Following this, she worked at a large international law firm, before becoming a partner at a regional law firm heading up the Dispute Resolution department. Yulia’s career then took her in-house, before she decided to start Barnes Law, her own boutique practice, with the aim of providing exclusive services to HNW individuals and privately-owned businesses in 2018. Yulia’s practice is wide spanning, but she has particularly extensive experience in commercial litigation and contentious trusts, as well as regularly advising on M&A deals. Yulia and the wider Barnes Law team are recognised for their strong awareness and skills across the broad spectrum of both commercial and corporate law. Yulia takes a practical and professional approach to all matters and is dedicated to ensuring clients’ objectives are achieved in the most cost-effective way possible. She prides herself on her problem-solving, her commercial acumen and project management skills, while being robust in negotiation. Yulia brings a personal touch to every case and immerses herself in all her clients’ businesses to gain a deep understanding of their position and the best approach to achieve their strategic objectives. This has led her to be recognised as a leading professional in her field. In her spare time Yulia enjoys sailing, hiking and theatre.

Nesreen is a Partner in our Dubai office with 15 years’ disputes experience specialising in construction and engineering disputes. Nesreen acts on behalf of employers, main contractors, subcontractors and consultants. Nesreen has advised client from various parts of the world including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Pakistan, India, China, Japan and South Korea. She has extensive experience in international arbitration in the infrastructure and energy sectors. Nesreen has advised in relation to disputes relating to contract interpretation, variations, payment, delay and disruption, defective works, suspension of works and termination of contracts and professional negligence. Nesreen’s disputes experience also covers a broad range of other sectors including commercial developments, residential developments, PFI/PPP projects for schools and hospitals as well as EPC projects for heavy industries. Nesreen has advised clients in respect of major construction and engineering disputes in arbitration under the rules of various arbitration centres such as ICC, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA and ADCCAC in the majority of the GCC countries as well as the wider Middle East. A significant portion of Nesreen’s time is also spent advising clients on managing negotiations and alternative means of resolving disputes with the aim of reaching extra-judicial settlement (including mediation and expert determination). Nesreen was ranked as a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 EMEA rankings for UAE Construction.

Fatima Ghaith is a Scottish, Bahraini, and English lawyer with over 17 years of experience in the GCC, especially in Saudi Arabia. As the Associate General Counsel for Weatherford International, she leads a team of lawyers that oversees the legal function in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. Previously, she worked as a projects finance lawyer at Baker & McKenzie, where she specialized in Islamic finance and represented large Saudi government and quasi-government conglomerates, as well as leading global and Saudi banks and financial institutions.