Amir Ghaffari

SENIOR PARTNER
amir@ghaffarifussell.com
 +971 (0)56 501 6266
 +44 (0)7475 109 437

Amir has practised international arbitration and cross border litigation for 24 years (13 years as a Managing Partner/Partner/Head of Disputes at leading international law firms).

Amir has acted as Counsel in more than 100 international commercial and construction arbitrations administered under the rules of all the major arbitral institutions, as well as in ad hoc proceedings, with a focus on energy, power production, and construction disputes, including regulatory, payment, and tax issues. 

Amir regularly sits as an Arbitrator (including as Presiding and Sole arbitrator), under the LCIA, ICC, DIAC, and UNCITRAL Rules, and in ad hoc proceedings. He has had more than 40 appointments over the years. He has also sat as a Mediator on several occasions.

Amir sits on Queen Mary University of London School of Law’s inaugural Advisory Council for the LLM in International Arbitration. He is a Member of the DIFC Courts’ Steering Committee on International Arbitration practice and procedure. He is a Panel Member of several arbitral institutions and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is a past Judicial Assistant to Lord Woolf, the former Chief Justice of England and Wales. He is a past co-Chair of the YIAG of the LCIA. He established the prestigious Ghaffari Scholarship at Queen Mary University of London in 2022. 

Amir has been recognised for over a decade for his work in the field of international arbitration by, amongst others, Chambers Global; Chambers UK; The Legal 500–EMEA; The Legal 500–UK; WWL: International Arbitration; and WWL: The Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration. 

    • St Paul’s School London (3 A-Levels (AAA));

    • University of Bristol (Law, LLB – 2:1(Hons) – graduated in the top 5%;

    • The College of Law, London (LPC, Commendation) 

    • English (Fluent)

    • Farsi (Fluent)

    • French (Moderate)

  • Amir has been sitting as Arbitrator since 2012 (13 years). 

    He has sat as Arbitrator on cases seated in London, Zurich, Geneva, Paris, Singapore, Dubai (including the DIFC), and Bahrain. 

    He has determined cases subject to both Common and Civil laws. 

    • UNCITRAL Rules (administered by the PCA), Bahrain Seat, English Law: a major dispute arising under a Water Purchase Agreement between a producer and off-taker of desalinated water in a GCC state, including as to tax treatment. 

    • UNCITRAL Rules (administered by the PCA), Dubai Seat, English Law: in connection with a contract for the provision of crude oil export terminal support services in an African state, involving the misappropriation of funds. 

    • ICC Rules, London Seat, English Law: in connection the operation of a major energy producing facility in the GCC. 

    • ICC Rules, London Seat, English Law: in a dispute regarding the construction of a high-value aluminium-rolling facility in the Middle East. 

    • ICC Rules, Dubai Seat, English Law: a dispute regarding the build, and operation, of a major desalination plant. 

    • LCIA Rules, Paris Seat, English Law: in connection with an International Master Franchise Agreement and alleged breaches of contract, involving issues of French public policy. 

    • LCIA Rules, London Seat, English Law: in connection with the construction, operation and management of hotels. 

    • DIFC-LCIA (now DIAC), DIFC Seat, DIFC Laws: joint venture dispute in connection with a power producing facility. 

    • ICC Case, Geneva Seat, Swiss Law: energy production facility dispute in North Africa. 

    • DIFC-LCIA (now DIAC), DIFC Seat, English Law: energy project, construction dispute.

  • • Advised a leading Turkish contractor in an ICC dispute over a USD700 million road and logistics project in Qatar, subject to Qatari laws 

    • Advised a US contractor in an LCIA arbitration in respect of a gas terminal project in Qatar, with parallel Qatari court proceedings 

    • Advised a European pipeline supplier in a dispute with a Qatari buyer of pipes for the gas sector 

    • Advised a Middle Eastern energy trader in negotiations with a Qatari state-owned entity in respect of gas trades 

    • Advised a specialist contractor in ICC arbitration proceedings concerning termination and costs claims for a major development project in Saudi Arabia 

    • Advised a Gulf State Power and Water Procurement company in its dispute with contractors regarding the build of a major desalination plant 

    • Advised a Kuwaiti contractor in arbitration proceedings over the upgrade/expansion of oil and gas refineries in Kuwait 

    • Advised a Gulf Cooperation Council government entity in an arbitration regarding the termination of a waste management contract 

    • Advised a Jordanian company in an ICC arbitration concerning the design and construction of a magnesium oxide plant 

    • Advised a major UK oil company in respect of its assets at the time of, and following, the Arab Spring and subsequent civil unrest in Algeria 

    • Advised a Japanese and South Korean engineering and construction consortium in an arbitration regarding the engineering and construction of a multi-billion-dollar fertiliser complex in North Africa 

    • Advised a major oil company in a dispute concerning the application of builders all risk insurance for alleged damage to property regarding a major offshore project in North Africa 

    • Advised a South Korean engineering and construction company in an arbitration regarding the construction of the world's largest strategic water storage and recovery system in the Gulf Cooperation Council area 

    • Advised Saipem S.p.A in a multi-billion-dollar dispute against a Gazprom entity concerning the failed construction of the South Stream pipeline project 

    • Advised a European utilities company (water and electricity) in a construction project, subject to an expert determination, concerning cost overruns and liquidated damages in respect of a significant facility construction project 

    • Advised a major European waste-to-energy contractor in respect of its termination across several projects, including in litigation over its performance bonds and guarantees 

    • Advised a major energy company in claims against the EPC contractor, and under its business interruption and all risks insurance policies, in relation to complex engineering and performance-related issues, including major damage to the RO membranes, concerning a major desalination plant in Africa 

    • Advised a major international offshore EPC contractor in relation to warranty claims concerning the construction of various well head towers offshore West Africa 

    • Advised a consortium of international and domestic companies in two arbitrations arising out of an oil field offshore India in connection with a series of profit-sharing disputes with the Government of India 

    • Advised a consortium of South Korean contractors in an arbitration relating to the construction of a high-value coal-fired power plant in Africa 

    • Advised a leading European agribusiness in a dispute over the construction and operations of a seed crushing plant in Ukraine 

    • Advised a major offshore oil and gas contractor in LCIA arbitration proceedings concerning a project in Kazakhstan 

    • Advised a major offshore oil and gas contractor on disputes concerning a defective gas pipeline in West Africa 

    • Advised an oil trading company in respect of a major trans-continental pipeline project across Eastern Europe and Asia 

    • Advised an international developer of power and water projects in a complex and high-value ICC international arbitration concerning a Central American hydro-electric power project 

    • Advised a major international power generation company in an ICC arbitration against insurers, relating to damage to property claims concerning an infrastructure project in Latin America 

    • Advised European entities in a dispute against a Lebanese entity concerning the construction of a metal processing plant in the Middle East 

    • Advised a Chinese entity in a dispute against a sporting organisation over sponsoring rights to a major sporting event 

    • Advised a German multi-national against an international construction consortium in a complex construction dispute regarding a renewable energy project in Northern Africa.

“A Global Leader, a Thought Leader and a very polished and very smooth advocate.”