#YoungITATalks Dubai

Welcome Remarks: Jennifer Paterson, Young ITA Middle East Regional Chair, K&L Gates, Dubai

Jennifer is a Special Counsel in the Dubai office of K&L Gates LLP, where she is a member of the international arbitration practice group. Jennifer regularly advises and represents both UAE-based and international clients in a broad range of contested matters, including complex commercial contracts, construction, real estate, oil and gas, and employment disputes. She has experience representing clients in local and international arbitration proceedings administered by many of the major arbitration centers, including the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, and ADCCAC, as well as ad hoc proceedings. Jennifer has full rights of audience before the DIFC Courts and the Courts of England and Wales.

Moderator: Robert Landicho, Counsel, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Dubai

Rob is Counsel at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Dubai, where he specializes in inter-state arbitration, international commercial and construction arbitration, investor-state arbitration, and public international law matters—often dealing with the energy and infrastructure sector. Rob is admitted in Texas and has full rights of audience before the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts (Part I & II). Rob is also a current Programs Chair of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA). Rob is recommended as a Future Leader in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration, and a Rising Star - International in Super Lawyers (Thompson Reuters).

Panelists:

• Ann Ryan Robertson, Locke Lord
  
  Ann Ryan Robertson is a partner in Locke Lord LLP’s Houston office and an experienced international arbitration practitioner. She has served as chair, wing, sole and emergency arbitrator in a variety of cases, involving oil and gas, manufacturing, sales, buy-sell agreements, and insurance disputes. She also acts as counsel, representing clients in a wide variety of complex business disputes across numerous industries.
  
  Ann is a member of numerous arbitral institution panels, including the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), the Asia International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB), the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR) and the Thailand International Arbitration Centre (THAC). She is a frequent author and speaker on arbitration issues and an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center.
  
  Ann was named “Outstanding Business Leader in Law, Women Who Mean Business” by the Houston Business Journal and “Premier Woman in the Law” by the Association of Women Attorneys Foundation and is a recipient of the “Sarah T. Hughes Women Lawyers of Achievement” awarded by the Women and the Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Named in Global Arbitration Review’s “Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration” since 2015 and “The Best Lawyers in America” since 2014, Ann is a Fellow of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, a Council Member for the American Arbitration Association/International Centre for Dispute Resolution, a member of the American Law Institute and a past member of the Executive Committee of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration. As a supporter of diversity in arbitration, Ann is also a founding member of ArbitralWomen.

• Reshma Oogorah, Niyom Legal
  
  Reshma Oogorah is an international arbitrator and legal counsel with over a decade of experience in high-value and complex commercial disputes. She is dual-qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor and is registered in Mauritius, England & Wales, and the United Arab Emirates.
  
  Reshma focusses on the construction, technology and energy sectors and has represented clients in both common and civil law jurisdictions involving private and state/state-owned entities. She has sat as Sole and Presiding arbitrator and acted as counsel in ad-hoc arbitrations, and under institutional rules such as those of the ICC, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, LCIA, ADCCAC, HKIAC, SIAC, QICCA, and LMAA Terms. Reshma has worked in numerous arbitral seats including in the Middle East, UK, and Africa.
  
  Prior to setting up her arbitration and legal practice, Niyom Legal, in the UAE, Reshma spent time working with leading law firms in the United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia and trained at and worked with a top London Barrister’s chambers. Throughout her career, Reshma has advised and represented clients in transactions and disputes worth up to US$25 billion, involving important international organisations.
  
  Reshma is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), an elected Committee Member of the CIArb UAE branch, its Public Relations Officer, and General Editor of the Branch’s quarterly newsletter.

• Rupert Choat K.C.
  
  Rupert Choat KC has specialised since 1997 in construction, engineering, PFI/PPP, energy and similar disputes. He has considerable experience in related claims involving professional negligence as well as bonds and guarantees. He has worked on disputes concerning projects in over 50 jurisdictions, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt, Libya. More often than not, the local law has provided the governing law.
  
  Rupert has sat as arbitrator in ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIAC, FCC and ad hoc arbitrations. He has also decided disputes as an adjudicator and by way of expert determination. Rupert teaches on the MSc in Construction Law & Dispute Resolution at King’s College, London.
  
  Rupert is highly ranked by The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for construction, energy and international arbitration. The latest Legal 500 (Middle East-English Bar) states: “‘Phenomenal counsel who gives his 100% to deliver the results for his client. Incredibly hard working professional. A very good arbitrator too.’”

• Jonathan Sutcliffe, K&L Gates LLP
  
  Jonathan Sutcliffe is a partner in K&L Gates LLP, resident in the firm’s Dubai office, where he is a member of the international arbitration practice group. Jonathan has significant experience in international arbitration and dispute resolution and has acted for numerous clients on a diverse range of international commercial arbitration, ADR, and litigation matters in the energy, construction, hospitality, real estate, defence, insurance, international joint venture, and film sectors, and on investor-state disputes. Jonathan is a member of the firm's hydrogen group.
  
  Jonathan also sits regularly as an arbitrator, including under the rules of arbitration of the ICC, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC, and ADCCAC, and in ad hoc arbitrations.
  
  Jonathan is qualified in England and Wales, and New York and is registered as an advocate in the DIFC Courts. He is recommended for international arbitration and projects and energy disputes by various leading legal guides, including Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and The International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration.

10:15 am Networking

10:30 am Adjourn