DLA Piper Middle East, a global law firm, today announces the appointment of Henry Quinlan as partner and the newest member of its global arbitration practice, based in the Dubai office. The firm’s global dispute resolution practice has 1400 specialists around the world and the recruitment of Henry in the Middle East arbitration team indicates both the important role the region plays in international business, and the growing use of arbitration in the resolution of disputes involving both local and international companies within the region.
Arbitration, the final resolution of a dispute outside a court, has become an increasingly popular way for companies operating in the Middle East to resolve issues, especially in the fall out of the global financial crisis. Over the last few years the number of cases heard by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre in Dubai has risen dramatically to around 400 a year for the last few years, making it one of the largest arbitral institutions by volume in the world.
“The global financial crisis worked as a catalyst for the use of arbitration to resolve issues in the Middle East, it’s a method that’s clearly here to stay,” commented Jim Delkousis, partner and Head of Litigation and Regulation, DLA Piper Middle East. “We’re delighted that Henry has joined the Firm and working with our global experts, based on places such as New York and London, we’re sure he’ll be pivotal in growing our already distinguished disputes and arbitration practice, both regionally and globally.”
Within the Middle East arbitration is used on a more regular basis in the UAE compared to other GCC countries, and the majority of cases arose from the Global Financial Crisis, and in particular the issues arising in the construction and real estate sectors. However, there are clear signs that this form of dispute resolution will continue to grow, with many institutions reviewing their risk management systems and the effectiveness of the dispute resolution options in the region. Moreover, the plethora of infrastructure projects in countries such as Qatar will inevitably give rise to further disputes inn the region. Finally, the fall out from the Arab Spring, and the resulting regime change in places such as Egypt and Libya, is likely to result in renegotiation or even termination of state contracts, which could give rise to disputes with state-related entities, for example by way of investment treaty arbitration.
Henry Quinlan, partner and member of the global arbitration practice, DLA Piper, also commented: “Arbitration is becoming common practice in the Middle East, particularly where counter parties are based in different countries or there is some international element in the transaction. With the world’s largest network of global lawyers, DLA Piper’s offering is second to none and I’m delighted to be joining the Firm at such an exciting time. I very much look forward to the challenges that lie ahead in supporting, and further building on, an already impressive reputation and case load.”
Henry brings with him over ten years experience in arbitration. He has sat as an arbitrator (sole and in conjunction with others) on a number of international cases. He has experience across a wide range of sectors, ranging from real estate and technology through to private equity and banking, and previously he was with Norton Rose in Dubai.
