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David Holloway, Cherine Ghali and Peter Smith join our Middle East team

Outer Temple Chambers is delighted to welcome three new members to its Middle East team; David Holloway, Cherine Ghali and Peter Smith.

David Holloway, Cherine Ghali and Peter Smith, all based in the UAE, will enhance our presence and capabilities in the region particularly in the field of commercial dispute resolution and international arbitration. Outer Temple is the only UK chambers with offices in the UAE.

David Holloway

David Holloway joined the team in January 2020 as a tenant, based predominantly in the Gulf. David has an international practice with significant experience of international arbitration and international trade.  He has advised and represented clients in complex and high value international disputes, with particular experience of the energy sector, commodities work and insurance and reinsurance disputes.

David’s CV includes reported cases in the English Commercial Court, Court of Appeal and House of Lords (now The Supreme Court). He has also appeared as counsel in numerous international arbitrations involving most major institutional rules and has successfully represented clients in large commercial mediations.

David is licenced to appear as counsel in the DIFC (Part II) and in the ADGM court. Recent instructions in the DIFC court include a multi-million dollar international securities dispute (instructed by Allen & Overy) and very high value enforcement proceedings (instructed by HFW).

In addition to work as counsel David sits as an arbitrator and has been appointed to panels of many international arbitration institutions (including CIETAC, SCIA and DIFC/LCIA). He is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and Director of the University’s LLM in international commercial law in Dubai. David is the co- author of Schmitthoff: the Law and Practice of International Trade (Sweet & Maxwell) and the General Editor of International Arbitration Law Review (Sweet & Maxwell). He has significant experience of delivering training to law firms and legal professionals.

To instruct David and for more information about his practice click here.

Cherine Ghali

Cherine Ghali joined Outer Temple Chambers as a Professional Associate in January 2020 after a successful early career spanning the globe.

Cherine was admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales and as an attorney in the State of New York in 1998. She became a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in October 2018 and a Fellow in September 2019. She is an award-winning lawyer with 20 years of experience in the Gulf, the UK and France working with leading international law firms and as an in-house lawyer with major institutions in the UAE. She is a native English speaker, who is also fluent in Arabic and proficient in French.

Cherine focuses on arbitration and alternative dispute resolution and sits as an Arbitrator. Her other practice areas include finance, restructuring, investment, corporate, commercial, employment and commercial litigation.

Her recent and current work includes:

  • As General Counsel of Dubai Group LLC (a subsidiary of Dubai Holding) she advised on the Group’s US$10 billion dollar restructuring, winning awards for the best Legal Team with Corporate Counsel Middle East (in association with Legal Week) and In-House Community Congress (MENA-Asia Awards) and was shortlisted in both for best General Counsel.
  • In the UAE she has worked with Dubai Group (a member of Dubai Holding), Majid Al Futtaim Group and Barclays.
  • In the Gulf she has advised on some of the largest government and private development projects in the region and internationally.
  • Recently completed an appointment as arbitrator in a DIFC seated arbitration.

To instruct Cherine and for more information about her practice click here.

Peter Smith

The most recent member of the team is Peter Smith, who joined Outer Temple Chambers in April 2020 as a door tenant. He will be accepting work through Outer Temple Chambers alongside his role as a Senior Associate at Al Tamimi & Company, the largest international law firm in the UAE.

He is recommended as a ‘Rising Star’ in the Legal 500 2020 (Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation: Tier 1) and as “notable” in the Legal 500 2019.

Peter is based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and regularly travels across the region.

Peter was called to the English Bar in 2008 and is a Part II-registered practitioner in the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts, a Dubai Legal Affairs Department Legal Consultant, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a registered practitioner with rights of audience in the Astana International Finance Centre Courts and the Astana International Arbitration Centre.

Peter is a barrister with experience of a wide range of commercial disputes including banking and finance, employment, technology and construction, real estate and professional negligence (acting for both claimants and defendants, including professional indemnity insurers). He has an extensive knowledge of cross-jurisdictional media law including defamation (both libel and slander), malicious falsehood, data protection and media regulation.

He also has experience of:

  • Arbitration proceedings under LCIA/DIFC-LCIA, DIAC and ICC arbitration rules
  • Litigation in the UAE Courts and under UAE law
  • Legislative drafting
  • ADR
  • Costs disputes

His recent DIFC & ADGM litigation experience includes:

  • Orion Holdings Overseas Limited (2) Orion Global Financial Services LLC (3) Orion Capital Limited (all in liquidation) v (1) Mohammed Abu Al Haj (2) Nidal Abdel Khaleq Abu Al Haj (3) Privatbank IHAG Zurich AG [2015] DIFC CFI 033 (jurisdiction; permission to appeal)
  • Mashreq Al Islami Finance Company PJSC (formerly Al Badr Islamic Finance Company PJSC) v Babar Rehman [2017] DIFC CFI 016 (breach of Ijarah residential property agreement) and

Tavira Securities Limited v (1) Re Point Ventures FZCO (2) Jai Narain Gupta (3) Mayank Kumar (4) Saroj Gupta [2017] DIFC CFI 026 (breach of contract; jurisdiction)

  • Sunteck Lifestyles Limited v (1) Al Tamimi and Company Limited (2) Grand Valley General Trading LLC [2017] DIFC CFI 048 (interim injunction)
  • GlobeMed Gulf Healthcare Solutions LLC v Oman Insurance Company PSC [2017] DIFC CFI 015 (ongoing)
  • Associa MENA Owners Association Services v IT-UP-02 Index Tower Residential Body Corporate [2017] DIFC SCT 355
  • Tatiana Mikhailovna Akhmedova vs (1) Farkhad Teimur Ogly Akhmedov (2) Straight Establishment [2018] CFI-011 and [2018] DIFC CA 003 (enforcement of English High Court order; jurisdiction)
  • (1) Vinod Sharma (2) Avalon Global Education Services Limited (3) Avalon Heights World Private School LLC v Sheikh Khaled Saeed Rashid Humaid Al Nuaimi [2018] DIFC CFI 022 (interim injunction)
  • Laktineh & Co Ltd v (1) Ahmed AlHatti (2) Cayan Real Estate and Development LLC [2020] ADGM CFI 013 (application to set-aside default judgment)
  • Request for interpretation in respect of the DIFC Trust and Foundations Law [2020] DIFC CA 002 (interpretation of DIFC law including points of Sharia)

With a wealth of contacts in the region, he plans to spend time building relationships and speaking at local industry events.

To instruct Peter and for more information about his practice click here.

Find Out More

David, Cherine and Peter are supported by a robust commercial team in the UK. David Russell QC is permanently based in our Dubai office and is a highly respected member of our commercial team with particular expertise in the field of private client and trusts. Legal 500 EMEA acknowledges David as playing “an active role in drawing up legislation across the region”. David welcomed the new members of the Outer Temple UAE team, saying “They will add depth to the range of services that Outer Temple Chambers offer.  All are highly skilled, leading practitioners in the region with whom I look forward to working.”

Outer Temple Chambers already has an established presence in the Middle East with offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Legal 500 EMEA recognises chambers as being “Committed to the region by having offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi” and continues to say, “Outer Temple Chambers has a broad range of expertise in London, and handles a range of work in the DIFC courts, spanning from commercial and employment disputes through to Chancery matters.”

Chief Executive of Outer Temple Chambers, Rebecca Priestley, commented “We are delighted to welcome David, Cherine and Peter to the Outer Temple team; with their in-depth market knowledge and extensive experience of commercial dispute resolution and arbitration, they will enhance our services for our Middle Eastern and international clients and we very much look forward to working with them”.

To find out more about our Middle East practice and team, please  contact David Smith or Colin Bunyan on +44 (0)207 353 6381 who will be happy to assist.

News 29 Apr, 2020

Authors

David Holloway

Call: 1996

Peter Smith

Call: 2008

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