News & Events
News & Events
The Chambers Global 2026 Guide rankings have been announced, and we are pleased to share that Outer Temple Chambers has been ranked yet again in Dispute Resolution: The English Bar (Middle East-wide). Our members have also been ranked for their individual expertise. We are delighted to be ranked in the Chambers Global 2026 Guide as a Band 3 Set in Dispute Resolution: The English Bar (Middle East-wide). Outer Temple Chambers has been in the Middle East for close to a decade with a Dubai office which serves as the hub of our Middle East operations. We are the only set of barristers’ chambers with a registered office and members on the ground, within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and…
News 13 Feb, 2026
Sean Yates will be joining an array of speakers for a panel session at The Mediation Summit 2026, taking place on Thursday 22nd January at Sofitel Downtown, Dubai. The Mediation Summit 2026 is organised by The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), in collaboration with The Mediation Hub MENA. This landmark summit will bring together distinguished leaders from the fields of mediation, judiciary, and dispute resolution-both regionally and internationally-to exchange expertise and advance the practice of mediation across the Middle East and North Africa. The day’s event will take place from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Sean will be joining the third panel discussion of the day on ‘Sector-Specific Disputes Relevent to the Region.’ This panel session will be divided into three parts. Sean Yates, alongside Bruce Edwards,…
News 19 Jan, 2026
Outer Temple’s International Arbitration experts Sean Yates, Lucian Ilieand Maanas Jain have been ranked in the Lexology Index: Arbitration 2025 report for their expertise in this area of law. The Lexology Index: Arbitration report, released on Thursday 20th November 2025 highlights the leading arbitration practitioners worldwide. It features lawyers, expert witnesses and future leaders. Sean Yates has been ranked as a ‘Recommended Barrister’ in this year’s report. This category features individuals that are considered leaders in their field. Fewer than 50% of individuals considered are selected for inclusion. The Lexology Index report describes him as, “Easily digests facts, legal and technical issues and discerns the important ones”; “Quiet in his approach, yet powerful with precision and impact”; and “Fair and balanced”. Lucian ILIE and Maanas Jain have been ranked in the ‘Arbitration Future Leaders –…
News 25 Nov, 2025
Seven members of Outer Temple Chambers will be involved in the ‘Advanced Advocacy Skills’ training, part of the DIFC Laws Certificate Programme 2025 in October at the DIFC Academy, Dubai. The DIFC Academy have invited Outer Temple Chambers to deliver the Advanced Advocacy Skills course as part of their DIFC Laws Certificate Programme 2025. This course will be presented by six KCs and barristers, of Outer Temple Chambers in association with the DIFC Courts, including one member acting as a mock judge. This comprehensive training explores the application of traditional advocacy skills to activities routinely performed by lawyers. There will be series of both unassessed and assessed advocacy exercises. These exercises take the form of mock hearings covering submissions (written and oral), witness…
News 8 Oct, 2025
Philip Punwar and Sean Yates provided training at the DIFC Academy as part of their DIFC Laws & Courts Procedures course on Monday 23 June 2025. The ‘DIFC Laws & Courts Procedures’ course is part of the DIFC Laws Certificate Programme 2025. The series of lectures aims to provide education and training on the DIFC Laws and DIFC Courts Procedures to civil law lawyers, DIFC Courts practitioners, Emirati advocates, In-house counsel and other professionals whose work involve exposure to common law systems and jurisdictions. Philip Punwar and Sean Yates presented at the second session of ‘DIFC Laws’ on DIFC Contract Law. There are a total of 7 sessions under DIFC Laws, part of the DIFC Laws & Courts Procedures course. To…
News 24 Jun, 2025
OTC’s Dubai based barristers David Russell KC, Philip Punwar and Sean Yates will be providing training at the DIFC Vol.2 Reissue Book Launch event on Tuesday 29th April at DIFC Academy in Dubai. The Book Launch event, hosted by LexisNexis Middle East and DIFC Academy will bring together leading legal minds to unpack the 2024 updates to DIFC Digital Asset Law and Contract Law. The in-person training sessions will take place from 10am to 12pm. Philip Punwar and Sean Yates will be presenting on DIFC Contract Law: Recent Amendments & Legal Developments. This course aims to: Apply legal principles from the DIFC Contract Law to effectively draft, review, and assess contracts, ensuring compliance with evolving regulations Explain the key provisions…
News 28 Apr, 2025
We are delighted to announce that Outer Temple Chambers and our team of barristers have yet again been ranked as leaders in commercial law and construction law in the Middle East by Legal 500 EMEA. Legal 500 announced their 2025 EMEA results this month and we are proud to have yet again been ranked as a Tier 1 Set in the ‘Middle East: The English Bar: Commercial’ guide. Legal 500 EMEA described Outer Temple Chambers as “a preeminent set active in the Middle East with particular focus on Dubai and UAE law, exemplified by the set’s active contributions in the drafting of new legislation and amending of foundational laws, recently in relation to the new Digital Assets Law”. These rankings reflect competency…
News 28 Mar, 2025
Outer Temple Chambers is delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for Commercial Set of the Year, Commercial Silk of the Year, Commercial Junior of the Year and UAE Set of the Year at the Legal 500 Middle East and North Africa Awards 2025. Outer Temple Chambers (Commercial Set of the Year), Andrew Spink KC (Commercial Silk of the Year) and Justina Stewart (Commercial Junior of the Year) have been recognised in the Commercial category under the English Bar in the Middle East. We are overjoyed to also be ranked as the UAE Set of the Year. The awards will be taking place on Thursday, 30th January 2025 at Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE. These awards reflect the competency…
News 23 Jan, 2025
9 members of Outer Temple’s International Team will be attending Dubai Arbitration Week (DAW 2024) between 11th – 15th November 2024, including The Bar Council Development event. Outer Temple’s David Russell KC, Andrew Spink KC, Philip Punwar, Justina Stewart, Sean Yates, Peter Linstead, Stephen Doherty, Lucian ILIE, and Lexie Johnson will be joining delegates at this year’s Dubai Arbitration Week. They will be available to meet up with colleagues during their time in the region. The team will be speaking at a number of seminars and events throughout DAW 2024, as well as the parallel UK-UAE Bar Council Business Development Event between 10-14th November 2024. UK-UAE Bar Council Business Development Event The Bar Council will be making its first business development visit to the UAE. Peter Smith…
Event Date: 12 Nov, 2024
Outer Temple Chambers’ International Arbitration specialists, together with experts from Stephenson Harwood, will be hosting a talk at Dubai Arbitration Week on ‘A “pro-arbitration” jurisdiction? Developments in the Enforceability of Arbitration Agreements, and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards in the UAE’. Outer Temple Chambers is delighted to join our esteemed guest speakers from Stephenson Harwood for an insightful panel session which will address the key steps and practical considerations that parties should consider when seeking to proceed with the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in the UAE. Outer Temple’s Stephen Doherty and Lucian ILIE will be hosting a talk at Dubai Arbitration Week 2024 on Tuesday 12th November 2024, alongside John Lewis and Caroline…
UAE based barrister, Sean Yates will be moderating a panel session at the CIArb Mediation event on Thursday, 4th July in Abu Dhabi. CIArb is a global, independent, charitable membership organisation incorporated by Royal Charter. They are committed to supporting the effective resolution of disputes with members based worldwide. Sean Yates will be moderating a panel discussion on 4th July at the Al Aidarous Law Firm (ADGM Office), Abu Dhabi from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. The panel including Wolf Von Kumberg, Robert Sliwinski, Hashem Al Aidarous and Haitham Mokhtar will discuss the growing use of commercial mediation in the UAE and the new DIAC Mediation Rules. Topics will include: How does mediation fit into the ADR landscape? The role of lawyers…
News 1 Jul, 2024
We are delighted to share that Outer Temple Chambers and our team of barristers have yet again been ranked for our commercial and construction expertise at the English Bar in the Middle East. Legal 500 announced their 2024 EMEA results and we are proud to have been ranked as a Tier 1 set in the ‘Middle East: The English Bar: Commercial’ guide including nine barrister rankings, as well as barrister listings in the ‘Middle East: The English Bar: Construction’ guide. These rankings reflect competency in providing expert advisory and advocacy services and facilities for Contract and Commercial, Construction, Financial, Regulatory, Taxation and Trusts, Employment, and Arbitration work in the region. Outer Temple Chambers and its members have been in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and is widely…
News 9 Apr, 2024
