Comparison of MENA International Arbitration Rules

Dr. Habib Al Mulla FCIArb is Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of Habib Al Mulla & Co, a leading Dubai-based UAE law firm. He is regarded as one of the UAE's most prominent legal authorities and has been recognized as one of the leading individuals in international commercial arbitration in Who's Who Legal 2010. Dr. Al Mulla has acted as counsel, arbitrator and expert on numerous international and domestic arbitrations, both on behalf of private individuals as well as state entities, including the UAE Government. He is the founder of the concept of Financial Free Zones as currently practiced in the UAE and was the architect of the legal structure that resulted in the establishment of the Du bai International Financial Centre (DIFC) as the first Financial Free Zone in the UAE. Dr. Al Mulla is also former Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) (2003-2006) and a former member of the UAE Federal National Council (2002-2005). He is currently also acting as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), Vice-President of the Board of Governors of the American University of Dubai, Member of the Board of Trustees of Dubai School of Government, Member of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Ethics Resource Centre, Member of Economic Treaties and E-Commerce Committee of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Member of the Panel of Experts of the Broadcasting and Publications Standards Tribunal of TECOM.

Gordon Blanke, MCIArb, an English-qualified lawyer, is a Senior Consultant with Habib Al Mulla & Co's International Arbitration Group. He has wide-ranging experience in all types of international commercial arbitration, having acted as advising counsel under most leading institutional arbitration rules (including the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, ADCCAC and JAMS arbitration rules) in arbitrations seated in the US, Europe and the Middle East in relation to a variety of industry sectors. Gordon has also acted as administrative secretary to a number of arbitration tribunals and has served a training period with the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France. He is widely-published, having authored many books and articles on international arbitration, is a member of the editorial boards of Arbitration, the Journal of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London, and of International Commercial Arbitration Review, published in association with the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Moscow, and is a regular speaker on international arbitration.

Karim Nassif, a Lebanese-qualified lawyer, is Partner and Head of Habib Al Mulla & Co's International Arbitration and Consultation Group. He has extensive experience in international and domestic arbitration, having acted as counsel under most leading institutional and regional arbitration rules (including the ICC, LCIA, DIAC and ADCCAC) in arbitrations seated in the UK, France and the Middle East in relation to a variety of industry sectors, including private equity, property developments, construction, commercial and distribution contracts, commercial agencies, hospitality, media and concession agreements.