Given the current number of disputes involving Russian parties in Dubai and the exponentially larger number of Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) arbitration clauses entered into after 2022, the political situation in the East raises concerns regarding the continued viability of dispute resolution in the region.

UCL Law Firm and KIAP Law Firm invited business representatives and corporate counsel to an event dedicated to the practical aspects of dispute resolution in Dubai today, where participants discussed the features of this jurisdiction and addressed DIAC and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) as alternative dispute resolution venues that have replaced European institutions but have faced unpredictable developments.

The discussion focused on the following issues:

• The practical significance of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) status for DIAC.

• Features and advantages of DIAC – current relevance.

• DIFC Courts and UAE courts: conflict of jurisdictions.

• Interim measures in support of foreign judicial and arbitration proceedings: the capabilities of DIFC and onshore courts.

• Case law on jurisdiction: the role of the Conflict of Jurisdiction Tribunal.

• Arbitration clauses and the choice of seat of arbitration in 2026.

Speakers:

• Stepan Sultanov – Partner, Head of International Arbitration Practice at KIAP Law Firm, • Sergey Levichev – Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution Practice at UCL.

Guest Speaker:

• Dr. Khaled Ali Alhadhrami – Co-Founder of UCL, Professor of Law at the University of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, DIAC, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) Arbitrator, former Chief Prosecutor of Abu Dhabi.

Sergey Levichev, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution Practice at UCL | Dr. Khaled, and Dr. Khaled Ali Alhadhrami, Co-Founder of UCL | Dr. Khaled, discussed the distinctive features and advantages of DIAC, the capabilities of the UAE in supporting foreign judicial and arbitration proceedings before DIAC and state courts, and shared recent case law.LL.M.