Mohammed R Alsuwaidi

Practice Areas

Dispute Resolution, Litigation, and Arbitration

Career

Mohammed Alsuwaidi is Founding and Managing Partner of Alsuwaidi & Company. Prior to founding Alsuwaidi & Company, Mohammed was the Head of Legal at Emirates General Petroleum Corporation. Over the past two decades, Mohammed has carved an enviable arbitration practice, supporting reputable names in the GCC and beyond.

Mohammed’s career is firmly rooted in the UAE. He is a prominent and learned professional in UAE law and has been called upon as a UAE law expert on numerous international arbitrations. To date, he has been appointed as an arbitrator on more than 70 arbitrations.

His commitment to the legal industry has been strong throughout his career. He was Vice Chairman of the Jurist Association in the UAE, was President of the Organization of Young Arab Lawyers, Deputy Chairman of the UAE Jurists Association and a former Board Member of the Human Rights Association in the UAE.

Today, Mohammed holds numerous memberships with established, international arbitration associations, and he is a licensed arbitrator in the International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation and Arbitration. He is highly networked and holds various offices which include, Vice President of Dubai Swiss Business Council, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of Ajman Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre (Ajman Chamber of Commerce).

Professional Memberships

Mohammed holds membership with:

The Steering Committee of ICC – UAE – Commission on Arbitration

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) UAE branch

The Islamic Lawyers Association, Arbitration Council in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA)

The UAE Bar Association, the American Bar Association

The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)

Publications

• Chambers Global Practice Guide UAE: Litigation 2019

• Chambers Global Practice Guide UAE: Litigation 2021

• Chambers Global Practice Guide UAE: Enforcement of Judgments 2021

• Chambers Global Practice Guide UAE: Litigation 2022

• The Legitimacy of Arbitration as a Means of Dispute Resolution

Languages Spoken

Arabic: Native

English: Oral and Written proficiency

Education

Experience

Litigation

• Extensive experience in civil, commercial and criminal litigation in all Courts of the UAE since 1986.

• Acted as Lawyer for many national and international clients for disputes on matters governed by UAE Law.

Arbitration

• Appointed by various institutions and private parties as Tribunal Chairman, Co-Arbitrator, or Sole Arbitrator in more than 85 ad-hoc and institutional arbitrations under the rules of Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation & Arbitration (IICRA), Sharjah Arbitration Centre, Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation & Arbitration Centre (ADCCAC) and London Court International Arbitration (LCIA);

• Acted as counsel for local and international clients on multi-party disputes and arbitration proceedings related to issues on investments, commerce and construction; and

• Appointed as UAE Law Expert in domestic and international arbitrations.

Corporate & Commercial

• Advised local and international clients as well as UAE authorities and semi-Government bodies on various corporate and commercial issues; and

• Negotiated, drafted, reviewed and advised on numerous contracts including joint ventures agreements, shareholders agreements, mergers & acquisitions, FIDIC contracts, distribution agreements and other tailored-made contracts.

Maritime

• Executed and facilitated ship arrests for the benefit of and/or defended against ship arrest for clients including ship-owners, shipyards, bunkering companies, international commodities traders and insurers over 20 years of law firm practice;

• Advised and acted on Dubai Drydocks ship arrest issues related to ship repair and dry-docking works;

• Advised and acted for bunkering traders in Fujairah for ship arrest matters related to bunkering dispute;

• Reviewed contracts of carriage and agency agreements, highlighting areas of concerns, ensuring the contracts and agreements are fit for purpose, and evaluating the associated risks; and

• Negotiated and drafted contracts of carriage of goods by sea with shipbrokers and shippers.

Oil & Gas

• Acting as Legal Advisor for Emoil Petroleum Storage FZCO;

• Acted as Legal Advisor responsible for all legal and corporate affairs of Emirates General Petroleum Corporation ('Emarat'). Emarat is a UAE Federal Government entity in Dubai for marketing and distribution of petroleum products in the UAE.

• Negotiated and help drafting the Joint Venture Agreement between EMARAT and MOBIL for Dubai Airport;

• Negotiated and help drafting the Operation Agreement for fueling facility of Dubai Airport;

• Negotiated and drafted the agreements related to Emarat’s acquisition of shares in Middle East Lubricants Company LLC;

• Drafted and reviewed numerous construction agreements based on the FIDIC conditions of contract; and

• Drafted and reviewed various agreements on sales, gas pipeline, gas transmission, gas purchase, pipeline maintenance, etc.

Expert Witness

• Expert evidence in LMAA Reference

Acted as a UAE law expert in a London seated arbitration proceedings and provided an opinion on the UAE Law and on the UAE Maritime Law with regards to exercise of a “lien” under UAE law, attachment of a cargo, arrest and other proceedings against the vessel/crew.

• Legal Opinion on Res Judicata Application under UAE Laws

Provided witness statements in DIAC Arbitration case with regard to the doctrine of res judicata applied under UAE law and its relation with interim relief (e.g. precautionary attachment orders) in arbitration proceedings.

• ADGM Courts

Acted as a UAE Law expert by reviewing a witness of facts statement in a matter of Insolvency in order to confirm the veracity of the comments in respect of UAE law and attended hearing in front of the ADGM Courts.