Habib Al Mulla & Partners

Arbitration

Partner and Head of Arbitration

Dr. Karen Seif leads the International Arbitration team at Habib Al Mulla and Partners. She advises on high-stakes disputes across a range of sectors and regularly represents clients in arbitrations under the rules of leading institutions such as DIAC, the ICC, LCIA, AAA-ICDR, UNCITRAL, and arbitrate-ad (formerly ADCCAC), She is a registered practitioner in the ADGM Courts and the DIFC Courts. She also sits as an arbitrator and is admitted to the DIAC panel of arbitrators.

She is a registered practitioner in the ADGM Courts and the DIFC Courts. She also sits as an arbitrator and is admitted to the DIAC panel of arbitrators.

Dr. Seif holds esteemed faculty positions at the Sorbonne University (Abu Dhabi), and previously at New York University (Abu Dhabi). She has also served as a judicial fellow in the United States Federal Courts (Northern District of California).

Representative Matters

Acting as Counsel for a major Indian bank in ADGM Courts proceedings arising out of claims of circa USD 5 billion. Acting for a shareholder of a medical software company in complex multi-party, multi-jurisdictional DIFC Court proceedings relating to software IP rights and shareholder claims. Representing a UAE governmental entity in an arbitrate-AD construction arbitration with claims in excess of AED 48 million. Representing a shareholder of a luxury 5-star hotel in a DIAC arbitration relating to the operation and management agreement. Acting for a company in the luxury aviation sector in the DIFC Courts. Advised a US public company (listed on the New York Stock Exchange) in relation to the termination of a Commercial Agency Agreement. Represented a Saudi company in a DIAC arbitration under Saudi law brought by a UAE entity with claims in excess of SAR 55 million.

English, French, Arabic

Equal Representative in Arbitration Pledge (MENA Committee) American Bar Association

Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD), University of California at Berkeley (2022) LL.M., University of California at Berkeley (2015) LL.M., International Dispute Resolution and Economic Law (with Merit), (2015) License and Master’s (with Honors), Universite Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne (2012)