Bird & Bird

Dispute Resolution

Bill heads Bird & Bird's Middle East dispute resolution practice, representing clients engaged in complex project disputes with a focus on international arbitration in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Bill's practice centres around assisting companies with the resolution of complex disputes that arise during the procurement or creation of major capital assets. With a passion for both the built and natural environments, he leverages his background in architecture and project management to help clients avoid and resolve disputes.

Bill has worked on major projects across various sectors, including transport, property, tourism, energy, mining, defence, healthcare, IT, and telecommunications. His experience spans multiple jurisdictions, including Australia, the UK, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East (including the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Syria).

Bill specialises in arbitration, litigation, expert determination, adjudication, and alternative dispute resolution, both domestically and internationally. He is acutely aware of the commercial pressures facing companies in dispute, and at the outset, will advise clients on the formulation of appropriate strategies to implement to achieve their commercial objectives as efficiently as possible when things start to become contentious.

He also provides project counsel services to minimise disputes during project execution and assists in restructuring distressed projects. Qualified to practice law in the UK and Australia, he has Part II rights of audience in the DIFC Courts and sit as an arbitrator.  BiIl chairs ACICA's Practice & Procedures Board, promoting international best practices in arbitration.

He is an active participant in pro bono schemes, and recently represented a client in a contentious strata scheme matter, including undertaking all the advocacy at the hearing.

English

2022 Panel arbitrator, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre 2022 Panel arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board 2020 Fellow, and panel arbitrator Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration 2019 Panel arbitrator, Dubai International Arbitration Centre 2014 Part II Rights of Appearance, DIFC Courts 2012 Legal Consultant, Legal Affairs Department, Dubai, UAE 2010 Graded arbitrator, Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia 2006 Professional Certificate in Arbitration (University of Adelaide) 2005 Associate of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia 2002 Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales 1999 Expert Determination Workshop, Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia 1998 Non-chartered Architect, Board of Architects New South Wales (lapsed) 1996 Accredited mediator LEADR, Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia, Admitted to practice as a Legal Practitioner of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria

1989 - University of Adelaide, Degree of Bachelor of Architectural Studies 1992 - University of Adelaide, Honours Degree of Bachelor of Architecture 1995 - University of Adelaide, Bachelor of Laws with Honours, Stow Prize in Law