Mr Ahmed Abdel Hakam > Volterra Fietta > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Volterra Fietta Offices
8 MORTIMER STREET, FITZROY PLACE
LONDON
W1T 3JJ
England
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Mr Ahmed Abdel Hakam
Position
Partner at Volterra Fietta
Career
Ahmed is a Solicitor-Advocate (Civil and Criminal Higher Rights of Audience) before the Higher Courts of England & Wales and a French Avocat (Avocat au Barreau de Paris). He currently sits on the Dispute Resolution Committee of the Law Society of England & Wales and is Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the African Society of International Law. Since joining the firm, he has been advising and representing clients in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Ahmed holds Egyptian, French and British citizenships. He practices the full range of public international law, both in contentious and advisory work. Ahmed is one of the few lawyers in the world who genuinely practices in the field of State-to-State disputes. Since joining the firm, he has been involved in a number of cases before the International Court of Justice, including the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change Advisory Opinion case. He has long been acting for both States and investors in investment treaty arbitrations, including BIT cases before ICSID and the PCA. His experience in commercial arbitration proceedings includes all the major arbitral institutions, such as the ICC and the LCIA.
Ahmed’s investment treaty and commercial arbitration experience covers a broad range of sectors, including energy and natural resources. Ahmed is sought out by clients for his experience in successfully resolving cases which raise complex questions of international law, such as exploitation of natural resources in disputed territories, the status of private and public property following state secession, and the impact of civil unrest/war over the operation of energy and construction projects.
Ahmed also has an extensive practice in non-contentious and advisory work for clients around the world. He regularly advises on structuring and restructuring of investments and complex issues such as: the consequences of civil war on a State’s rights and obligations towards foreign investors; legal issues arising from the existence of competing governments; transboundary pipeline transit and transportation regimes; and related international law issues arising from State dislocation.
In 2021, Ahmed published his first book entitled “International Arbitration and Resolving Disputes Arising from Investments in Times of Crisis”. Ahmed’s book and other chapter contributions are available in the world’s most prestigious law faculties and libraries. In 2019, Ahmed was selected as a Young Leader by the Franco-British Council which, each year, nominates a select group of young French and British individuals under 40, with distinguished careers across a variety of sectors from sciences to arts, politics, law, the military and finance. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Arab Law Quarterly, which is the leading English language scholarly publication (by Brill) on all matters relating to the law and legal systems of the 22 states in the Arab League.
Ahmed is regularly listed in the leading legal directories. The Legal 500 has described him as “a fantastic lawyer – a real brain when it comes to public international law. He has a lot of experience as counsel in large arbitrations, and his ability is second to none” and as having “a thorough grounding in international law. His ability to operate in French and Arabic, as well as English, also sets him apart as a truly international practitioner.”
Languages
English, French, Arabic
Lawyer Rankings
London > Dispute resolution > Public international law
(Next Generation Partners)Exclusively focused on public international law, Volterra Fietta represents states, international organisations, and private parties on ICJ cases, maritime boundary issues, and investment treaty arbitrations, including ICSID claims. The practice is also expert in state immunity cases before the English courts, the laws of war and international humanitarian legislation, along with WTO matters, international trade law, international human rights and state responsibility. ‘One of the best public international lawyers of his generation’, Robert Volterra
represents governments, international organisations and private clients in an array of public international law and international dispute resolution issues; and Peter Flint acts for states and investors in disputes involving investment treaties and host state investment protection legislation. The practice further showcases Gunjan Sharma, whose ‘strategic guidance is clear and comprehensive’; state-to-state disputes expert Ahmed Abdel Hakam, whose investment treaty caseload covers the energy and natural resources sector; and Angela Ha, who is experienced in international human rights, the Law of the Sea, international investment law, sovereign immunities, the laws of war, and land and maritime boundary disputes Florentine Vos, Ben Burnham and Magdalena Kowalczuk Asher are also key team members.
London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration
Regarded by clients as ‘a market-leading firm in international arbitration, particularly public international law disputes’, Volterra Fietta‘s team is experienced in both commercial and investment treaty arbitrations, regularly being instructed by a diverse range of governments and major corporate clients. The practice is chaired by Robert Volterra, ‘a leading figure in the market’, whose considerable practice covers investment treaty arbitrations, commercial arbitrations, and advice concerning investment structuring and feasibility of claims under a range of treaties. Peter Flint regularly advises both governments and commercial parties in cross-border disputes concerning a host of sectors, engineering, energy, and financial services among them. Other key figures include Gunjan Sharma, noted for his capabilities in a wide array of high-value arbitrations, and Ahmed Abdel Hakam, who stands out for his expertise in State-to-State disputes in various arbitral institutions. Angela Ha, whose recent activity notably includes mining sector investor-State claims, is also recommended.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners London > Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Public international law London > Dispute resolution
- International arbitration London > Dispute resolution