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ARTICLE · 26 SEPTEMBER 2025

Drafting Robust Qatar Arbitration Clauses: Lessons From D v E And C v D

Charles Russell Speechlys Dubai
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Recent judgments from the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Court have highlighted the critical importance of precise drafting in arbitration clauses...

United Arab EmiratesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Christopher O'Brien
Christopher O'Brien

Recent judgments from the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Court have highlighted the critical importance of precise drafting in arbitration clauses, particularly within Qatar's unique dual-jurisdictional legal landscape. While the Court has demonstrated a welcome, pro-arbitration stance by striving to give commercial effect to ambiguous clauses, the cases of D v E [2025] QIC (F) 38 and C v D [2025] QIC (F) 44 serve as a cautionary tale for transactional lawyers and in-house counsel. Relying on a court to resolve ambiguity is an expensive and time-consuming risk.

This article explores the key takeaways from these decisions and provides five practical drafting fixes to ensure your arbitration clauses are robust, clear, and enforceable from the outset.

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