Moving Forward: What Recent Decisions Have Impacted Arbitration In The Middle East?

Several recent judgments in the Middle East will impact businesses investing and litigation in the region.

In this briefing, we highlight the developments that may be welcomed and the pitfalls to be aware of.

Good news for banks: The enforceability of unilateral jurisdiction clauses in the UAE

Unilateral (sometimes referred to as asymmetric or "one-sided") jurisdiction clauses are clauses which provide that one party to a contract (usually a bank or financial institution) may unilaterally elect to bring proceedings before a local court (commonly where the counterparty has assets) or arbitral tribunal. Such unilateral jurisdiction clauses are generally considered unenforceable in most civil law countries.