- Phone
- +971 4 246 1952
Profile
Work Department
Position
Head of International Arbitration
Career
Tom is our Head of International Arbitration. He is a globally recognized international arbitration specialist whose experience covers a wide range of industries, sectors, and types of disputes.
Tom's practice focuses on international commercial arbitration, international investment disputes, state-to-state arbitration, and foreign sovereign immunity issues. His experience covers a wide range of industries, sectors, and types of disputes, including oil-and-gas, construction, hospitality, telecommunications, automobile manufacturing, distribution agreements, shareholder disputes, and joint-venture disputes.
Tom is recognised as a Global Elite Thought Leader in Who’s Who Legal Arbitration and is ranked for dispute resolution in Chambers United Arab Emirates, which notes that “Tom’s knowledge and expertise is extremely impressive” and that “he has the ability to advise and write with an uncommon degree of precision and clarity.”
Tom was also named to the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist – Middle East Region in 2022 and 2023. In the Legal 500 United Arab Emirates (2020), Tom was described as having “cross-examination skills [that] are excellent. He listens hard, is polite to witnesses and yet wields an iron fist beneath his velvet glove.”
Lexology’s Client Choice has recognized Tom twice for Arbitration & ADR in the United Arab Emirates. Client Choice, which is unique in that lawyers can only be nominated by corporate counsel, recognizes those lawyers who stand apart for excellent client care and have “an ability to add real value to clients’ business above and beyond the other players in the market”.
He was also recognized by Asian Legal Business in its listing of Super 50 Lawyers in MENA 2022.
Tom has sat as an arbitrator and is on the panel of arbitrators of several arbitral institutions around the world. He is also a member of the following bodies:
- Board of Directors of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC),
- Court of Arbitration of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC),
- International Arbitration Committee of KCAB International (an independent division of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board);
- Arbitration Council of the Arbitration and Mediation Center of Armenia (AMCA);
- Arbitration Committee of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA); and the
- Executive Committee of the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA) Users Council (Realty).
He frequently writes and speaks on topics involving international law and dispute resolution. Prior to relocating to Dubai, he was a professorial lecturer in law at the George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC.
From 2001 to 2009, Tom was a member of the legal team representing the Ethiopian Government before the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission, an international arbitral tribunal that adjudicated claims for loss, damage and injury arising during an international armed conflict. In this context, he worked as a resident attorney in Addis Ababa for three years.
Content supplied by Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘A leading team in the region that bring a global worldview to their practice.’
‘Sara Sheffield is a creative thinker and problem solver. She advised on a particular matter that involved a series of novel strategies as options alongside more traditional options. She worked to cut through complexity to devise the most straightforward solution. She is my 'go to' in the region.'
‘I have worked the most with Sara Sheffield in CRS's Dubai office in the context of enforcing a DIAC award in the DIFC and UAE onshore. I was impressed with Sara's responsiveness, business acumen and readiness to find a solution for her client, who had a good claim but was unable to fund the litigation himself. Sara and CRS offered this client a fully contingent fee pricing model (secured by an insurance policy).'
‘The team is distinguished by its deep expertise in complex disputes and litigation matters, and contentious insolvency and restructuring matters. Their strong local knowledge combined with international experience makes them well-equipped to handle diverse client needs in the UAE and the wider GCC.'
The team is known for its responsiveness and understanding of client challenges, which is crucial for navigating disputes effectively. Sara Sheffield is an absolute powerhouse in the region, leading the Offshore Litigation practice, and also instructed on unique matters in the region such as the first ever crypto dispute in the UAE. Nicola Jackson is noted for her extensive experience in insolvency-related matters and has participated in high-profile cases, establishing her as a leading figure in the field. Together, Sara and Nicola enhance the team's reputation, providing clients with exceptional legal representation and strategic insights in disputes.’‘Sara Sheffield is known for her strategic thinking and ability to navigate complex legal landscapes. Sara brings a wealth of experience that complements the team's strengths in dispute resolution. She has a stellar reputation both in the region and internationally, and has had an ever growing practice in the region. Nicola Jackson comes with over 15 years of experience in the Middle East. She has built her reputation as a prominent insolvency litigator, praised for her practical advice and successful outcomes in high-stakes cases. She knows the market very well, she is very technical, approachable and highly effective. She always has very sound advice and is extremely reliable.’
‘Sara Sheffield has been a leading partner for years, offering exceptional legal insight, but also a canny approach to litigating cases for her clients in a way that achieves results, and deploys resources effectively. She is one of the best. Peter Smith is very technically proficient and has a really good understanding of the law, and the local market.'
‘Sara Sheffield has emerged over the course of the past five years as an increasingly popular choice for hard-fought arbitration and litigation in the UAE. She is tough and aggressive in making her client's case, but always has an eye to the strategic and commercial objectives of that client. She has particular experience of working with litigation funders.'
Key clients
- Huobi OTC DMCC Standard Chartered Bank Gulf Bank of Kuwait Micca Ferrero and others v Drecford Holding Limited and others Shiraz Mahmood v Standard Chartered Bank DIFC