Ali Al-Khasawneh

Of Counsel

Geneva

London

Ali handles both investment treaty and commercial arbitrations predominantly in the energy, construction, tech and telecommunications fields.

Ali has acted as counsel in arbitration proceedings under the ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, Swiss, ICSID and DIAC rules in arbitrations seated in London, Paris, The Hague, Dubai, Madrid, Geneva, Zurich and Muscat, and governed by English, UAE, German, New York, Omani, Swiss, Saudi and Libyan laws. 

Ali serves as a member of the ICC's Commission on Arbitration & ADR and acts as arbitrator. Ali has also acted as tribunal secretary in arbitral proceedings under the ICC rules and Permanent Court of Arbitration administered arbitrations under the UNCITRAL rules.

Prior to joining Orrick, Ali was previously legal counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. Ali also worked at an investment treaty arbitration specialist law firm in Paris and at the Dubai office of a leading international law firm.

  • Some of Ali’s representative matters include the following engagements:

    • Represented a Spanish contractor in an ICC arbitration against an owner regarding the construction of a solar power plant in Mexico.
    • Represented a Spanish contractor in an ICC arbitration against a Jamaican State-owned owner regarding the construction of a combined cycle power plant in Jamaica.
    • Represented a Swiss based owner of valuable trademark licenses in an ICC arbitration concerning the termination of a distribution agreement in the Middle East.
    • Represented a UAE based investment firm in an arbitration under the Swiss Arbitration Centre rules regarding breaches of a partnership interest purchase agreement.
    • Represented a Romanian manufacturer in an arbitration under the Swiss Arbitration Centre rules against a Swiss based commodities trader concerning the importation of Russian ferroalloys.
    • Represented a UAE investor in UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings valued at over US$1.2 billion against a North African State under the Agreement on Promotion, Protection and Guarantee of Investments among Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, in connection with losses and the expropriation of an investment in a joint venture with a State-owned oil company for the ownership, running and upgrading of Africa’s largest oil refinery.
    • Represented a UAE investor in two ancillary ICC proceedings against a State oil corporation relating to force majeure, hardship and contractual shareholders’ takeover mechanisms.
    • Represented a Qatari investor in a c. US$150 million ICC arbitration against two global vehicle production brands for the unlawful termination of vehicle dealerships.
    • Represented two investors in a c. US$300 million investment treaty arbitration against a State regarding the regulatory expropriation of a bank.
    • Represented a Jordanian employer in a c. US$100 million ICC arbitration against an Indian State-owned contractor regarding the construction of a power plant in Iraqi Kurdistan.
    • Represented a high-profile individual in a c. US$500 million telecommunications investment LCIA arbitration.
    • Represented a UAE contractor in a c. AED 125 million construction dispute against a government owned developer under the DIAC rules.