Perspectives
from the practice.
Updates, insights, and developments from Aarta Alkarimi's work and professional interests across international arbitration, mediation, dispute resolution, and the sectors in which she practices..
- — 0115 Jul 2026Recognition
Lexology Index Thought Leader — Construction 2026
Lexology Index ranks Aarta Alkarimi as one of the leading "Thought Leaders - Construction" for 2026.
A link to Lexology Index's page is here.
- — 02Jan 2026Publication
Chapter Contribution — Major Issues in International Construction Law
Aarta Alkarimi has contributed a chapter to the book "Major Issues in International Construction Law (First Edition)" published in December 2025 by renowned publisher Wiley's. The book's editors were Mauro Rubino-Sammartano and Troy Harris.
An abstract to Aarta's chapter "Prevention of Claims: The Various Paths" can be found on the publisher's website here.
- — 032024Recognition
Arbitrator of the Year — LexisNexis
Aarta Alkarimi named Arbitrator of the Year at the 2024 LexisNexis Awards, recognising sustained excellence in international arbitration.
- — 042023Recognition
Mediator of the Year (UAE) — Lawyer Monthly
The firm's partner is awarded Mediator of the Year for the UAE at the Lawyer Monthly ADR Awards.
- — 05Feb 2020Firm
A New Member of Our Team
Following a very successful 2019, we welcome Nick Cowie — adding further strength to our construction and infrastructure sector arbitration and mediation practices.
- — 06Jun 2019Firm
Meet Our New Senior Counsel
The firm announces the appointment of a new Senior Counsel joining the practice in London.
- — 072018Recognition
Best Young Arbitrator — DIAC (Gold)
The Dubai International Arbitration Centre recognises the firm's partner in the Gold category of its Best Young Arbitrator award.
- — 08Oct 2016Insight
The Road to Qatar's Construction of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Stadiums
by Aarta Alkarimi — IBA Annual Conference 2016, Washington DC, USAIntroduction
The scale and level of complexity associated with hosting a major international sports event such as the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics and the football World Cup imposes multi-faceted challenges on the organizers in several realms. These include political, legal, logistical, financial and security considerations; to name but a few.
Coupled with the intense scrutiny of the media and the highly emotive sentiments of sports enthusiasts, it is very common for the stakeholders of such events to be criticized for various aspects of their arrangements in the months and years leading up to the opening ceremonies.
Once the games proceed, a different level of scrutiny comes as a result of their very public nature; and the aftermath brings its own set of challenges, criticism and accountability as a result of legacy issues (for example, physical infrastructure conversion and use, financial performance and debt repayment, and the legacy left for the host community).
- — 09March 2016(originally published in Chadbourne & Parke "NewsWire", April 2013)Insight
Avoiding Costly Missteps in Construction
by Aarta Alkarimi“[E]xcept in the middle of a battlefield, nowhere must men coordinate the movement of other men and all materials in the midst of such chaos and with such limited certainty of present facts and future occurrences as in a huge construction project [...] Even the most painstaking planning frequently turns out to be mere conjecture and accommodation to changes must necessarily be of the rough, quick and ad hoc sort, analogous to ever-changing commands on the battlefield.”
— Blake Const. Co., Inc. v. C. J. Coakley Co., Inc., 431 A.2d 569, 675 (D.C. 1981)The consequences of poor planning, insufficient resources, and the lack of adaptable strategies can lead to mission failure. In this aspect, the judges hearing Blake Construction Co. vs. C. J. Coakley Co. were acutely aware that construction endeavors are inherently risky and litigating them can be very complicated.
With large construction contracts commonly running into the hundreds of millions of dollars, the stakes are high and the tolerance for errors is low. Mistakes can not only jeopardize projects but prove fatal to businesses as a whole.