Bill Smith

Bill Smith is a Partner and heads Bird & Bird's Middle East dispute resolution practice, based in the United Arab Emirates. His practice focuses on Arbitration and Mediation, representing clients engaged in complex project disputes with a focus on international arbitration in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

His practice centres around assisting companies with the resolution of complex disputes that arise during the procurement or creation of major capital assets. With a background in architecture and project management, he helps clients avoid and resolve disputes.

He has worked on major projects across various sectors, including transport, property, tourism, energy, mining, defence, healthcare, IT and telecommunications. His experience spans multiple jurisdictions, including Australia, the UK, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East (including the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Syria).

He specialises in arbitration, litigation, expert determination, adjudication and alternative dispute resolution, both domestically and internationally. He is acutely aware of the commercial pressures facing companies in dispute, and at the outset will advise clients on the formulation of appropriate strategies to achieve their commercial objectives as efficiently as possible.

He also provides project counsel services to minimise disputes during project execution and assists in restructuring distressed projects. Qualified to practise law in the UK and Australia, he has Part II rights of audience in the DIFC Courts and sits as an arbitrator. He chairs ACICA's Practice & Procedures Board, promoting international best practices in arbitration.

He is an active participant in pro bono schemes, and recently represented a client in a contentious strata scheme matter, including undertaking all the advocacy at the hearing. Legal 500 quotes a client describing him as "creative, collaborative and a pair of safe-hands – the full package."