Richard Bell

Richard Bell is a Partner at Al Tamimi & Company, based in Abu Dhabi. His practice focuses on Dispute Resolution, with over 16 years' experience in dealing with commercial disputes in Abu Dhabi and across the GCC.

He has particular expertise in disputes arising out of foreign direct investment into the GCC under commercial agency and distribution agreements, joint venture and shareholder agreements and venture capital funding agreements. Richard has extensive experience acting for clients in real estate disputes arising under development agreements and commercial leases, and is regularly instructed by banks and financial institutions to advise on enforcement risk in the UAE both onshore and in the ADGM.

Richard is a member of the dispute resolution sector group and is head of the firm's ADGM Court team. He is recognised by Chambers and Legal 500 as a "notable lawyer" with particular expertise in foreign direct investment-related disputes in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Prior to joining Al Tamimi, he spent 16 years with a well-known international law firm, where he worked in the firm's Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Shanghai offices. He is regularly asked to speak at conferences on topics relating to international and domestic arbitration in the GCC and litigating disputes in the onshore courts in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

His recent experience includes acting for a Spanish company in a USD80 million Abu Dhabi-seated LCIA arbitration claim arising out of a joint venture agreement, acting for a master developer in an AED500 million dispute before the Abu Dhabi Courts, acting for a finance company in the first contempt of court case before the ADGM Court, and acting for a Saudi company in a USD200 million CIETAC arbitration arising out of a supply agreement for commercial buses.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from Waikato University and was admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1995. He speaks English.