Shadha Zawawi

Shadha Zawawi is a Senior Associate at Al Tamimi & Company, based in the firm’s DIFC office in Dubai, focusing on Arbitration and Mediation. She is a dual qualified dispute resolution lawyer with over 13 years of experience representing clients in complex real estate, commercial and construction disputes before international arbitration tribunals.

She advises developers, contractors and corporate clients on high-stakes disputes, employing a pragmatic approach to navigate complex and nuanced issues. She focuses on international arbitration matters and provides strategic dispute resolution advisory across key industry sectors including construction, real estate and commercial trade.

Shadha has handled over 80 matters in arbitration under the rules of international arbitration centres such as ICC, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC, QICCA, the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre (now arbitrateAD) and the Ajman Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre (AjCCAC). She has also acted as sole arbitrator in arbitrations before DIAC and previously served as an arbitral secretary to tribunals. Her work has included advising on the ratification and nullification of arbitral awards worth AED 2 billion before the Dubai and DIFC courts, and matters often involving complex, fact-intensive disputes requiring expert panels and investigations.

Her recent experience includes acting as Sole Arbitrator in DIAC arbitrations concerning commercial disputes between UAE-based companies relating to services agreements, supply of materials and a commercial unit lease; acting as Arbitral Secretary to Tribunals in DIAC arbitrations concerning a medical record system services agreement and real estate unit sale disputes; representing a UAE-based contractor in a large construction dispute against a UAE developer; representing a Qatar-based company in ICC and QICCA construction arbitrations; representing a Middle East government entity in an ICC arbitration relating to construction of a plant; representing a Dubai-based restaurant operator in an ICC arbitration concerning intellectual property licensing rights; and representing a main contractor in an ICC arbitration concerning MEP works for a large-scale data centre in Dubai with claims amounting to AED 22 million including counterclaims.

Shadha has contributed several Practice Notes on arbitration to Gulf Legal Advisor – Lexis Nexis Middle East and was shortlisted for the Lexis Nexis Author Award for Arbitration in 2020. She was a finalist for the ‘Rising Star – Inhouse’ category at The Law MEA Awards 2023. She is listed as a qualified arbitrator at DIAC, in the LCIA database of arbitrators, at Wasel & Wasel Arbitrator Services Inc., at the Center for International Investment & Commercial Arbitration, and at AjCCAC, and is a DIAC 40 Member.

She has been invited as a guest lecturer at Durham Law School on the role of UAE courts in enforcement of arbitral awards, and has published on arbitration topics including in the Kluwer Arbitration Blog and on arbitrateAD’s arbitration rules. She holds an LLB from the University of London, a Global Professional Master of Laws from the University of Toronto, an LL.M in International Business Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, and completed the Law Practice Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor in Ontario, Canada, and as an Advocate (subordinate courts) with the Sindh Bar Council, Pakistan. She speaks English and Urdu.