Suzannah Fairbairn

Suzannah Fairbairn is a Partner in Dentons' Middle East Construction and Engineering practice, specializing in Dispute Resolution. She advises on high‑value, complex construction disputes, with particular expertise in international arbitration involving defective design and workmanship, delay and disruption, and contract interpretation, acting for contractors, employers, and consultants.

Suzannah has been involved in numerous significant disputes, including acting on an ad hoc arbitration against a Middle Eastern government entity involving sums in dispute in excess of US$5 billion concerning an award‑winning infrastructure project; providing project counsel advice to a developer on a retail development in Abu Dhabi with claims in the region of US$400 million; drafting a government's standard form construction contract for all capital projects across the jurisdiction; acting in an UNCITRAL arbitration for an international oil and gas company defending a claim relating to a refinery project in Saudi Arabia with claims valued at around SAR 600 million; and acting on a DIAC arbitration defending claims in excess of US$800 million in relation to a transport infrastructure project in the UAE, successfully applying to bifurcate proceedings and obtaining a determination that the client has no liability for the sums claimed.

She holds an LL.B (Hons) with First Class Honours from Keele University (2007) and completed her Legal Practice Course with distinction from the University West of England (2009). She qualified as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2012 and as a Solicitor Advocate in 2016.

Suzannah is ranked in Chambers & Partners and recognised as a "Next Generation Partner" by The Legal 500. She serves on the RICS World Regional Board and is Co‑ordinator for the Society of Construction Law in Abu Dhabi, and is a committed advocate for diversity and sustainability in the industry.