Gateley Middle East expands dispute resolution team

Gateley Middle East has announced the appointment of Alim Khamis as Head of Disputes, bolstering its team in Dubai. Alim, a partner and arbitration specialist, will focus on high-value, cross-border disputes, particularly within the construction, commercial, and energy sectors. His role will involve leveraging Gateley’s existing disputes and arbitration expertise to effectively support clients throughout the region. Moreover, his presence will enhance the services provided by Gateley Legal’s international disputes team based in London.

This strategic appointment comes at a time of significant growth for Gateley Middle East, particularly following their relocation to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) last year. The team’s expansion is evident with the inclusion of key positions such as managing partner Darren Harris and family business partner Nora Al Muhamad, illustrating the firm’s commitment to strengthening its operational capabilities in Dubai.

“I am pleased to be joining the Gateley Middle East team, and to lead on further enhancing its disputes practice here in Dubai,” Alim stated, emphasising his dedication to strengthening the practice. He believes in the firm’s existing strong capabilities in complex, international disputes, and added, “I look forward to growing the team further in the Middle East to complement these existing capabilities and provide clients with comprehensive dispute resolution services, including dispute avoidance, arbitration, litigation and mediation.”

Darren Harris echoed this sentiment, recognising Alim's appointment as a vital step in building a robust presence in Dubai. “Alim’s appointment represents our latest investment in building a presence in Dubai and establishing a Middle East hub that provides clients with unrivalled, integrated legal services,” he remarked. Harris believes Alim’s extensive experience in the construction and infrastructure sectors positions him well to develop a disputes practice that synergises with their expanded corporate team and serves the unique needs of their clients in the region.

Prior to joining Gateley, Alim served as a Partner at Dentons LLP, and later, as Head of Office at an international law firm in Qatar. His impressive career spans over a decade, covering disputes associated with multi-million and billion-dollar construction and infrastructure projects across various jurisdictions, including Asia, North America, the GCC, and Australia. Additionally, Alim has led numerous international and domestic arbitration proceedings, handling cross-border cases within the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).