Soraya Corm-Bakhos
Counsel, Watson Farley & Williams (Middle East) LLP
Soraya is an experienced disputes lawyer and arbitration practitioner with over 12 years’ experience in the UAE. Prior to joining Watson Farley & Williams (Middle East) LLP, she practiced in the Dispute Resolution teams of Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla and DWF (Middle East) LLP. She has wide-ranging experience in all types of international commercial arbitrations, having acted as advising counsel under major institutional arbitration rules (including ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIFC-LCIA and DIAC) and ad hoc in arbitrations seated in Europe and the Middle East in relation to a wide variety of industry sectors, including real estate/construction, oil & gas and banking and finance. Soraya also regularly sits as arbitrator (sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator and chair) in arbitrations mainly related to real estate, sale and purchase disputes and commercial disputes.
Soraya has authored several publications in the field of arbitration and more specifically in relation to Middle Eastern arbitration related topics. Soraya is fluent in French, English and Arabic.
Before coming to the UAE in 2008, she practised in Paris in the law firm of J.P. Karsenty & Associés where she gained extensive experience advising on all types of civil, commercial and corporate transactions and representing clients before the French Courts in a variety of commercial disputes.
Soraya was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2003 and holds a Masters in Private Law and a DEA in Private International Law and International Trade Law from Assas University in Paris, France.
