Sharon Lakhan

Head of Arbitration and Common Law Dispte Resolution
Global Advocacy and Legal Counsel

Experience

Sharon is an Australian qualified lawyer with extensive legal experience in the UAE, having worked in Dubai, since 2009.

She specializes in advising clients on a wide array of legal issues, including employment matters, corporate and commercial advisory, and litigation pertaining to financial miss-selling, property disputes, insolvency and general commercial litigation as well as all types of arbitration matters including ICC, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC and ad hoc arbitrations.

Sharon is the Head of the Arbitration and Common Law Dispute Resolution Departments at Global Advocacy and Legal Counsel, and is registered in Part II of the DIFC Courts' Register of Practitioners.

Previous experience includes advising:

  • A local property developer in DIFC-LCIA arbitration proceedings commenced by an investor seeking termination of multiple sale and purchase agreements for alleged changes to the nature of a building arising out of modification works undertaken by the developer.
  • An Australian company in ICC arbitration proceedings regarding breaches of an intellectual property licensing agreement.
  • A UAE entity in DIAC arbitration proceedings pertaining to the unlawful presentation of performance bonds.
  • A UAE company in ad hoc arbitration proceedings adopting the UNCITRAL rules and with the seat as the DIFC for the recovery of sums due pursuant to contract.
  • Parties seeking to ratify or challenge arbitral awards in both the DIFC Courts and the UAE Courts.
  • A Cayman Islands Fund in DIFC Court proceedings for the recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment, involving a constitutional and jurisdictional challenge as well as advice on enforcement mechanisms through the UAE "onshore" Courts.
  • International investors on the recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment against Sharjah domiciled judgment debtors, including on DIFC and "onshore" mechanisms for enforcement.
  • An individual in DIFC Court proceedings against a prominent local real estate developer for breach of contract and refund of monies paid towards the purchase price of a property in a DIFC residential development, with a subsequent charging order over the entire development.
  • The Claimants in proceedings commenced against a DFSA regulated bank for breach of contract and damages as a result of breaches of the DIFC Regulatory Law, including two appeals to the Court of Appeal and a two-week trial in 2013.
  • Individual claimants in DIFC Court proceedings against a DFSA regulated bank for miss-selling of financial products.
  • A Liquidator in DIFC Court Proceedings in the Court of Appeal in an application to obtain access to auditors' working papers.
  • Two of four partners to a DIFC Limited Liability Partnership in DIFC Court proceedings to wind up the Partnership on insolvency and Just and Equitable grounds.

Professional memberships, publications and speaking engagements

Sharon is a member of the Law Society of New South Wales, and is a registered DIFC Courts Practitioner.

She regularly lectures for the DIFC Academy of Law Certificate of DIFC Courts Procedures on the Early Disposal of Claims.