Kennedys

 

Represented by:

Peter Ellingham

Partner

Qualification

Qualified in England and Wales in 1990

Peter is a Partner in Kennedys' Dubai office. He qualified with Kennedys in 1990 in England and Wales, became a Partner in 1996 and was based in our London office before relocating to Dubai in 2012.

Peter specialises in insurance and reinsurance and dispute resolution, advising insurers (including reinsurers) and insurance intermediaries on issues of policy interpretation, claims avoidance, claims handling, litigation defence and alternative dispute resolution.

Peter is experienced in and advises across a wide range of insurance sectors, which is typical of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

Peter has co-authored Practical Law Multi-Jurisdictional Guide – Insurance Guide 2016 – Dubai and Getting the Deal Through, Insurance and Reinsurance – United Arab Emirates, 2016 and 2017.

Market recognition

A Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation (United Arab Emirates)' "Peter Ellingham handle[s] insurance work, including claims concerning D&O, marine and fire policies."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2019

A Notable Practitioner (Spotlight Table) for 'Insurance (United Arab Emirates)' "Clients recognise his availability and responsiveness, saying: 'He was even available at the weekend, and even when he needed to take time to think, he was quick to respond.'"
Chambers Global 2018

A Ranked Lawyer for 'Dispute Resolution (United Arab Emirates)'; 'Insurance (United Arab Emirates)' "Clients say that Peter Ellingham 'always provides great support, be it the advice given or the overall client service.'"
Chambers Global 2017

A Leader in their field for 'Dispute Resolution (United Arab Emirates)'; 'Insurance (United Arab Emirates)' "'Peter was excellent. He put the claimant at ease and gave us very good advice on the jurisdiction, talking us through alternatives instead of encouraging litigation.'"
Chambers Global 2016

Work highlights

  • While in UK, handled group litigation, for example multi-million pound claims against tax advisors, and claims by approximately 1,000 policyholders involved in an insurance scheme for small contractors.
  • Advised on policy response and claims defence in connection with high profile fires in Dubai. This included advising the Dubai office of international insurers on the defence of a fire claim, which lead to a groundbreaking decision that distinguished between first and third party liability for insurers in Dubai.
  • Handled the defence of a high value professional indemnity claim against construction and financial professionals in the United Arab Emirates, including claims on high profile developments.
  • Advised insurers on the successful defence of a directors' and officers' (D&O) claim in Muscat, which illustrated the different scope of cover available under a D&O policy in GCC jurisdictions when compared with common law jurisdictions.
  • Advised a hotel chain and its insurers on the handling and ultimately successful rejection of an alleged food poisoning claim in Dubai.

Celine Abi Habib Kanakri

Partner

Profile

Celine is a partner in our Dubai office who specialises in UAE and international arbitration. She qualified in Lebanon in 2005 and is also a registered legal consultant in Dubai.

With over 10 years' experience practicing in the Middle East, Celine's expertise in domestic and international arbitration spans a range of industry sectors. Her focus is on UAE and international arbitration across a range of industry sectors, including real estate, commercial and construction disputes. She also has considerable experience of corporate, civil and commercial law within the UAE and has been involved in drafting several UAE decrees, laws and regulations.

Predominantly acting for multi-national corporates, construction companies and high net worth individuals, Celine has also been involved with drafting training materials for the Dubai Legal Affairs Department.

She is also fluent in Arabic, English and French, and is a member of the UAE International Chamber of Commerce and Arbitral Women. Celine also sits as arbitrator with leading institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Dubai International Financial Centre and London Court of International Arbitration (DIFC-LCIA), and Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) – from whom she was awarded best sole arbitrator under the age of 40 in 2018.

Nick Humphrey

Partner

Qualification

Qualified in New South Wales in 2005

Nick is a partner in Kennedys' Dubai office and leads our aviation and transport practice in the Middle East. He qualified in New South Wales in 2005 and is a registered foreign lawyer of England and Wales.

He specialises in aviation and transport liability claims, dispute resolution, regulatory and commercial law. He has a unique understanding of the transport, logistics and aviation sectors, with previous in-house experience as the principal lawyer of dnata's global ground handling and cargo operations and as senior legal counsel at defence logistics provider Supreme Group, where he oversaw the provision of air, sea and land supply chain operations for the International Security Assistance Force and US forces in Afghanistan. Prior to moving to the Middle East, Nick was a partner of one of Australia's preeminent aviation and shipping law firms.

Nick advises a broad range of companies across the transport and aviation sectors, including airlines, drone operators, ship managers, MROs, fixed base operators and their insurers, on both contentious and non-contentions matters. These include advising on aviation and transport related liability claims and litigation; advising on regulatory matters involving the operation of aircraft throughout the Middle East, including applications for air operator's certificates, aircraft grounded for regulatory breaches, airline ownership and control issues under local laws and bilateral air service agreements; reviewing, drafting and negotiating aviation commercial contracts, including aircraft maintenance agreements, ground transport agreements, warehousing and logistics agreements, cargo and passengers general sales agency agreements, aircraft operating agreements, aircraft, complete crew, maintenance and insurance, and charter agreements for fixed wing and rotary aircraft, airport lounge and concession agreements; and advising on aviation risk, compliance and workplace health and safety issues.

As an advocate, Nick has successfully litigated and defended high value claims under institutional arbitration rules in complex cross border transport disputes.

He is the current chairperson and co-founder of the Royal Aeronautical Society's Air Law Group - Middle East Chapter and is a director of the Australian Business Council of Dubai.

Market recognition

A Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation' "Nick Humphrey contributes aviation expertise."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2019

Work highlights

  • Aviation liability: representing aviation underwriters in the claims arising from the Transair Fairchild Metro 23 VH-TFU at Lockhart River; Australia's worst aviation accident in 50 years.
  • Arbitration: lead advocate in arbitration under the Dubai International Arbitration Centre Rules representing military logistics supplier in successfully defending claims exceeding US$65 million relating to the transportation of fuel and food across Afghanistan.
  • Dubai courts: representing aircraft engine lessor in successfully obtaining judgment against United Arab Emirates aircraft.
  • General Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: acting for leading Middle East MRO in proceedings against defaulting customer for breach of an aircraft maintenance agreement.
  • Commercial aviation: drafted the maintenance and hangarage terms and conditions and developed the contract management framework for one of the largest MROs in the Middle East.

Mark Wilson

Partner

Qualification

  • Qualified in Hong Kong in 1992
  • Qualified in England and Wales in 1991
  • Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 1985

Experience

  • Dispute resolution (litigation, arbitration and ADR)
  • Project advice
  • Contract/policy interpretation and drafting
  • "Kennedys has made a distinct impression on the UAE market since launching a Dubai office in 2006. Better recognised for its contentious work, it has represented a series of major contractors on significant disputes relating to key developments in Dubai and the region. Having appeared in a range of dispute resolution forums in the vicinity including DIAC, it is now a formidable name in the UAE construction sector." - Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2009/2010)

Memberships

  • Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
  • Society of Construction Law (Hong Kong)

Market recognition

A Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation (Dubai)' "Mark Wilson handle[s] insurance work, including claims concerning D&O, marine and fire policies."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2019

A Recommended Lawyer for 'Construction' "Mark Wilson handles arbitrations concerning defective designs and terminations and other construction issues, representing contractors and employers."
The Legal 500 EMEA 2019

A Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute resolution (Dubai)'
The Legal 500 EMEA, 2016

A Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute resolution (Dubai)'
The Legal 500 EMEA, 2015

Work highlights

  • Chek Lap Kok Airfield tunnels (litigation)
  • Tsing Ma Bridge (adjudication)
  • ADB headquarters building, Manila, PRP (ICC arbitration)
  • Chek Lap Kok main passenger terminal building (project advice/mediation)
  • Parkview Development (domestic arbitration)
  • "The Balder" FPU (insurance dispute)

Publications

  • Global Claims at the Crossroads (1995) 11 Const. L.J. 15
  • Hong Kong's New Airport and the Resolution of Disputes (1995) 25 HKLJ 363
  • (Listed in) Who's Who of the Law (Hong Kong) 1998 – 2000, 2004