Dubai Arbitration Week

Serle Court members Rupert Reed KC, Zoe O’Sullivan KC, Michael Walsh KC, Stephen Doherty, Adrian de Froment, and Gregor Hogan will speak and attend various events throughout Dubai Arbitration Week, which takes place from 9 – 13 November.

Find out more about the events we will be involved in and register your place using the links below: 

Tuesday, 10 November:

09.00 – 11.00 AM: This House Believes that the Freezing Order Is the Greatest Invention of the Common Law Courts

The debate will feature two teams of leading legal practitioners. For the motion, Stephen Doherty (Serle Court) and Robert Whitehead (HAS Law Firm) will argue in favour of freezing orders, while against the motion, Zoe O’Sullivan KC (Serle Court) and Rachel Mannam (HAS Law Firm) will challenge their position.

The debate will be presided over by three distinguished judges: Rupert Reed KC (Serle Court), Michael Pachett-Joyce (3 Hare Court), and Justice Ravindra Bhatt (Retired Judge, Supreme Court of India), who will offer their observations and reflections at the conclusion.

Click here to register.

11.45 AM – 1.00 PM: One dispute, multiple forums: Who controls the arbitration and where can you collect? Anti-suit, anti-enforcement and anti-arbitration crossroads

The DIAC annual conference is the Centre’s flagship event that brings together various stakeholders of the international arbitration community for dialogue, exchange of ideas, and networking.

Zoe O’Sullivan KC joins Maxim Petchenko—Deputy Head of Legal, Gazprom Neft (St Petersburg), Prof Dr Mohamed Abdel Wahab—Founding Partner, Zulficar & Partners (Cairo), Julia Zagonek—Founding Partner, Alyff (Dubai) and Boris Telyatnikov—Partner, PCB Byrne LLP (London).

Click here to register.

Wednesday, 11 November:

09.00 – 11.00 AM: DIFC Trusts and Interim Relief: Lessons from Abramenko v Chuprin

Serle Court is excited to partner with Trowers & Hamlin for DIFC Trusts and Interim Relief: Lessons from Abramenko v Chuprin.

Rupert Reed KC, Michael Walsh KC and Gregor Hogan join Matthew Showler (Trowers & Hamlins) to discuss Abramenko v Chuprin, the first case concerning a DIFC trust, which became a testing ground for the application of this emerging area of law and some of the most powerful tools available in modern cross-border disputes.

Drawing on the judgment and this case’s decisions on proprietary injunctions, information orders and confidentiality rings, this panel will explore how the Court identifies the requisite trust and equitable principles, and how litigants and tribunals can use interim relief to trace assets, secure evidence, and gain strategic advantage in complex international proceedings.

Click here to register

01.00 – 03.00 PM: Lunch Panel with Hourani & Partners

Hourani & Partners is pleased to host its annual roundtable, bringing together leading arbitration practitioners to discuss recent developments in the DIFC arbitration landscape.

For years, challenges to DIFC-seated awards rarely succeeded. That changed in 2026. Is this a correction that strengthens the DIFC as a seat, or a new risk that parties must manage?

Robert Carter Parét, Counsel at ZH Partners, will moderate the discussion with our Partner Daniel Xu (徐永吉); Rupert Reed KC of Serle Court; and Adriaan Hoeben, General Counsel at Dubai Holding.

The panel will explore:
– Recent DIFC Court decisions setting aside arbitral awards
– What these decisions mean for the DIFC as an arbitral seat
– Their implications for award drafting, seat selection, and enforcement

Click here to register.

Connect with Serle Court 
Practice Manager Charlie Payne will be accompanying our barristers. If you’d like to arrange a meeting with any of our members while they’re in Dubai, please contact Charlie via email: cpayne@serlecourt.co.uk