Charlotte Leith

Charlotte’s experience includes:

• Acting for a shareholder in a well-known beverage company in LCIA proceedings relating to the exercise of a multi-million dollar put option.
• Representing a shareholder in a major infrastructure project in Egypt in an LCIA arbitration involving a c. USD35m shareholder dispute.
• Acting for a major Nordic consumer goods conglomerate in a c. USD40m M&A dispute relating to a warranty claim.
• Advising the minority shareholder in a dispute relating to the operation and management of the Viceroy hotel in Dubai. This involved advising on an injunction obtained by Viceroy in the DIFC Courts, claims in the Dubai Courts, proceedings conducted by the Dubai Joint Judicial Committee and the impact of related proceedings in the Los Angeles Courts.
• Advising an international luxury brand company on a shareholder dispute with its local partner in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. In particular, on the strategy they should follow in their dispute with their local partner, taking into account an LCIA arbitration in London and local proceedings in the Dubai Courts.
• Advising a Dubai based shareholder in relation to its dispute with a global vehicle manufacturer. This involved initiating various international arbitral proceedings and local court actions (2019).
• Advising a European litigation funder in relation to the recovery of USD50m in various jurisdictions, including France, UK and the UAE, which ultimately involved reaching a settlement with the shareholders of the company owing funds to our client.
• Advising two prominent Indian real estate entrepreneurs in an LCIA (India) Rules arbitration in relation to claims totaling USD1bn, relating to several large-scale real estate projects in India and interests in companies incorporated in the UK, BVI and Mauritius.
• Advising a prominent Indian real estate entrepreneur in a USD400m dispute involving entities incorporated in the Isle of Man, BVI, Mauritius, India and the US. Advising the client in relation to parallel proceedings in the London Commercial Court and an LCIA arbitration seated in Singapore.
• Advising Fortune 50 company in relation to a dispute with its distributor (based in the region), and advising the client on its settlement negotiations.
• Advising major Chinese oil company in a USD200m ICC arbitration, seated in Singapore, in connection with a dispute arising out of an EPCC contract for the development of an oil field in the Middle East.
• Advising London-based re-insurer in relation to a complex and multi-jurisdictional USD22m indemnification claim that involved assets being confiscated in a politically volatile region.

Charlotte has published articles relating to significant judgments as well as developments in institutional arbitration procedures, including:

• New cabinet decision amends law on enforcement of foreign awards in onshore UAE Courts, February 2019
• Resolving a dispute: formal action, Oath, 25 July 2018
• Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts - framework, procedures and first judgment summary, 1 March 2018
• Corporate Disputes in the UAE - A series of articles relating to shareholder disputes and post-acquisition disputes, launched in March 2018
• DIAC Rules 2018 - Key changes to expect, December 2017
• Enforcement in the UAE and Wider Middle East, April 2016