Lara Hammoud is a globally sought-after arbitrator, recognised for her extensive expertise in international arbitration. She is a qualified French lawyer and has over twenty years’ experience in international arbitration. Prior to becoming a full-time arbitrator in July 2024, Lara spent a decade as in-house counsel heading the Disputes team at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Prior to ADNOC, Lara started her career in Paris at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) before moving to private practice with a Magic Circle law firm in Paris and Abu  Dhabi.

Lara has acted as tribunal chair, sole and party-appointed arbitrator in both common and civil law jurisdictions under UNCITRAL, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, SIAC, BCDR, ADCCAC, ArbitrateAD and ICC arbitration rules seated in Europe, Asia and the Middle-East.

Lara is the co-founder of the highly successful Civil Law Conference in Abu Dhabi. She is the writer and editor of numerous articles and books relating to international arbitration and regularly appears as a speaker at international conferences and arbitration workshops.

Lara is regularly recognised in the directories including most recently Who’s Who Legal, Arbitration 2024 and Chambers & Partners, Most In Demand Arbitrators, UAE 2024.

Lara speaks fluent Arabic, English and French and is proficient in Italian. She is a member of the ArbitrateAD Court of Arbitration and the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR.

Rahul Matthan is a Partner in Trilegal’s Bengaluru office and heads the TMT practice of the firm. He has extensive experience advising on high-value TMT transactions in the country. He has worked with companies across sectors, from telecom majors to internet and data service providers, offering advice on regulatory matters and operational issues. Rahul’s expertise spans several sectors in the technology space, including data protection, digital finance, cryptocurrencies, e-commerce, telecom, new media, platform technologies, technology acquisitions and biotech.

Rahul has been involved in a number of policy initiatives in the TMT space, including assisting the government in preparing the country’s privacy law. He has also served on the Kris Gopalkrishnan Committee on Non-Personal Data and the RBI Committee on Household Finance. He is a published author and a regular speaker across the world on matters relating to emerging technologies and the law.

Rahul now serves on the Board of Trilegal after having served for many years on the firm’s Management Committee.

Dr Aditya Sondhi is a Senior Advocate practising before the Supreme Court of India.
He appears extensively in arbitration matters, both domestic and international, and acts as arbitrator as well.
Dr Sondhi has taught a course on arbitration at the National Law School of India University and is an Advisor to the newly-founded Arbitration Bar of India.
He has spoken widely on ADR at various conferences across the country.

Domitille has nearly 30 years of experience in dispute resolution and specialises in both international commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration. She has been involved in over 100 international disputes, in both ad hoc and administered arbitrations, including under the rules of UNCITRAL, the ICC, LCIA, Swiss Arbitration Centre, SCC Arbitration Institute, ICSID and SIAC, governed by various arbitration and substantive laws, both common law and civil law, and international law.

Hailed as “among the most recognised global practitioners in the field” in Who’s Who Thought Leaders, Arbitration, 2022, Domitille brings a strategic 360-degree view to every case thanks to her extensive experience as arbitrator, including presiding arbitrator. She focuses on commercial and investment disputes across different sectors, in particular energy, mining, pharma and technology. Domitille also advises clients on the challenge of arbitral awards before state courts and other arbitration-related applications.

Yoshie Midorikawa is a Co-founding Partner at Miura & Partners. She has led its international dispute resolution practice since the firm’s establishment in 2019.

Ms. Midorikawa has experience in various dispute resolution cases including international arbitration under the rules of ICC, ICSID, SIAC, LCIA, and UNCITRAL. Having worked with Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and Allen & Gledhill, she has handled parallel proceedings across multiple jurisdictions as well as domestic disputes before Japanese courts. She has been advising clients in various industries including real estate, construction, engineering, manufacturing, trading, finance and telecommunications. Her deep understanding of the civil law system, her working experience in international environments, and her knowledge of business obtained through serving as an independent director of TSE (Prime) listed companies, enable her to bring practical and nuanced legal solutions to international businesses.

Ms. Midorikawa is admitted in Japan and New York. MCIArb, Panel of Arbitrators at JCAA, SHAC, and THAC. Listed among the finalists of Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year of ALB Japan Law Awards 2024, the Next Generation Partners: Dispute Resolution by Legal 500 APAC 2023 and 2024, and Best Lawyers in Japan in her three main practice areas: Litigation, International Arbitration, and Corporate Governance and Compliance. She has regularly shared her experiences and insights on Japanese law and dispute resolution with legal communities through publications and speaking engagements.

Ms. Midorikawa received a J.D. from The University of Tokyo Law School and an LL.M. from Columbia Law School.

Sae Youn Kim is a senior member of the International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation Practice of Kim & Chang.

Ms. Kim practices primarily in the areas of international litigation and arbitration with an emphasis on commercial and international law. Before joining Kim & Chang, she served as a judge at various Korean district courts, and practiced as a key member in major Korean law firms. Ms. Kim also sits as an arbitrator. Her expertise in international dispute resolution has been recognized by the variety of roles she holds and held in various institutions, including but not limited to a Commissioner of the Korea Trade Commission, a Vice-Chair of the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association, a Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, and a Court member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. She is regularly selected as a leading lawyer by publications such as Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, and Asialaw.

She has co-authored various publications on several aspects of Korean law, including commercial litigation, arbitration, investment arbitration, construction, and privilege. She also speaks regularly in conferences organized by the International Bar Association, Inter Pacific Bar Association, and various arbitral institutions across the world. Besides being regularly selected as leading lawyer, she was also awarded Commended Counsel by ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL in 2016 and Woman Lawyer of the Year, by ALB Korea Law Awards in 2018.

Ms. Kim received an LL.M. from Duke University Law School in 2007, and her LL.B. from Seoul National University College of Law in 1991. She graduated the Judicial Training and Research Institute by the Supreme Court of Korea in 1994. She speaks and practices in both Korean and English.

Gourab Banerji is a Senior Advocate, based in New Delhi, who practices mainly before the Supreme Court of India in the constitutional and commercial field. He has particular expertise in arbitration, both domestic and international. He was Additional Solicitor General of India in the Supreme Court from 2009 to 2014. In that capacity he represented the Government of India in a number of important cases. For instance, in Republic of Italy v Union of India (The Italian Marines case), he successfully represented the Government in persuading the Court to hold that India had concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute Italian marines accused of shooting Indian fishermen with the Exclusive Economic Zone of India. He has appeared as an advocate in a large number of domestic and international commercial arbitrations seated in India and abroad (Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Amsterdam, etc.). He specializes in high stake and high value commercial litigation before the Courts. He has been party to various reports which have led to reform in India’s arbitration law. After stepping down as the Additional Solicitor General of India in 2014, he joined Essex Court Chambers as an Overseas Associate, and is presently associated with them.

Carsten van de Sande is a partner in the Dispute Resolution Practice Group of Hengeler Mueller Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He has particular experience acting as counsel in post-M&A arbitrations as well as arbitrations involving complex commercial or technical contracts or innovative technologies. In addition to his counsel work, he frequently sits as an arbitrator and also represents clients in enforcement and annulment proceedings and proceedings for interim measures in German state courts. Carsten van de Sande is admitted to practice in New York and is a member of Hengeler Mueller’s India Practice. Carsten van de Sande is described by clients as “thorough, pragmatic, always thinks way outside the box” and as having a “unique flair for procedures and clients” (JUVE).

Selected Work Highlights

• Representing one of the world’s largest transport companies in a post-M&A dispute governed by New York law (ICC, London)
• Representing a large chemical producer in a post M&A arbitration regarding purchase price adjustment claims (DIS, Frankfurt am Main)
• Representing a DAX 30 company against a UAE state-owned oil company (ICC, Abu Dhabi).
• Representing a DAX 30 company in a post-M&A dispute regarding warranty claims (DIS, Frankfurt am Main)
• Representing a German retail company in a commercial dispute arising out of its withdrawal from the Russian market (DIS, Frankfurt am Main)
• Representing an Indian engineering company in a contract dispute with a Swiss company (DIS, Munich)
• Representing a DAX 30 company against another DAX 30 company in a major post-M&A dispute involving claims under US environmental law (Ad hoc, Düsseldorf).
• Representing GEA Group in a USD 300m arbitration against Flex-N-Gate, a US automotive supplier (DIS, Frankfurt) and in related state court proceedings.

Accolades (selection)

• Who’s Who Legal: National Leader in Arbitration, Germany (2024, 2023, 2022).
• Best Lawyers / Handelsblatt: Best Lawyer for Arbitration and Mediation, Litigation and International Arbitration, Germany (2024, 2023, 2022).
• JUVE: Recommended Lawyer for Commercial Litigation and Liability and Arbitration/Mediation (2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22).
• Benchmark Litigation Europe: Litigation Star (2021).

▪ Enrolled as an Advocate in July, 1977 with Bar Council of Delhi and started practicing in Delhi. Conducted cases of all types with specialization in Constitutional cases, Labour – Service Matters and Arbitration Matters. Was counsel for numerous Public Sector Undertakings, Educational Institutions, Banks & Financial Institutions and various Private Sector Corporations. Was also a law teacher in Campus Law Centre, Delhi University from 1984-89. Was Vice-President, Delhi High Court Bar Association during 1994-95. Was member of the Governing Body of various colleges from time to time. Designated as Senior Advocate by Delhi High Court on 30th September, 1997.

▪ Appointed as Judge of High Court of Delhi w.e.f. 7th July, 1999. Became the Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court w.e.f. 10th October, 2011 and was elevated as the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court w.e.f. 23rd September, 2012. Elevated as Judge, Supreme Court of India on 12th April, 2013. As a Judge, dealt with all kinds of jurisdictions and given many landmark judgments. Has attended/ chaired various national and international seminars and workshops and presented number of papers therein. Many articles are published in various magazines. Has authored about two thousand reported judgments in his judicial career. He has also authored many landmarking judgments in the area of human rights viz., Transgenders, Euthanasia, Disability, Child trafficking, Sentencing, Child Labour, Juvenile Delinquents, etc.

▪ Has also rendered numerous judgments in the field of commercial and arbitration laws, tax laws, Intellectual Property matters and economic laws. In arbitration law itself, judgments are more than 200 in the High Court and Supreme Court.

▪ Was chosen as one of the 50 most influential persons in Intellectual Property in the world in the survey conducted by prestigious international organisation viz. Managing Intellectual Property Association (MIPA) for the year 2007 in recognition to his contribution to the growth of Intellectual Property Laws through his judgment.

▪ After retirement, he is working as an Arbitrator and Mediator and doing both domestic as well as international arbitrations in the capacity of Chair or Co-arbitrator as nominated by the Parties.

▪ Was appointed as part-time teacher in Faculty of Law, University of Delhi and worked in that capacity during 1984-89. Even after elevation to the Bench, continued to visit various law schools for giving special lectures. Has been a resource person for imparting training to the Judges in National Judicial Academy (India) as well as State Judicial Academies.

Patrick Taylor is a partner in the London office of Debevoise & Plimpton, Co-Chair of the firm’s Africa Practice Group and member of the firm’s France Desk. His practice focuses on commercial and investment treaty arbitration, with particular experience in the pharmaceuticals, energy, and telecommunications & technology sectors.

Qualified in England & Wales and Ireland as a solicitor-advocate, Mr. Taylor has advised and represented clients in disputes throughout the world.

Mr. Taylor’s practice is geared towards advising clients in the most high-stakes, complex and valuable disputes, and he regularly advises clients on investment protection and investment dispute settlements in high-risk jurisdictions; shareholder, joint venture, collaboration, distribution, licensing, post-M&A and general contractual disputes; tax-related disputes; fiscal and legislative stabilisation rights; and complex damages nalysis.

Mr. Taylor frequently sits as an arbitrator.

Mr. Taylor is recommended as a leading lawyer for arbitration in Chambers Global (2024) and Chambers UK (2024), where he is described as “tenacious and very committed to his clients.” He is said to be “a highly effective and commercially minded lawyer” with “exceptional advocacy skills” and “a fantastic strategic mind” who is “extremely hands-on, practical and smart when handling very complex cases.” He receives further praise for his “superb knowledge of international dispute resolution mechanisms,” and is said to be “incredibly thorough and detail-focused, with the ability to provide advice in a pragmatic and comprehensible way.” The guide has also described him as “a class act” whose “tenacity is absolutely loved by clients,” and “a fantastic advocate, and a well-rounded lawyer for international arbitration.” He is listed as a Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation Europe (2021), which has described him as “excellent.” He is included in The Legal 500’s International Arbitration Powerlist, and noted as a leading individual for International Arbitration in The Legal 500 UK (2024). The guide also recommends him for his public international law practice and for his work in emerging markets. He is also recommended by The Legal 500 Latin America (2024) for international arbitration, and listed by Who’s Who Legal (2024) as a Thought Leader for arbitration.

Mr. Taylor is a member of the IBA Arbitration Subcommittee on Investor State Arbitration, a past member of the IBA Arbitration & Insolvency and IBA Arb40 Subcommittees, and a regular speaker at conferences on arbitration-related topics.

Mr. Taylor graduated with an LL.B. honours law degree from Cambridge University in 2001 and was admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales in 2005 and in Ireland in 2017. He is bilingual in English/French and fluent in Spanish.