Shanelle Irani joins Pinsent Masons’ international arbitration team in Dubai
Pinsent Masons has appointed Shanelle Irani as a partner in its International Arbitration team in Dubai, further strengthening the firm’s capability in high-value commercial and investor-state disputes across the region.
Irani joins from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) in London, where she held the position of counsel. She brings significant experience in advising clients on complex, multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes, with a particular focus on the energy and natural resources, financial services, defence and security, construction, and life sciences sectors. She also has particular expertise in disputes with an India-nexus.
Irani is triple-qualified, admitted to practice in India, New York, and England & Wales. Her career spans multiple leading international law firms and jurisdictions, including experience in the Middle East. She has represented clients in disputes frequently exceeding USD1 billion in value, in arbitrations seated in the world’s major arbitration centres and governed by the laws of jurisdictions across Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Irani is recognised as an Arbitration Future Leader in the Lexology Index: Arbitration 2026, formerly Who’s Who Legal. She is actively involved in the international arbitration community, serving as secretary of the IBA Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which is producing guidelines on the use of AI in international arbitration.
She is also assistant editor of both the Journal of International Arbitration and the Indian Review of International Arbitration, sits on the Board of Directors of ArbitralWomen, which is the leading international organisation for women in alternative dispute resolution, and serves as co-chair for Europe for the Young IAMC Steering Committee.
Head of litigation and compliance in the Middle East Damian Crosse commented, “We are excited to welcome Shanelle to the partnership. The international arbitration market in the Middle East is growing at pace, and our clients require advisors who can manage high-stakes, cross-border disputes with precision and commercial acumen. Shanelle is exactly that kind of lawyer, combining outstanding technical ability with deep sector knowledge and a track record of delivering results in some of the most complex disputes in the world. Her appointment is a statement of our ambition in this region.”
Irani added, “It is an incredibly exciting time for international arbitration in the Middle East. The region is establishing itself as a truly global hub for dispute resolution, attracting significant investment and world-class talent. Businesses operating and investing here need advisors who combine deep subject matter expertise with an understanding of the local landscape. I am very much looking forward to returning to Dubai and bolstering Pinsent Masons’ arbitration offering in the region.”
Irani’s appointment follows that of Cem Kalelioglu, who also joined from WilmerHale, as partner in the firm’s international arbitration team in London earlier this year, underscoring Pinsent Masons’ strategic investment in its global international arbitration capability.
