Charles Russell Speechlys appoints head of international arbitration in Dubai

Charles Russell Speechlys announced the joining of Thomas Snider as partner and head of its international arbitration practice.  Snider joins Charles Russell Speechlys from Al Tamimi & Co and will be based in the Firm’s Dubai office. His appointment follows Charles Russell Speechlys’ recent expansion into Singapore and reflects the firm’s ambition to further develop its international arbitration practice at a time of increasing client demand.

Snider is a leading international arbitration practitioner with over 20 years of experience resolving large-scale, complex disputes across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. He is recognised for his expertise in commercial arbitration, investment treaty disputes, state-to-state arbitration, and foreign sovereign immunity-related matters. He acts for a varied client base and his work spans a wide range of industries, sectors, and disputes types including construction and infrastructure, energy and national resources, and retail, consumer, and leisure.

Snider is on the panel of arbitrators of several arbitral institutions around the world. He is also a member of the Court of Arbitration of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and a member of the board of directors of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).

Patrick Gearon, partner, and head of the Middle East practice commented, “Tom has a well-deserved reputation globally and his multi-disciplinary and cross-border expertise means he is perfectly positioned to drive our growing international arbitration practice. His experience and profile in the Middle East, Africa and Asia is top tier, and his arrival will continue the growth and development of our global arbitration offering.”

Stewart Hey, partner and head of the litigation and dispute resolution practice added, “Dispute Resolution is a fast-growing global team at Charles Russell Speechlys. Since the beginning of the year we have welcomed seven high-calibre Partners to the division across our geographies. Our commitment to further bolstering the team’s international capabilities is driving a virtuous circle of excellent client results, exciting new instructions, and increased market recognition around the world.”

Thomas Snider, partner, said, “Charles Russell Speechlys has presence on the ground in most of the world’s major arbitration centres, including London, Paris, Geneva, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The Firm’s impressive global footprint and multidiscipline practice is what drew me to the Firm initially and I can’t wait to work alongside the exceptional team.”