Ian Dalley -

Ian Dalley

Lawyer, Arbitrator, Engineer

MEng CEng FIET FEI FCIArb C.Arb

Ian is a former managing partner of an international law firm with over 30 years’ experience in the engineering sector, either as an engineer or as a lawyer – most of it in the Middle East. He works as an arbitrator as well as undertaking project structuring, contract drafting and negotiation, project troubleshooting and all forms of dispute resolution.

Key Specialisms

Industry Sectors

Experienced Arbitrator

Over 15 years’ experience as an arbitrator, including co-arbitrator on a USD 120m dispute and tribunal president on a USD 50m dispute
Chartered Arbitrator (2013) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and their first ever Course Director in the Middle East (2009)
Listed on 8 arbitration panels across the globe

Former international law firm partner

A decade as partner of Dentons, the world’s largest law firm by headcount, and formerly Managing Partner of its Abu Dhabi office
Solicitor, Law Society of England & Wales
Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland (non-practising)

Professional Engineer

Chartered Engineer with the Engineering Council, the UK’s engineering regulator
Fellow of the Institution of Engineering & Technology, Europe’s largest multi-disciplinary professional engineering institution
Fellow of the Energy Institute
4 year MEng Engineering degree from Imperial College London – one of the world’s leading engineering universities

Dispute resolution specialist

Experience with ad-hoc, ICC, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL, DIAC and ADCCAC arbitrations
As arbitration counsel, he has headed a team of 24 lawyers for a sum in dispute in excess of USD 5.7 billion, over a period of six years

Accomplished transactional lawyer

Examples of transactional work include sole legal responsibility for drafting and negotiating a USD 4 billion construction contract in the Middle East
In-depth understanding of the inter-relation of rights and obligations on complex multi-contract projects
Has worked on numerous IPPs, IWPs and other concession projects

Seasoned project counsel

Vast experience in trouble-shooting “problem” projects throughout the Middle East, through the entire project life-cycle
Deep understanding of the practical and commercial realities of doing business and managing projects in the region
Has “lived” his own contracts many times, i.e.: engaged as project counsel on contracts he drafted, in some cases for build periods of over 5 years

Middle East expertise

Resident continuously in the Middle East since early 2007
Engaged by a number of Middle East Government entities in drafting new laws and regulations
Significant practical experience on the interaction between local Courts and arbitration proceedings

Dispute Avoidance

Highly adept at resolving disputes without the need for formal proceedings
Accredited Mediator with the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (2009)
Previously advised the Office of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council on drafting the new Abu Dhabi government FIDIC contract which introduced mandatory standing DAABs in 2023

Fully Technology Literate

Trained in Primavera P6 – a useful skill when analysing delay
Comfortable with working 100% electronically with no hard copy documents
“Green” arbitration – remote hearings and all-electronic proceedings

Previous Jurisdictional Experience

Legal consultancy and arbitrator services in the Middle East are provided through AVID Services FZ LLC (آفيد للخدمات ش ذ م م), a company incorporated and licensed in the United Arab Emirates (Fujairah Creative City Free Zone Company registration no. 18606/2023).