Charles Russell Speechlys LLP

Dispute Resolution

Partner

Nicola is a Partner based in our Dubai office. Nicola specialises in insolvency-related disputes in the UAE and beyond, and in commercial and financial disputes before the DIFC Courts.

Nicola advises creditors, debtors and insolvency practitioners on a wide range of insolvency-related matters before the DIFC, ADGM and onshore UAE Courts, including advising liquidators and receivers in their capacity as such, and utilising the procedures available in the UAE Courts to support the ultimate aim of the appointment, and to facilitate recoveries for creditors. Nicola advises on the various insolvency and restructuring-related processes in the UAE, and relevant stakeholder rights and duties, and acted for the Central Bank of Bahrain in her previous firm’s capacity as External Administrator of The International Banking Corporation BSC(c) (TIBC).

Nicola also specialises in commercial and financial disputes before the DIFC Courts and in particular, freezing orders and matters relating to jurisdiction challenges. Nicola has acted on a number of high profile and/or seminal cases in this regard, including Credit Suisse v Goel, the first ever “Courts of Dubai” ‘opt-in’ case under Article 5(A)(2) of the Judicial Authority Law, and AIG v QIC and UIC v IPMR, which continue to develop the line of jurisprudence relating to jurisdiction challenges in the DIFC Courts.

Nicola has acted for both local and international clients on commercial disputes before courts and tribunals in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia, including under various institutional rules (ICC, LCIA, GCCCAC) and ad hoc (Oman Arbitration Act). Nicola has also advised on DFSA investigations and regulatory disputes.