Mr Kamal Shah > Stephenson Harwood > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Stephenson Harwood Offices
1 FINSBURY CIRCUS
LONDON
EC2M 7SH
England
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Mr Kamal Shah
Work Department
Commercial litigation
Position
He acts for governments, government entities, banks, private corporations and high net worth individuals in a range of matters including those relating to projects and infrastructure, joint ventures, banking and finance, shareholder arrangements, energy and a range of schemes commonly used to defraud individuals and corporations.
Kamal is highly ranked in the legal directories including Chambers & Partners (UK, Global and Asia-Pacific), The Legal 500 (UK and Asia-Pacific), and IFLR1000. Kamal is one of only four lawyers ranked in Band 1 for Africa-wide dispute resolution in Chambers Global 2023. They comment that “Kamal Shah is always a star performer… and is always willing to go the extra mile to find the right solutions” and that “He is an excellent litigator. His strength is project management: he is able to perfectly organise all the moving pieces in a case.” (Chambers Global, Africa-wide 2023). In 2022, Chambers Global commented “Kamal Shah runs a strong East Africa practice from London. He’s very well known and respected in the arbitration community” and that “He is really a leader in Africa work.” (Chambers Global, Africa-wide 2022)
Chambers & Partners UK 2024 for international arbitration also praises Kamal’s practice in Africa stating that he “receives strong praise for his expert handling of Africa-related disputes.” Legal 500 UK 2024 for international arbitration state he “deservedly has a strong reputation.” In 2023 they also described him as the “doyenne of African and South Asian disputes” and a “real star, with in-depth knowledge of commercial disputes involving Africa and elsewhere.”
He was named as a leading international arbitration practitioner in Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders 2017 – 2022 for arbitration and has been recognised in Africa’s 30 Arbitration Powerlist 2020 and The Legal 500’s GC Private Practice Powerlist for arbitration and Africa in 2022. Kamal is also recognised in the Lawdragon Global Litigation 500 list that features attorneys who specialise in international arbitration.
Kamal has also been listed in India Business Law Journal’s top 100 international lawyers for India-related matters for the last six years, along with being recognised as a ‘Leading Cross Border (India Desk) Lawyer’ at the Legal Era’s Global Achievers Awards 2022. Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific guide lists Kamal as a key contact for India Dispute Resolution and the Legal 500 Asia Pacific guide quotes “Kamal Shah heads their India group and is a great litigator.”
In addition to being a LCIA Court Member, Kamal is currently the President of the LCIA African Users Council. Kamal co-published the text of the ‘African Promise’, which seeks to tackle the under-representation of Africans on international arbitration tribunals. He is also the co-author of the leading text “Arbitration in Africa: A Review of Key Jurisdictions”. Kamal was named joint winner of ‘Mentor of the Year’ at the African Arbitration Association Awards 2020.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration
(Leading partners)‘Well versed in international arbitration‘, Stephenson Harwood has a strong market reputation for its disputes expertise concerning Africa, the Middle East and India. The team is also increasingly active in Southeast and North Asia-related mandates. Global international arbitration head Rovine Chandrasekera works across the firm’s London and Dubai offices; Kamal Shah ‘deservedly has a strong reputation‘; and recently-promoted partner Jide Adesokan has significant experience in Africa-related claims. At managing associate level, Charlotte Welsh and Charlotte Murphy are active team members.
London > Dispute resolution > Public international law
Stephenson Harwood‘s London office routinely represents governments and state-owned companies in their most important PIL matters. The team also comprises financial sanctions expertise, and stands out for its experience in Africa-related issues. PIL leader and head of the Africa and India groups, Kamal Shah, has ‘a strong skill set‘; Sue Millar leads the sanctions group; Rovine Chandrasekera acts in investor-state arbitrations; Ben Sigler is ‘an excellent lawyer‘; and Richard Garcia‘s broad practice includes jurisdictional challenges and freezing orders. Of counsel Stephen Ashley is an expert in EU and UK sanctions.
India > Foreign firms
Stephenson Harwood routinely advises India-based corporations, banks, high-net-worth individuals, and families on the full range of matters. The team, based primarily in London and Dubai, particularly stands out for its significant experience advising clients in India-related disputes, handling both international arbitrations and general commercial litigation. Kamal Shah, based in London, heads the practice and is a key name for contentious mandates. Diwakar Agarwal, in Dubai, takes point on complex M&A, private equity, and general corporate matters for clients in India.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners London > Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Public international law London > Dispute resolution
- International arbitration London > Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Private client > Art and cultural property
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Transport > Rail
Firm Rankings
- Transport > Aviation
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Employment > Employers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m)
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Employment > Senior executives
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)
- Real estate > Property finance
- Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Investment fund formation and management > Private funds
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers