Outer Temple Chambers

Dr Ali Almihdar has a unique status as the first Saudi Arabian lawyer qualified as a member of the English Bar. He has extensive experience representing Saudi and non-Saudi clients in commercial matters in the UK and Saudi Arabia. His work covers the full range of commercial legal practice from advice and drafting through to advocacy. He is equally comfortable conducting litigation in arbitrations, tribunals and before the Saudi Courts. He is instructed in the UK in cross jurisdiction litigation and commercial disputes and is often required to provide strategic advice in inter-party relationships and disputes. He has extensive experience in the energy and construction sector, in particular the field of oil and gas, infrastructure, FIDIC construction and defence contracts. He was the Legal Adviser to the Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources and after starting in private practice continued as External Counsel to the Ministry and its commercial arm PETROMIN for several years. He has been instructed in cases and arbitrations involving the disputes on petroleum contracts and construction projects by governmental and commercial entities. He has extensive experience in private client work, including trusts work, where his knowledge of the Sharia and the Arabic language has been particularly important. He has acted for members of the Saudi Royal Family and has advised international law firms in London and the Middle East on complex probate and succession issues.

Called to the Bar 2003, Middle Temple;1970-1976: worked as legal adviser to Saudi Arabian minister of petroleum and mineral resources. Continued as counsel to the Ministry and its commercial arm PETROMIN. Advisory role to Ministry and PETROMIN, continued as external counsel through Almihdar Law Firm; 1976-Present: established Almihdar Law Firm to provide Saudi corporate legal advice. 1976-1985: Almihdar Law Firm worked closely with Hogan Lovells who assisted with development of the International Legal Practise. 2008: Outer Temple Chambers tenant. Publications of note: author of the Saudi Arabian chapter in Tolley’s ‘International Succession Laws’ (LexisNexis) – preparing doctoral thesis on the concept of fairness in contracts at Egypt’s Alexandria University.

Arabic (fluent – Saudi Ministry of Commerce Translation Licence: Arabic to English and English to Arabic), English (fluent), French (basic), Italian (basic).

ABCC; BIICL; COMBAR; FSLA; IBA; LCIA; South Eastern Circuit; The Saudi British Society; Saudi Honorary Legal Adviser to the British Consulate Jeddah 1998-2010; RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts).

Cambridge University, Churchill College (1968 LLB and MA); Alexandria University, Egypt (1996 Diploma in Sharia Law); Alexandria University (2015 PhD in Law – Thesis: ‘Fairness in Contracts’.)