Sara Koleilat-Aranjo

Sustainable Horizons: The Saudi Arabian Vision

We are excited to share the latest edition of the Law Update, beautifully and appropriately titled “Sustainable Horizons: The Saudi Arabian Vision.” Giving special honor to the Kingdom’s 2030 vision, this update focuses on a collection of both informative and inspiring articles.

For those in construction, you can learn about how the tendering environment impacts risk-pricing for contractors, the updates on the legal framework of the construction industry and how contractors can protect themselves against financial difficulties.

There is good news too from the kingdom’s banking sector, from which the practice of “Open Banking” is being pushed for! But what is open banking? We’re answering that too.

Also . . . Are there any women trail blazers in Saudi Arabia you can name? We’ll help you with that. We cover how the Middle East has been making strides in empowering women in the entrepreneurial space,most notably in STEM fields.

Read the full edition

The leading law firm in the Middle East & North Africa region.

Sara Koleilat-Aranjo

Partner, Arbitration

Biography

Sara’s practice focuses on arbitration and complex litigation. Sara regularly advises and represents clients in international and domestic arbitration proceedings, both ad hoc and institutional (ICC, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, GCC Centre for Commercial Arbitration, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL) as well as complex commercial litigation, particularly in cases with cross-border facets. Sara has developed an expertise in corporate and commercial law, banking and financial law, property and construction law and energy, including oil and gas. Sara also advises clients on several procedural issues such as the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in the UAE and the revision and annulment proceedings of awards.

Sara has been involved in proceedings in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia in addition to the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Sara is well versed in both the civil and common law legal traditions having practiced law at top tier law firms in London, Paris and Beirut prior to joining Al Tamimi & Company.

Sara sits on the Board of Directors of ArbitralWomen and the Paris MENA Legal Club. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the ICC Arab Group and the French Arbitration Committee (CFA).

In addition to her practice of law, Sara regularly publishes and delivers talks on dispute resolution. She has held several teaching and editorial appointments, such as Editor of the Harvard Business Law Review and Lecturer in Law at the Sorbonne Law School in Paris and the Paris Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi. Sara is currently a certified legal trainer with the Legal Affairs Department of the Government of Dubai.

Recent Experience

Acting for the respondent, a publicly-listed UAE-based construction group, in its defense and counter-claim in USD 135 Million DIAC arbitration.
Defending the respondents, UAE and Hong Kong-based construction groups, in an ICC arbitration against USD 50 Million claims by the MEP contractor for nonpayment of work executed in a high-profile eco-friendly project.
Representing the claimant, a major European petroleum company, on their breach of an exploration license claim against a North African governmental entity in ICSID proceedings.*
Acting for the claimant, a renowned U.S. healthcare provider, on their claim for breach of the shareholders’ agreement by the respondent, an Indian healthcare provider in LCIA proceedings.*
Member of several expert witness teams providing opinions on issues relating to UAE law, such as commercial contracts and rules of civil procedure, presented before foreign courts and arbitral tribunals.