H.E. Justice Shamlan Al Sawalehi has over 23 years of experience in international commercial and financial litigation in common law, civil law and Sharia’ legal systems. He has experience in arbitral practice in civil and common law systems, as has served as sole arbitrator, Co-arbitrator and Chairman of many arbitral tribunals. He frequently speaks and writes on topics involving DIFC Courts and international arbitration.

He joined the DIFC Courts in 2010 as a Judicial Officer before becoming a Small Claims Tribunal Judge and then a Court of First Instance Judge before he was appointed as Court of Appeal Judge in 2017. He was appointed by the DIFC Courts Chief Justice as Judge in Charge of the Arbitration Division of the DIFC Courts in 2020.

Prior to joining the DIFC Courts, Justice Al Sawalehi was the founder of Shamlan Law firm, where he represented governments and private clients on complex commercial and financial disputes in the UAE and MENA region. Prior to that, he served as Director of Strategic Affairs at The Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai where he was involved in number of strategic legal cases.

Justice Al Sawalehi was also a manager of the Enforcement Department of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) where he supervised the International Financial Services Institution Compliance with the international best practice and DFSA regulations. Prior to joining the DFSA, he served for five years as a Public Prosecutor with the Dubai Public Prosecution Department in both criminal and civil departments, where he was involved in investigations of high profile commercial and financial crimes, and represented the Government’s Departments on several high value litigation before Dubai Courts.

H.E. Justice Al Sawalehi holds a Master’s degree with Merits in International Commercial Law from Westminster University in the UK, a Higher Diploma with Honour in Advanced Legal and Judicial Studies from the Dubai Judicial Institution, and a Bachelor with distinction in Shari’a and Law from the UAE University.

James MacPherson is a leading international ADR specialist with over 20 years’ experience within public and private sectors as a neutral (mediator, facilitator and arbitrator affiliated with and active on domestic and international rosters), ADR trainer, adviser and systems designer.

In 2014, James was retained to establish the first international Saudi ADR centre (SCCA) where he remains special counsel. He served on the inaugural Board establishing the Oman Arbitration Centre and remains on its Executive Committee.

He was co-founder and inaugural CEO of the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR) and has served as board member of the International Mediation Institute (IMI, The Hague).

He advises businesses and government agencies in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North & South America on ADR systems design and training as well as legislative policy. He has designed and delivered ADR training in Bahrain, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kuwait, the Maldives, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the USA.

A successful bilingual (English and French), dual national (Canada and US) mediator, James works to resolve complex matters ranging from commercial, insurance, construction, employment, family-run businesses and IP/tech issues to indigenous disputes and organisational conflict.

Sapna Jhangiani KC has twenty-five years’ experience in appearing before courts and tribunals, or sitting as a neutral, in complex, high-stakes disputes seated all over the world. She has practised in London, New York, Dubai and Singapore and is called to the Bar in England & Wales, Singapore and the British Virgin Islands. She holds an undergraduate degree from Oxford University, and a diploma in international commercial arbitration from Queen Mary University, London, in which she graduated with distinction.

From 1 September 2021, Sapna served as International Legal Counsel at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Singapore. On 1 September 2024, Sapna was appointed to the Panel of Advisors to the Attorney-General of Singapore. On 12 September 2024, Sapna was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of the DIFC Courts.

Sapna has been recognised by Asian Legal Business as one of Asia’s top 15 female lawyers.

Emilia Onyema is an independent arbitrator with experience as presiding, co and sole arbitrator, and acts as legal expert witness in international arbitration. She is a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the DIAC Court, among others. She is a Professor of International Commercial Law at SOAS University of London where she teaches and publishes on international arbitration, international investment law and commercial law in a global context. She is qualified to practice law in Nigeria, as a Solicitor in England & Wales, and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is the Director of the SOAS Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre (SADRC). In 2024, she received the CPR Institute award for Outstanding Contribution to ADR, and the African Arbitration Association award for Publication/Speech of the Year for her Roebuck Lecture