The ROAP Construction Finals brought to a close our advanced remote oral advocacy and cross-examination courses, featuring the most persuasive and skilled participants on each course.
The outcome of the finals was determined by a panel of world-class arbitrators consisting of Lindy Patterson KC (President), to whom the ROAP Construction (EMEA) 2024/5 edition was dedicated, Aarta Alkarimi, and Phillipa Charles.
The winners were Hannah McDonald (Charles Russell Speechlys, Manama)and Samir Sakka (Secretariat, Dubai) for the cross-examination course, and Lucy Pearson (King & Spalding, London) for the oral submissions course.
The other finalists were James Elliott (A&O Shearman, Abu Dhabi) and expert Guillem Mas (Accuracy, Dubai) for the cross-examination course, and Martina Magnarelli (Seven Summits Arbitration, Munich) for the oral submissions course.
You will find short bios of our finalists and tribunal members below.
TRIBUNAL FOR ROAP CONSTRUCTION (EMEA) 2024/5 FINALS
Aarta Alkarimi (chartered arbitrator, accredited mediator, and counsel), brings 20 years of experience on disputes related to construction, infrastructure, education, real estate, and general corporate matters in the United States, Turkey, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Apart from her counsel work, Aarta is regularly appointed as arbitrator under various institutional rules in both common and civil law seated arbitrations. Aarta’s work as an attorney has included positions at a well-renowned specialist construction law firm in New York, the Middle East offices of a major American “white shoe” law firm, and another top-tier American law firm.
Phillipa Charles has accepted appointments as arbitrator for over ten years and has sat as sole, chair and party-appointee in ICC, LCIA, SIAC, DIAC, SCC, FAI, CI-MAC, BVI-IAC, AAA-ICDR and ad-hoc arbitration. She has particular experience as arbitrator in energy, technology, sports and general commercial disputes. She specialises in complex, high-value cross-border arbitration disputes, and has 24 years’ experience of proceedings before the major arbitral institutions. As solicitor/solicitor-advocate she has acted for clients including sovereigns, state owned entities, major global corporations in the aviation, pharmaceutical, power, sports and oil and gas industries, and high net worth individuals. Before joining Twenty Essex in February 2023, Philippa was the Head of International Arbitration at Stewarts in London; the UK’s largest disputes-only practice. She was a law firm partner for 15 years. Philippa has experience in mediation and other ADR formats as well as arbitration, High Court and appellate proceedings in jurisdictions including England, the United States, France, Sweden, the UAE, and Nigeria.
Lindy Patterson KC is a full-time arbitrator and adjudicator specialising in international commercial arbitration and dispute boards across the world. She is recognised as a “go-to” arbitrator for complex infrastructure, energy and construction disputes in both civil and common law systems. She also arbitrates on many commercial contract and real estate disputes. Lindy is currently ranked: Band 1 Chambers and Partners UK Bar 2025 – International arbitrators; WWL: Thought Leaders – Arbitration 2024; Global Elite – Thought Leader Construction 2024; UK Bar Construction 2024 (Recommended).
FINALISTS (Forthcoming)
**
Find out more about the ROAP programme here.
