Khalil Mechantaf

Khalil is a member of Kennedys construction and energy practice, specialized in providing contentious and non-contentious commercial, construction, and energy law advice. He has over 10 years’ experience in the UAE, which includes various matters concerning major infrastructure and power related projects, and commercial, compliance and insurance related matters. He has advised on and drafted a wide variety of standard form and bespoke contracts including EPC, O&M, JV, framework and licensing agreements of relevance to the construction sector. Khalil works closely with multidisciplinary teams throughout a projects’ life cycle and advises on issues of scope, contract notifications, claims prevention and preparation, defects and issues of workmanship, coverage, negotiation and enforcement of warranties, bonds and guarantees, as well as negotiations and amicable resolution of conflicts.

On the contentious side, Khalil represents a variety of developers and contractors in claims before Dispute Adjudication Boards and arbitration proceedings under the Rules of the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, SIAC, ADCCAC, SCC and UNCITRAL Rules. He has extensive experience in arbitration, covering: construction, commercial, aviation, insurance and shipping related disputes.

Khalil has a client centric and commercial approach which is endorsed by several clients, including being recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer for both Construction and Dispute Resolution' in the Legal 500 EMEA (2022). Clients praise him for being “an excellent construction and dispute lawyer who has deep understanding of the industry but with a commercial focus” (Legal 500 2022)’

Khalil has written several articles on arbitration related matters, including:

• Force majeure amid COVID 19 – Construction Week, 2020;
• Third-party funding in international arbitration: Active funders as parties in arbitration proceedings, The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Vol.82, issue 4/2016, p. 371-379;
• Interim Measures in International Arbitration, Juris Publishing, 2014, Lawrence W. Newman, Colin Ong - book chapter 40
• Balancing protection and autonomy in consumer arbitrations: an international perspective, The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – Vol.78, issue 3/2012, p. 232

He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and SCL (UK).

Qualifications

• Qualified in Lebanon in 2009
• Qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2017