Profile

Sophie is an associate in the insurance and disputes teams at Kennedys’ Dubai office. Sophie qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales in 2021. She has been working in the United Arab Emirates since 2020 and joined Kennedys in August of 2023. She previously worked at another international commercial law firm also based in Dubai working on commercial disputes.

Sophie has experience in commercial disputes, including construction, shipping, banking and finance and commodities. She has worked on disputes in the local UAE Courts, DIFC Courts and the Courts of England and Wales, in addition to international arbitration under DIAC, LCIA, LMAA, ICC and SIAC Rules.

Qualifications:

  • Qualified in England and Wales in 2021

Work highlights

  • Representing an international oil and gas company in connection with an application for a Mareva injunction against a debtor, which was successfully granted in the Mauritian Court, and consolidated LCIA proceedings with claims arising under 14 sale contracts worth circa $14 million.
  • Assisting an asset management firm on the recovery of a facility worth $11,000,000 against a UAE-based company and corporate and personal guarantors.
  • Acting for a shipyard as the respondent in an LMAA arbitration concerning a dispute on the issuance of refund guarantees.
  • Assisting an oil and gas company in connection with an application for a worldwide freezing injunction against a debtor, which was successfully granted, and committal proceedings in which the opposing party was found to be in contempt of court.
  • Advising an international accounting firm on the purchase and recovery of a debt owed by a UAE-based company with assets in the UK and UAE.