Ilham Kabbouri
Gate Village 10, Office 211
P.O. Box 504945
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ilham Kabbouri is an associate in the International Dispute Resolution & Arbitration group, based in our Dubai office. Ilham has experience navigating clients through complex global disputes, from preliminary advice right through to the rendering of the arbitral award and post-award proceedings. Acting for state-owned and private entities, Ilham is experienced in representing clients in both high-value arbitrations spanning multiple jurisdictions and sectors litigations before the United Arab Emirates (UAE) common law courts in the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
While her practice centers on disputes resolution, Ilham regularly advises clients on non-contentious construction and engineering matters.
Ilham is active in the development of arbitration in Africa and has assisted a number of African Governments with the creation and improvement of their arbitration legal framework. In 2020, she was recognised by the Association of Young Arbitrators as one of Africa’s 50 Most Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners.
A strong advocate for diversity, Ilham is often a featured speaker on ethnic and gender diversity issues at arbitration conferences around the world.
The following is a list of representative matters in which Ilham has assisted.
Experience Highlights
Representing a Middle Eastern state-owned airline in a DIAC arbitration (seat: Dubai) against a concessionaire in a dispute relating to a long-term airport concession
Representing a Middle Eastern state-owned refinery company against an Italian contractor regarding the construction of a Hydrogen Production Unit for use in the refining process
Representing a major engineering company with expertise in designing and developing airports in an ICC arbitration relating to a dispute with the main contractor on an air base project; the dispute concerns the non-payment of invoices, delay and entitlements to cost and time relief for the same
Representing a state-owned entity in an arbitration relating to the provision of IT services; the dispute concerned issues of performance and entitlement to payment for services rendered
Advising an representing a contractor in a mediation with the employer on a major infrastructure project; the dispute related to the settlement of its final account, return of its bonds, alleged defects and whether it complied with the defects liability regime under the main contract
Representing a MEP Subcontractor in a DIAC arbitration relating to a dispute with the main contractor on a research center project; issues involved variations, completion, entitlements to costs and time relief for delay
Credentials
- The University of Law, Legal Practice Course, 2020
- BPP University, Graduate Diploma in Law, 2018
- University of London, L.L.M. in International and Comparative Commercial Law, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), 2015
- Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve, L.L.M. in EU Law (“Master à finalité spécialisée en Droit Européen”), 2014
- Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve, L.L.B. (“Bachelier en droit”), 2012
- Head Coordinator of the IGAD/CCD Taskforce for the creation of the Djibouti International Arbitration Centre
- Sub-regional Coordinator for Francophone Africa on the Global Steering Committee of Africa Construction Law
- Committee Member of the Africa Sub-Committee of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge
- England and Wales
- French
- InsightJuly 22, 2024
Published by Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre
- InsightJune 6, 2024
Published by The Oath
- InsightMarch 4, 2024
V&E International Dispute Resolution Update
- InsightJuly 21, 2022
- InsightMarch 21, 2022
V&E International Dispute Resolution Update
Conference and Seminar Presentations
- Speaker on a panel titled “ADR landscape and policies in Africa” at the ICC Annual Conference in Africa, Nairobi, May 2024
- Speaker on a #YoungITALive panel titled “Revolutionizing Construction in MENA: Arbitration and Innovation in an Era of Transformation”, online, March 2024
- Moderator of a panel titled “Middle East and Africa – the new frontier for dispute resolution” at the Africa Construction Law’s inaugural Dubai Arbitration Week conference co-organised with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UAE branch), Dubai, 14 November 2023
News & Insights
Published by Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre
V&E International Dispute Resolution Update