Arbitrator & Mediator
Nationality: French & Lebanese
Languages: English, French, Arabic (Fluent). Italian (Conversational)
Lara Hammoud is a globally sought-after arbitrator, recognised for her extensive expertise in international arbitration. She is a qualified French lawyer and has over twenty years’ experience in international arbitration. Prior to becoming a full-time arbitrator in July 2024, Lara spent a decade as in-house counsel heading the Disputes team at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Prior to ADNOC, Lara started her career in Paris at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) before moving to private practice with a Magic Circle law firm in Paris and Abu Dhabi.
Lara has acted as tribunal chair, sole and party-appointed arbitrator in both common and civil law jurisdictions under UNCITRAL, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, SIAC, BCDR, ADCCAC, ArbitrateAD and ICC arbitration rules seated in Europe, Asia and the Middle-East.
Lara is the co-founder of the highly successful Civil Law Conference in Abu Dhabi. She is the writer and editor of numerous articles and books relating to international arbitration and regularly appears as a speaker at international conferences and arbitration workshops.
Lara is regularly recognized in the directories including most recently Who’s Who Legal, Arbitration 2024 and Chambers & Partners, Most In Demand Arbitrators, UAE 2024.
Lara speaks fluent Arabic, English and French and is proficient in Italian. She is a member of the ArbitrateAD Court of Arbitration and the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR.
Lara has extensive experience as arbitrator and counsel/in-house counsel in construction and engineering disputes involving nuclear energy facilities, complex industrial plants and facilities, oil and gas facilities, ships and vessels and urban developments.
Lara has extensive experience in general commercial disputes both as counsel and arbitrator. She has been involved in cases dealing with distribution, joint ventures, real estate and sales and purchases agreements.
Lara has experience in the Energy, Oil & Gas sector including concession agreements, supply agreements, drilling agreements and EPC agreements related to oil and gas projects. Lara has handled disputes involving, among other projects, the construction of a refinery, design and construction of artificial islands and land reclamation, construction of waste heat recovery units, construction of pipelines, onshore and offshore gas developments as well as oil fields developments.
Lara has handled cases involving bank guarantees in commercial and infrastructure projects as well as financial advisory services relating to the sale of shares. Lara has also acted as arbitrator in corporate disputes involving issues related to bank loans, corporate debts and guarantees.
Lara has been involved in disputes over software development and IT services involving telecommunication companies.
Recent arbitration appointments include:
Appointed as Co-arbitrator in an ICC case seated in Qatar regarding a construction contract governed by Qatari law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in an ICC arbitration seated in Qatar regarding a construction contract governed by Qatari law
Appointed as Sole Arbitrator in an adhoc case seated in Dubai regarding a construction contract governed by UAE law
Appointed as Sole Arbitrator in a SIAC arbitration seated in Singapore regarding a construction contract governed by Sri Lankan law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in an adhoc case seated in Qatar regarding a design, engineering, fabrication, assembly and supply agreement governed by Qatari law
Appointed as Sole Arbitrator in a DIAC case seated in Dubai regarding an MEP works agreement governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in an ADCCAC case seated in Abu Dhabi regarding an agreement for the hiring of construction materials governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a DIFC-LCIA case seated in Dubai regarding sale and purchase agreements governed by UAE law
Appointed as Sole Arbitrator in an adhoc case seated in Dubai regarding a shareholders’ agreement governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a DIAC case seated in Dubai regarding a construction contract (FIDIC) governed by Jordanian law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in two related DIAC cases seated in Dubai regarding construction contracts (FIDIC) governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a DIFC-LCIA case seated in DIFC regarding a distribution agreement governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a DIAC case seated in Dubai regarding a shipbuilding agreement governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in an ICC case seated in Doha regarding a consultancy services agreement governed by Qatari law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a DIAC case seated in Dubai regarding an IT services agreement governed by UAE law
Appointed as Co-arbitrator in an ICC case seated in London regarding a design, engineering, manufacture and supply agreement governed by English law
Appointed as Sole Arbitrator in an ICC case seated in Dubai regarding a financial services agreement governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a DIAC case seated in Dubai regarding an agreement for electrical and street lighting works governed by UAE law
Appointed as Presiding Arbitrator in a case administered under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules 1976 seated in Bahrain regarding a dredging, reclamation and shore protection agreement governed by Bahraini law
Appointed as Sole Arbitrator in an ICC case seated in Abu Dhabi regarding a purchase agreement governed by UAE law
As Counsel
Arbitrations in which Lara Hammoud has appeared as Counsel include the representation of:
A European consortium as claimants in ICC arbitration arising out of the construction of a nuclear power plant in Finland. Stockholm seat, Finnish law
A Middle Eastern individual as claimant in a Dubai corporation in a DIAC arbitration in relation to a real estate development dispute in Dubai. Dubai seat, UAE law
An owner of an iron and steel plant in an ICC arbitration in relation to a dispute arising from a gas supply agreement in Oman. Muscat seat, Omani law
A Middle Eastern owner of a salt plant in an LCIA arbitration in relation to a construction contract dispute. Muscat seat, Omani law
An Abu Dhabi government-owned entity in defending appeals before the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal brought by a shipbuilding company
A US multinational Company in an ICC arbitration in relation to a dispute arising from the cancellation of a joint venture agreement. London seat, English law
A construction contractor in a multibillion-dollar dispute against the owner of the project in Dubai
A Middle Eastern conglomerate in a multibillion-dollar dispute including litigation and arbitration proceedings
Education
Maitrise, Droit Privé (Honours), Université Paris X (France) (1998)
LL.M in Commercial Law, University of Bristol, (England) (1999)
Postgraduate Diploma (DESS) in International Commercial Law (Honours), Université Paris X (France) (2000)
Ecole de Formation du Barreau (Versailles Bar School) (France) (2001)
Bar Admissions
Avocat, admitted to the Paris Bar (France) (2002)
Professional Experience
Independent Arbitrator, Arbitra International (2022 – current)
Assistant General Counsel, Group Disputes & ADR, ADNOC, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2013 - July 2024)
Shearman & Sterling LLP, Senior Associate, International Arbitration Group, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2008 – 2013)
International Chamber of Commerce, Secretary to the ICC Commission on Arbitration, Paris, France (2006 – 2008)
International Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Counsel, Secretariat of the International Court of Arbitration, Paris, France (2002 – 2004)
Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration
Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR
Member of the Court of Arbitration of ArbitrateAD
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Panel of Arbitrators
Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), Panel of Arbitrators
Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC), Panel of Arbitrators
Saudi Centre Commercial Arbitration (SCCA), Panel of Arbitrators
Member of the User Council of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA)
Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), Panel of Arbitrators
ICC Arbitration in the Arab World, 25 J. Int. Arb. 2 (2008) (co-author)
The New ICC Rules of Arbitration: a summary of the most relevant changes to the 1998 rules of arbitration, Concerto arbitral en trois mouvements pour Pierre Tercier: Hammoud, von Wunscheim, Zen-Ruffinen (eds), Schulthess, p.67 (2013)
Books
Concerto arbitral en trois mouvements pour Pierre Tercier: Hammoud, von Wunscheim, Zen-Ruffinen (eds), Schulthess (2013)
Summaries of UAE courts’ decisions on arbitration, Arab, Hammoud, Lovett, ICC Publication No. 746E (2013)
Summaries of UAE courts’ decisions on arbitration, Second Edition, Arab, Hammoud, Lovett, ICC Publication No. 789E (2017)
+44 (0)207 936 7070 
