- Former Baker McKenzie partner rejoins Firm as dispute resolution partner based in Dubai
- The appointment underscores the Firm's ongoing commitment to strengthening its talent pool in the UAE and further enhancing its contentious capabilities in MENA
Baker McKenzie today announces that Sally Kotb has joined the Firm as a dispute resolution partner in its Dubai office. Sally’s return builds on the Firm’s continued growth in the UAE and further expands its global dispute resolution and international arbitration practice.
Sally is an established dispute resolution lawyer who focuses on both local and international commercial arbitration disputes. She has more than 17 years of experience advising clients across multiple sectors, including construction, real estate, energy, agency distribution, M&A, and shareholders' disputes. Sally regularly serves as arbitrator (sole arbitrator, co arbitrator, and chair) in Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR), Dubai International Financial Centre-London Court of International Arbitration (DIFC-LCIA), Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) and Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Chamber (arbitrate AD) arbitrations, primarily related to real estate, sale and purchase disputes, and commercial disputes. Sally is a member of the Middle East Subcommittee of the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge and has recently been appointed as the ICC UAE delegate to the ICC Global Commission on Arbitration and alternative dispute resolution for the term 2024-2027.
Mohammad Al Rasheed, Baker McKenzie’s UAE Managing Partner, commented: “As we continue to build a robust and broad team in the UAE, we are excited to welcome Sally back to the partnership. Her appointment significantly strengthens our ability to provide expert advice to our clients when disputes arise, and also reflects the Firm’s commitment to investing in top talent and providing a unique client service experience.”
Steve Abraham, London-based Partner and Baker McKenzie's EMEA Head of Dispute Resolution, added: "It is a pleasure to welcome Sally back to our Dubai office. Her addition will play a key role in further developing the Firm's contentious offering and aligns with our broader growth strategy. Her expertise will add significant value to the Firm and complements the capabilities of our teams in the UAE, the Middle East, and beyond as we continue to deliver top-tier litigation and arbitration advice to our clients.”
Sally Kotb stated: “I am excited to rejoin Baker McKenzie’s leading Dispute Resolution practice and to help build upon the significant growth the Firm is experiencing in this space. It is an exciting time for litigators in the UAE and the Middle East, with disputes becoming more frequent and complex. I also look forward to working closely with my exceptional colleagues to take our regional practice to ever greater heights and to continue to champion our inclusion, diversity and equity programme across the Middle East."
Sally's arrival follows several recent lateral partner appointments across the Firm’s MENA locations. These include Adil Hussain, who joined last year as Head of Banking & Finance in the Firm's UAE offices and Global Head of Islamic Finance, from Clyde & Co and Sahal Khalawi, who also joined last year as a Regulatory and Public policy Partner in Saudi Arabia. Baker McKenzie has a total of eight offices in the MENA region.