Charles Russell Speechlys—Richard Kiddell & Alim Khamis

Charles Russell Speechlys has announced the appointment of two new partners to its litigation and dispute resolution team.

Partners Richard Kiddell and Alim Khamis join the firm’s London and Qatar offices respectively. These appointments mark 2023 as a year of significant international growth for the firm as the implementation of its global strategy accelerates in line with client demand for a more cohesive, multi-jurisdictional international arbitration offering. 

Richard (pictured) is a highly regarded disputes lawyer with over two decades of experience (principally at Hogan Lovells) handling complex, high-value commercial disputes across multiple jurisdictions and involving several parties and laws. He has counselled his corporate and private individual client base through countless arbitration proceedings under various institutional rules, including the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Court of Arbitration (ICC),  the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), the DIFC-LCIA and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), as well investment treaty proceedings under the rules of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Richard’s experience of courts in jurisdictions including the British Virgin Islands, the USA and Saudi Arabia, coupled with his understanding of international arbitration in emerging and developing markets, means he forms an integral link across the Firm’s international offices, as Charles Russell Speechlys continues to implement its global strategy to further enhance its reputation in the sphere of international arbitration. 

Alim is a dual-qualified lawyer in Australia and Canada, specialising in construction disputes, with a focus on domestic and international arbitration. Throughout this career, Alim has worked across multiple jurisdictions and project managed large international teams from specialist disciplines on arbitrations spanning Asia, the GCC and Australia. With over a decade of experience acting for clients in high-value disputes within the construction, infrastructure, and energy sectors he has gained invaluable sector knowledge and best practice.

Stewart Hey, partner and Head of the litigation and dispute resolution practice, comments: 'Both Partners bring with them an impressive international practice and are renowned players within their respective fields. These appointments, allied to further forthcoming global hires of arbitral specialists, will support the Firm’s already distinguished arbitration offering and add a greater depth and breadth to our practice.'

Patrick Gearon, head of the Middle East practice, adds: 'We are building out our global arbitration practice at a time of growing client demand. The new additions to the team will enable us to better serve key arbitration practices around the world, with a particular focus on London, Paris, Switzerland, the Middle East and Asia. We are thrilled to have Richard and Alim on board as we enter an exciting period of growth within our global ranks of dispute resolvers.'

These appointments closely follow the arrival of Corporate and Commercial Partner Alex Reid in Dubai, Simon Hofstetter in Switzerland, and Partner Benoît Pasquier, a Swiss qualified lawyer, and sport arbitration specialist, within the Firm’s sports team in Zurich.