Andrew Raof

Associate,
Dubai, UAE

T. +971 4 528 5555
E. andrew.raof@bsabh.com


Andrew is an associate lawyer within the Arbitration & Dispute Resolution practice at BSA. 

He commenced legal practice as a solicitor of England and Wales in his home city of Leeds, United Kingdom, before relocating to the United Arab Emirates in 2021.

A proficient commercial litigator, Andrew has worked at firms varying in size from local to international. When it comes to clients, Andrew understands their needs, and is known to be pragmatic, empathetic and solutions-driven. He has represented clients ranging from private individuals to multinational corporations, and is a competent advocate, having undertaken advocacy before the courts at hearings of various types.

In addition to general commercial disputes, Andrew has a particular specialism and interest in complex, high-value construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes, subrogated recoveries on behalf of major insurers and disputes that have technical and/or scientific aspects. His other areas of practice both in the United Kingdom and in the United Arab Emirates include employment, professional negligence, property, planning and highways. He has led cases in a range of litigated and non-litigated commercial disputes in both the English and the DIFC Courts (as well as in arbitrations, negotiations and mediations).

Aside from contentious work, Andrew is particularly adept at legal business development and actively partakes in both content writing and marketing.



Areas of expertise
services
  • Environment, social and governance
  • Litigation
  • Arbitration
industry
  • Construction and Engineering
  • Energy
  • Insurance
groups
  • Family-owned Businesses
  • Private Client
  • High Net Worth Individuals
Highlights of experience
  • Acting on behalf of a major multi-national insurer in numerous high-value and technical subrogated recovery matters (pursuing contractors ((including M&E and O&M)) and subcontractors involved in the construction of various high-end luxury residential buildings in London).
  • Acting for an American company incorporated in Texas in defending a claim in the English Technology & Construction Court (Queen’s Bench Division) being brought by a high-profile claimant for defective workmanship, breach of contract and negligence in relation to a bespoke commercial kitchen project worth over £1 million at a famous exclusive London club.
  • Acting for a property developer client based in the Republic of Ireland in claims against contractors and subcontractors for defective workmanship, snagging and breach of contract (including for delay and consequential losses such as interest).
  • Acting for a British regional property developer (residential, commercial and retail) in extinguishing the threat of injunctive relief being occasioned by (and maintaining the position against) two well-known British supermarket chains in respect of alleged interferences with rights of way and infringements of associated property, planning, highways and infrastructure laws, during a multi-million-pound regeneration and redevelopment of a town centre shopping complex.
  • Acting for a British supermarket chain in a multi-million-pound claim against architects, engineers and contractors owing to defects in design and construction of abattoir facilities arising from humidity and rust, and eventual degradation.
  • Acting on behalf of a British claimant against a local authority and its contractor for damage caused to sewerage (and resultant damage and loss) as a result of defective workmanship and the professional negligence on the part of both the contractor and the local authority.
  • Defending and counterclaiming a multi-million-dollar ICC arbitration in respect of marine expansion works in Bahrain, on behalf of shipping repair and engineering corporation
  • Defending a private equity corporation in the DIFC Technology and Construction Courts against a claim of vicarious liability being brought against it (as well as its former employee as a second defendant) by a global cryptocurrency trading platform claiming the permanent loss of 300 Bitcoins at over $18 million.
  • Defending a claim in the English High Court for misfeasance against a former company director brought by liquidators for nearly £1.3 million.
  • Defending an individual in the English High Court against direct disqualification in a claim brought by the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
  • Defending an individual commodities trader client against threats of legal action (for alleged losses and disruption to business) being brought by the restructuring officer of a global petrochemical corporation, and instigating on behalf of the client a counterclaim for unpaid bonuses worth $16 million over several financial years, worth $16 million.
  • Acting for a company in the prevention of imminent publication of defamatory content (at the behest of a business rival) by journalists on several prominent British news websites.
Education & qualifications
  • LLM in Innovation, Technology and the Law, University of Edinburgh, UK, 2014
  • LLB (Hons) in English Law with French Law, University of Surrey, UK, 2010
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