Andrew Mackenzie

Partner
Head of Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations, Middle East

Andrew has relentless tenacity and absolute client focus

— Client, Chambers Global
Abu DhabiDubai
About

Andrew leads the Tier 1 ranked dispute resolution practice for DLA Piper across the Middle East, comprising 8 Partners and 52 disputes associates. He is recognised in Chambers Global and Legal 500 and is listed in Who’s Who Legal as one of the world’s leading dispute lawyers. Based in Dubai since 2009, Andrew works extensively across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and India, acting for governments, sovereign entities, financial institutions and major corporates on their most complex disputes across civil and common law systems. He is a qualified English Barrister, Solicitor-Advocate, and arbitration law specialist.

Andrew’s practice spans contentious crypto and digital assets, fraud, financial services and white-collar crime, as well as construction, engineering, commodities, and energy disputes. He regularly advises on cross-border and in-country enforcement actions, with significant experience in global asset recovery strategies. He has represented some of the world’s leading oil and gas companies, as well as clients in the renewable energy, tech, financial services and infrastructure sectors.

Andrew has tried cases in all of the major arbitration forums, including ICSID, SCCA, ICC, LCIA, SIAC, ADCCAC, UNCITRAL, AAA and DIAC, and holds full rights of audience before the DIFC and ADGM Courts. He also sits as an arbitrator and frequently writes and presents at international conferences on arbitration, enforcement, and financial disputes.

Andrew’s client-centric and commercial approach has been consistently endorsed by the leading directories and clients alike, who commend his “relentless tenacity and absolute client focus” (Chambers Global) as well as his “exceptional knowledge” and “strong commitment to his clients” (Who’s Who Legal).

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsEnergy and Natural ResourcesFinancial ServicesConstruction and EngineeringIndustrialsData CentersTechnologyInternational Arbitration
Professional QualificationsAdmitted as a Solicitor with the Law Society of ScotlandBarrister in England and WalesSolicitor-Advocate in England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

Construction and Energy

  • Acted for an unincorporated joint venture in a DIAC arbitration concerning the operation of Dubai International Terminal 3 with a claim value of over USD1bn.
  • Acting for the Royal BAM Group in DIFC Court proceedings concerning the design and construction of the Dubai Museum of the Future.
  • Acting for a global oil and gas contractor in LCIA arbitration proceedings concerning the design and construction of a major oil pipeline in Abu Dhabi.
  • Acting for a global architect in DIFC-LCIA Arbitration proceedings concerning the design and engineering of the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre and the American School of Dubai. The dispute concerning complex issues of decennial liability, limitation of liability and the complex interplay between English and mandatory provisions of UAE law.
  • Acting for a global engineering firm in a DIAC arbitration concerning a construction project in Iraq. This multi-million dollar dispute concerned issues of contractual breach, misrepresentation and included criminal sanctions, sovereign immunity and cross-border enforcement.

ADGM/DIFC Courts

  • Advising multiple Defendants in ADGM Court proceedings concerning a share drag dispute with a multi-million dollar claim value.
  • Acting for a UAE based funds manager in ADGM Court proceedings concerning allegations of fraud, embezzlement and breach of fiduciary duties.
  • Acting for a luxury European fashion house in one of the first substantive actions before the ADGM Courts.
  • Acting for a global logistical company in DIFC Court proceedings concerning a challenge to a 1782 application for pre-action disclosure in the US in support of ongoing arbitral proceedings.
  • Acting for a major UAE-based bank in DIFC Court proceedings concerning the enforcement of personal guarantees worth in excess of AED700m.

Commercial / Financial Services

  • Acting for a crypto and digital asset business in a major DIAC arbitration concerning allegations of market manipulation, fraud and conspiracy.
  • Acting for a group of high net worth individuals in arbitration and Court proceedings in multiple jurisdictions in order to recover stolen crypto currency.
  • Advising a major crypto exchange regarding its internal governance and compliance procedures and the investigation of a potential fraud.
  • Acting for a large regional KSA-based bank in DIFC-LCIA arbitral proceedings, seated in the DIFC, concerning contractual breaches under numerous financial instruments in which an award for USD183m was successfully obtained.
  • Acting for a technology solutions provider in a multijurisdictional DIFC-LCIA arbitration with a claim value of USD 380m concerning issues of IP infringement and legal and contractual claims across five separate jurisdictions.

Awards

  • Power List: Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, and International Litigation and Construction, Legal 500, 2022
  • Ranked for Dispute Resolution and Construction in the UAE, Chambers and Partners
  • Ranked in Who’s Who Legal for Arbitration and Construction
Education
  • University of Strathclyde, Diploma in Legal Practice, 2007
  • University of Glasgow, LLB, with honors, 2006

Additional information

  • Led a team of lawyers to provide an advoacy masterclass for the Children's Rights Moot Court Competition 2021 for Leiden University.
  • Acting as Judge for the pre-moot and in the Semi-final of the Children's Rights Moot Court Competition 2021 for Leiden University.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Law Society of England & Wales - Member
  • Honourable Society of Lincoln"s Inn (United Kingdom) - Member
  • Society of Construction Law (Middle East) – Member
  • LCIA Council – Member

My latest insights

Publication

Dubai Tightens the Bolts on Its Building Boom

29 July 2025 .5 minute read

Publication

“Gotta Catch ’Em All”: Opportunities in the GCC’s Booming Computer Games Market

7 April 2025 .8 minute read

Events

Destination Greater Bay Area

31 October 2024 .3 minute read

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Connect

Phone

+97144386232
(Work, Dubai)