Complete Rejection of an AED 10 Million Claim in DIAC Arbitration

George represented an engineering, procurement and construction company in technically complex arbitration proceedings against a major regional conglomerate. The dispute arose from specialist works carried out by the client at a project site. During the course of the works, a serious incident resulted in the collapse of the roof of the structure. The opposing party subsequently brought claims exceeding AED 10 million against the client, alleging that it was responsible for the accident and the resulting losses. The client denied liability and pursued its own claims for outstanding contractual amounts. The arbitration required close analysis of the parties’ contractual responsibilities, the technical cause of the collapse, site conditions, expert evidence and the allocation of risk between the principal contractor and the specialist contractor. George advised on and directed the client’s strategy throughout the proceedings before the Dubai International Arbitration Centre. The arbitral tribunal rejected the opposing party’s claims exceeding AED 10 million in their entirety. It also upheld the client’s claim and awarded the outstanding amounts due, together with legal interest and costs. The award represented a significant result in a technically demanding construction dispute, removing the client’s substantial potential liability while securing a financial recovery in its favour.