Richard is a recognised leader in commercial dispute resolution in the UAE and has practised contentious business law in the UAE and Middle East region for most of his career. His areas of specialisation include commercial litigation and arbitration, particularly in commercial disputes, fraud and asset recovery, maritime, trade, and insurance law in the United Arab Emirates and the larger Middle East area.
Before working as Executive Partner at Hadef & Partners, Richard trained with Clifford Chance in London and worked with Clifford Chance in London and Dubai (1992 – 1996), later joining Al Tamimi & Co as a partner (1996 – 2004).
Richard is a member of the Law Society and a Practicing Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He is also a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA), and ICC FraudNet Member for the UAE.
Richard is the President of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) and was the former Chairman of the Host Committee for the IPBA Annual Meeting and Conference held in Dubai from 7 to 10 March 2023.
Richard has also been appointed as a Board Member of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) and is the Chairman of the Host Committee of the International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators (ICMA) Conference coming to Dubai from 5 to 10 November 2023.
Richard was the Chairman of the ICC FraudNet S&P Committee from 2017 – 2019 and a member of the ICC FraudNet Advisory Board. He was also the former Vice Chair of the IBA Maritime Committee from 2008 – 2014 and a former Vice Chair and Board Member of the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC).
