Farhan Shafi

Farhan is a disputes lawyer with over six years’ experience advising domestic and international clients on complex commercial and construction disputes across the Middle East and South Asia. He represents clients in high-value, technically demanding disputes arising from major projects and commercial relationships.

Farhan is an arbitration specialist advising clients across the full lifecycle of proceedings, from early case strategy and arbitrator selection through to hearings and enforcement. He regularly acts in significant commercial and construction arbitrations under a range of leading institutional rules, including the ICC, LCIA and DIAC Rules, as well as in ad hoc proceedings. He has experience in arbitrations seated in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, the DIFC, Lahore and London and governed by English, UAE and Pakistani law.

A significant portion of Farhan’s practice is devoted to construction disputes, including claims relating to defects, delay, quantum and variations. He acts for stakeholders across the contractual chain, advising on case strategy, entitlement and quantum analysis. He formulates clear and commercially grounded positions in technically complex project disputes and regularly supports negotiated resolutions and pre-dispute strategy alongside formal proceedings.

In addition to arbitration, Farhan advises on disputes before the UAE onshore courts and is qualified to act in proceedings before the DIFC and ADGM Courts, including interim and enforcement applications. He regularly advises clients on cross-border strategy where disputes engage multiple jurisdictions.

Farhan has also advised on strategic commercial and risk matters, including for clients in the technology and energy sectors. This broader commercial exposure underpins his pragmatic approach to dispute resolution. 

Outside his practice, Farhan serves as a Committee Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UAE Branch) Young Members Group and as an International Alumni Leader for King’s College London in the UAE.