Sohail Ali

Partner

Sohail has been described as a rising star in the partnership. A formidable intellect, peerless for his generation, an exceptional strategist and an absolute pleasure to deal with

Legal 500

Emailsohail.ali@akd.partners

Call+44 (0) 333 207 7129

London

About

Sohail Ali is a litigation and arbitration lawyer who advises on high value, complex, cross-border, corporate and commercial litigation disputes.

He has almost 20 years' experience advising a wide range of clients including, amongst others, state owned enterprises, financial institutions (including investment funds, PE firms and global crypto exchanges) and corporate organisations across a range of sectors and jurisdictions. He regularly advises on breach of contract/misrepresentation, fraud and post-acquisition M&A disputes. He has particular expertise in advising clients in financial services/crypto, energy and the life sciences sectors.

Sohail's extensive experience covers a variety of different dispute forums including litigation through the UK courts and international arbitration (both ad hoc and under institutional rules, including LCIA, ICC, DIAC, SIAC and CIETAC).

Sohail has previously worked in-house at leading global financial institutions.

Areas of FocusLife Sciences Technology Energy and Natural Resources Financial Services Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations International Arbitration

EXPERIENCE

Acting for a state-owned oil company as its global strategic adviser in a USD 15 billion arbitration dispute spanning more than 10 jurisdictions.
Advising a life sciences client in relation to a USD 2.2 billion securities class action being brought by shareholders and pension funds for alleged misrepresentations/misstatements.
Acting for a global bank in relation to a GBP 425 million Worldwide Freezing Order served against the bank accounts of a leading Russian oil supplier.
Acting for a global crypto exchange in a Mexican seated ICC arbitration relating to a contractual dispute with a payment services provider.
Acting for a global crypto exchange in the successful asset tracing and recovery of USD 2 million of crypto currency to a Canadian resident.
Acting for a US PE firm in relation to a complex multi-million pound fraud and asset tracing dispute.
Acting for a state-owned public listed ship building company in relation to a high-profile, high-stakes EUR 120 million dispute relating to the supply and delivery of two shipping vessels.
Acting for a renewable commodities trading company, in an ICC arbitration relating to a multi-million euro dispute against an Indian incorporated commodities broker.
Acting for a USD 9 billion debt private equity backed healthcare business, in relation to a complex, USD 200 million shareholder dispute with its JV partner relating to alleged breach of fiduciary and directors duties.
Acting for a US technology firm in relation to a breach of warranty claim for breach for US/UK/EU sanctions following the acquisition of a global provider of data analytics.

Languages

Awards

Education

Harvard Business School, 2020

Oxford University, BA MA (Oxon), Jurisprudence, 2005

Publications

"Exercising a Contractual Discretion", 26 January 2017
"Mis-selling - no duty to advise on onerous terms - Finch v Lloyds TSB Bank Plc", 12 July 2016
"A word of caution: does your prepayment indemnity clause work?", 19 January 2016

Prior Experience

Sohail originally qualified as an International Banking lawyer at a global law firm in London and Dubai. He has significant prior experience of advising on and structuring both conventional and Islamic Finance transactions.

Memberships And Affiliations