Overview

Mr. Taylor is a solicitor advocate who was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2011. Based in Doha and Dubai, he specializes in international commercial and investment arbitration as well as complex multi-jurisdictional litigation, cross-border insolvencies, regulatory investigations, civil fraud, and asset tracing. He has earned a reputation as a creative legal strategist as well as an experienced advocate.

Mr. Taylor represents major corporations and financial institutions, sovereign states and parastatals, high net worth individuals and heads of state, with a broad range of experience across international trade and financial services, telecoms and media, construction and banking.

He acts as an advocate both in international arbitrations under the rules of most major international arbitration institutions, as well as in the High Court in London, the DIFC Courts and the Dubai World Tribunal (DWT), and the Courts of the British Virgin Islands and Seychelles.

As an arbitrator appointed by the LCIA in Dubai and London and the ICC, Mr. Taylor has mediated a wide range of commercial disputes.  He has also advised on disputes and/or appeared in arbitrations in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

He also has expertise in regulatory investigations, including those carried out by central banks and financial services regulators in European and Middle Eastern jurisdictions.

Mr. Taylor has been recognized as a leader in international arbitration, mediation and asset tracing in the Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal, and Chambers Global.  He is variously described as "veteran of the Dubai disputes world," a “strong and intelligent advocate," and “an extraordinary mind which allows him to bring something different to any piece of litigation.”

Mr. Taylor is the founding director of the International Lawyers for Africa (ILFA) program, which aims to build legal capacity and strengthen the rule of law in Africa through placements with major law firms in the UK.

*Mr. Taylor is not admitted to practice law in the United States.

Professional Affiliations

  • International Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • LCIA

Representative Matters

  • Represented major Dubai government-owned developer in unprecedented proceedings against the Dubai International Arbitration Centre to invalidate its appointment of a tribunal and seek an anti-arbitration injunction.
  • Defeated committal application for several respondents in the leading case on the DIFC Courts’ contempt of court powers, leading to the modifications of the DIFC Courts’ prescribed form of penal notice and worldwide freezing orders.
  • Represented one of the largest independent brokerage firms in the United States in DIFC Court proceedings concerning issues in relation to confidentiality, restrictive covenants and poaching of employees and clients.
  • Defeated AED 2.4 billion claim by major UAE construction company against Dubai government-owned developer in a DIAC arbitration.

Publications & Events

In the News

Education

  • University of Oxford (1977)

Bar Admissions

  • Solicitor, England & Wales