Matthew Harley

Matthew assists clients in avoiding, managing, and resolving disputes relating to Africa and the Middle East.

Matthew represents individuals, corporates, states, and state entities in arbitrations in industry sectors including energy, corporate matters (including private equity and disputes arising out of shareholder agreements, joint ventures, and M&A transactions), financial services, technology, hospitality, and real estate. He has represented clients in arbitrations conducted under the rules of the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, and ICDR, and seated in major arbitral centres as well as the GCC countries. He has represented clients in disputes under the governing laws of England and Wales, the UAE, the DIFC, the ADGM, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Kenya, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Matthew also has substantial experience representing clients in litigation, including in the English, DIFC, and other common law courts. His experience includes representing clients in substantive claims in the defence and financial services sectors. He has also represented clients in court proceedings related to arbitrations, including obtaining urgent interim relief such as anti-suit injunctions, and applications to enforce or resist the enforcement of arbitration awards. Matthew successfully represented a state entity in proceedings to resist the recognition of a US$390 million arbitration award, with the case ultimately determined by the UK Supreme Court.

Matthew also advises clients on mediations and on dispute avoidance and management strategies, as well as fraud and asset-tracing matters. His experience of the latter includes representing a state in the successful recovery of assets misappropriated by a former regime.

Matthew conducts his own advocacy before arbitral tribunals and courts.

Matthew also sits as an arbitrator. He has been appointed as an arbitrator in arbitrations under the rules of the ICC, the DIAC, and the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration, including one arbitration with approximately US$19 million in dispute.

Matthew was formerly senior counsel and acting registrar at the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre in Dubai, which was at the time the leading arbitration institute in the Middle East. In that role, he administered hundreds of commercial arbitrations, as well as mediations and regulatory proceedings, and worked closely with the LCIA Court. As a result, he has a unique insight into, and deep knowledge of, the practice of international arbitration, which he uses to his clients’ advantage. He also previously spent time on secondment with a Big Four accounting firm in London and a leading legal consultancy in Kenya.

Matthew is a co-founder of the Virtual Arbitration project,, established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage the use of virtual hearings. The project won a Global Arbitration Review special recognition award for “response to the coronavirus pandemic” in July 2020.

Matthew is listed as an Arbitration Future Leader by Lexology Index for 2025.

Matthew was shortlisted for the Rising Star Award – Private Practice at the Middle East Legal Awards 2024.

Matthew also participates in pro bono matters and previously represented a refugee in an arbitration involving a supranational organisation.

Experience

Representative matters

Acting for a state entity in a US$1 billion ICC arbitration relating to a power plant.

Acting for the master franchisee of a global fast-food chain in a GCC country in an ICDR arbitration concerning the disputed termination of the master franchise. Matthew’s representation included assisting with urgent interim relief proceedings before the courts of the Netherlands.

Acting for the sellers of a majority shareholding in a Dubai-based telecommunications company in a DIAC arbitration, in a dispute concerning alleged accounting fraud to inflate the company’s value.

Acting for a state entity in a US$1 billion ICC arbitration relating to a power plant.

Acting for the sellers of a majority shareholding in a Dubai-based telecommunications company in a DIAC arbitration, in a dispute concerning alleged accounting fraud to inflate the company’s value.

Defending a state in an LCIA arbitration concerning a failed hotel development project, with claims in excess of US$300 million.

Successfully defending the operator of an oil block in Iraq in an ICC arbitration governed by English law, in a dispute concerning the joint venture participants’ respective ownership interests in the block.

Acting for an independent energy company in an ICC arbitration governed by Yemeni law, concerning the disputed relinquishment of an oil block in Yemen.

Acting for the sponsor in an ICC arbitration concerning the naming rights to the stadium of one of the world’s leading football clubs, with more than €400 million in dispute.

Acting for an investor and shareholder in an LCIA arbitration arising out of a shareholder dispute relating to a leading health care provider in the GCC.

Sitting as an arbitrator in multiple arbitrations, including in a Doha-seated arbitration with approximately US$19 million in dispute.

Representing a client in DIFC Court proceedings, defending claims of breach of contract and conspiracy. All the claims against our client were dismissed entirely.

Representing a client in DIFC Court proceedings, bringing claims for conspiracy, inducement to breach contract and misuse of confidential information.

Representing a client in DIFC Court proceedings, defending complex claims of conspiracy and dishonest assistance arising out of a share swap transaction.

Acting for a state oil company, successfully resisting the enforcement of a US$390 million arbitral award before the UK Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Acting for Venezuela in resisting the recognition and enforcement in England of a US$740 million arbitral award.

Successfully resisting a challenge by the unsuccessful party to a tribunal’s jurisdiction award, leading to a reported English judgment on the interpretation of overlapping arbitration agreements.

Acting on behalf of clients, investigating allegations of client personnel obtaining fake education certificates and improper benefits awarded to a client’s former senior management.

Acting on behalf of a client in respect of the UAE aspects of a global, multi-billion U.S. dollar fraud.