Practice Expertise

  • Dispute Resolution
  • Maritime, Shipping & Transport
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Areas of Practice

  • Dispute Resolution
  • Maritime, Shipping & Transport
  •  
  •  

WSG Practice Industries

Profile

Chatura's practice focuses primarily on dispute resolution. He advises and represents clients in arbitration, and has represented clients in DIAC, ADCCAC, ICC and ad hoc arbitrations. In addition to representing clients in arbitration, he sits as an arbitrator. Chatura also works with local advocates on matters before the UAE Federal Courts, including the Federal Supreme Court in matters of national security, as well as the Courts of Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.

Chatura regularly acts for clients in high value construction disputes. He also advises on maritime and shipping disputes, banking disputes, employment disputes, as well as complex disputes relating to commercial transactions. Much of his work has strong cross-border elements. He is a regular speaker at workshops and conferences on dispute resolution in the UAE. He is also known for pro bono work involving young families and children.

Prior to joining Afridi & Angell in 2008, Chatura was in the private bar of Sri Lanka practicing in the Law Chambers of Dr Harsha Cabral, President's Counsel. He was also a visiting lecturer in law at the Faculties of Law and Management at the University of Colombo.

Chatura has been ranked as dispute resolution practitioner in both Chambers Global ("Up and Coming") and in Legal 500 EMEA ("Next Generation Partner").

Bar Admissions
Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, called to the Bar in 2006

Education
- LL.M., Harvard Law School, Fulbright Scholar, 2007
- LL.B. (Honours) University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2004

Areas of Practice

  • Dispute Resolution
  • Maritime, Shipping & Transport

Professional Career

Significant Accomplishments
- Studied as a William H. Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University, U.S.A. (2007)

Seminars/ Presentation
- Speaker, New Year's Legal Update: Decriminalising Bounced Cheques, 25 January 2022

- Panelist, Impact of the Global Pandemic on Construction Disputes, AIJA Conference, 18 November 2021, Dubai

- Panelist, Financing / Litigation Funding, FIRE Conference organised by Thought Leaders 4, 16 November 2021, Dubai

- Panelist, When arbitration and fraud meet, Asset Recovery Middle East Virtual Conference organised by Informa, 17 February 2021, Dubai

- Panelist, Virtual chat with Afridi & Angell: answers to COVID-19 related questions on employment, risk management & disputes among others, webinar organised in collaboration with the Association of Corporate Counsel, 23 April 2020, Dubai

- Speaker, Force majeure clauses in contracts governed under UAE law, webinar organised in collaboration with the Association of Corporate Counsel, 11 March 2020, Dubai

- Speaker, Dispute Smart: Exploring Ways to Develop Efficient and Innovative Solutions, Asian Legal Business UAE In-House Summit 2019, 22 October 2019, Dubai

- Speaker, Understanding Debt Recovery in the UAE, seminar organised by The Oath as part of the GC Talk Series, 1 May 2019, Dubai

- Panelist, Litigation Funding as an Asset Class, AIM Summit Abu Dhabi, 7 April 2019, Abu Dhabi

- Moderator, Litigation Funding Developments in MENA Region, 2nd International Litigation Legal Conference Dubai, 25 March 2019, Dubai

- Panelist, The future of ADR: where do we go from here? 2nd International Litigation Legal Conference Dubai, 26 March 2019, Dubai

- Speaker, The early stages of arbitration, seminar organised by Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC), 30 September 2018, Dubai

- Speaker, Federal law No. 6 of 2018 - The New Arbitration Law, seminar organised by Afridi & Angell, 27 June 2018, Dubai



Articles

Additional Articles- Dispute the Changes, Lexis Middle East Law Alert, March / April 2022

- Co-author of the UAE chapter of Arbitration, Lexology Getting The Deal Through, 2022

- Co-author of Attachment of Assets, Juris Publishing, 2021

- Amendments to management liability under the Bankruptcy Law, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 6 December 2021

- The dishonour of a cheque for insufficient funds will no longer be a crime in the UAE after 2 January 2022, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 9 November 2021

- Dubai Court of Cassation clarifies the application of optional arbitration clauses, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 2 November 2021

- A unified arbitration hub? The Oath, October 2021

- Yes, its groundbreaking, but what does it mean for you? A rough guide to the implications of Decree 34 for parties in arbitration in Dubai, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 26 September 2021

- Further recognition of judge-made law, and new courts: more changes to the UAE's Civil Procedure Code, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 20 September 2021

- Consistent messaging from the Dubai Courts: Arbitration clauses are to be construed as narrowly as possible, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 12 September 2021

- Co-author of Arbitration procedures and practice in United Arab Emirates: overview, Practical Law Global Guide (Thomson Reuters), 2021

- Co-author of Litigation and Enforcement in the United Arab Emirates: overview, May 2021, Thomson Reuters Practical Law Global Guide

- Another step in the right direction - the Dubai Court introduces the concept of a pre-trial conference, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 28 April 2021

- The separability of an arbitration clause - the Sharjah Court of Appeal sets limits, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 11 November 2020

- Co-author of the UAE chapter of Shipping, Lexology Getting The Deal Through, 2021

- Further Changes to Civil Litigation in the UAE, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 27 May 2020

- Co-author of the UAE chapter of Arrest of Vessels, Maritime Law Handbook, 2020, Kluwer Law International

- Interim measures in practice, The Oath, April 2020

- COVID-19: Is it an event of force majeure under UAE law?, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 19 April 2020

- Electronic signatures in the UAE: what you need to know, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 13 April 2020

- Co-author of the UAE chapter of Arbitration, Lexology Getting The Deal Through, 2020

- Co-author of Arbitration procedures and practice in United Arab Emirates: overview, Practical Law Global Guide (Thomson Reuters), 2020

- Interim relief prior to starting arbitrations under the Federal Arbitration Law: A note on recent experiences, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 11 February 2020

- UAE Prosecution for IT Crimes Law - Legislative Insight, Lexis Middle East Law Alert, 13 January 2020

- Co-author of Litigation and Enforcement in the United Arab Emirates, 2019, Thomson Reuters Practical Law Global Guide

- The use of experts in the UAE municipal courts: Seven things you need to know, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 12 December 2019

- Dubai: Changes to the fines that can be applied by the Public Prosecutors - Department, Afridi & Angell Legal Alert, 6 October 2019

- A closer look at Payment Orders under the UAE Civil Procedure Law, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 11 June 2019

- Is Arbitration an Exceptional or Alternative Form of Dispute Resolution? Afridi & Angell inBrief, 21 May 2019

- The UAE's new Arbitration Law: a significant step towards making the Emirates a global arbitration hub, IBA Litigation Newsletter, May 2019

- Significant Changes to UAE's Civil Procedure Code, ASIAN-MENA Counsel, February 2019

- Significant Changes to Civil Procedure Code, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 12 February 19

- Application for an Anti-Suit Injunction: Dismissed, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 11 November 2018

- Remote Litigation in Dubai Labour Court, Afridi & Angell Legal Alert, 30 October 2018

- Dubai relaxes rules on filing appeals before the Court of Cassation, Afridi & Angell Legal Alert, 30 September 2018

- Assessing the Impact of the New UAE Arbitration Law, Lexis Middle East Law Alert, 20 July 2018

- The UAE Federal Arbitration Law: A First Look, Afridi & Angell inBrief, 17 May 2018

- Potential Criminal Liability for Arbitrators and Experts, Afridi & Angell inBrief, November 2016

- Author of Arrest of Vessels in the UAE, The Oath, October 2014

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