Aleem O. Shahid
Barrister
CONTACT
BIOGRAPHY
Aleem is a Barrister (overseas) and Solicitor-Advocate in England & Wales, an Advocate of the High Court in Pakistan and is registered as an Advocate with the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) Courts.
As an experienced international dispute resolution lawyer with a track record for delivering results in complex and high-value construction and commercial cases, Aleem has successfully represented diverse clients in litigation and arbitration proceedings in multiple jurisdictions since 2008. Dividing his time between London and Islamabad, Aleem maintains a broad-based commercial practice and is often instructed as counsel in international arbitration cases and related court proceedings. He has a particular focus on the South Asia and Middle-East regions, having practised in Oman and Dubai for several years. Prior to joining Four Golf Road, Aleem was a senior associate at a leading construction and energy law firm in London.
First and foremost an advocate, Aleem is equally at home before a court or an arbitral tribunal. His main areas of specialism and professional interest are:
- Construction, energy and infrastructure disputes
- Private international law
- Public international law
- Bribery, corruption and fraud in international transactions
- Financial crime
Aleem has frequently acted in cases governed by or involving foreign law, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, China, France, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Vietnam.
Many of Aleem’s cases involve evidence of a technical nature, and he is used to working closely with expert witnesses across a range of disciplines as well as with lawyers from other jurisdictions. He has previously served as a lecturer on the University of London’s External LL.B programme at the Universal College, Islamabad, and regularly undertakes pro bono instructions alongside his day-to-day practice.
Aleem accepts appointments as arbitrator, dispute board member and mediator.
Professional Qualifications:
- 2020: Admitted as Solicitor-Advocate in England & Wales
- 2015: Registered as an Advocate (Part II), DIFC Courts
- 2008: Admitted as an Advocate in Pakistan (member of the Islamabad Bar)
- 2008: Called to the Bar of England & Wales (Barrister)
International Experience:
Examples of Aleem’s International Experience:
- Advising a foreign investor in relation to claims arising from a USD 11m investment made in a failed residential development project in the UAE
- Advising an international contractor connection with high-value disputes relating to the design and construction of a floating solar power plant in Indonesia
- Representing a foreign investor in the first known investment treaty claims against Vietnam for a denial of justice and judicial expropriation
- Successfully acting for an international contractor in parallel ICC arbitrations valued in excess of USD 500m relating to the design and construction of a metro rail system in Saudi Arabia
- Successfully acting for the respondent supplier in an LCIA arbitration relating to the supply of armoured vehicles to Iraq
- Representing Oman’s largest steel manufacturer in a $46m cross-border shareholder dispute before the Omani courts involving complex conflict-of-law issues
- Acting for the claimant contractor in Sabic UK Petrochemicals Ltd v Punj Lloyd Ltd [2013] EWHC 2916 (TCC), an English High Court case arising from the termination of an engineering contract for a petrochemicals plant.
Pakistan Experience:
Examples of Aleem’s International Experience:
- Advising the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan on the country’s draft Arbitration Act 2024.
- Lead counsel for applicant in China International Water & Electric Corp. v. National Highway Authority (2023 CLD 1365), the first reported case in which a foreign interim arbitral award was enforced in Pakistan.
- Representing an international NGO in a parliamentary inquiry before the Senate into allegations of the sexual harassment of female employees.
- Successfully acting for an international contractor in a high-value ICC arbitration arising from the construction of a motorway in Pakistan.
- Advising a Pakistani national in connection with an international child custody dispute involving a Russian national, raising complex issues under the Hague Convention 1980.
- Representing the depositors of a failed non-banking financial institution in judicial review proceedings before the Islamabad High Court.
- Pro bono representation for the plaintiffs at trial in a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act 1855 arising from wrongful death by a dangerously-driven public transport vehicle.
- 2016: Cardiff University, LL.M (Legal Practice) focusing on the conflict of tort laws
- 2008: University of the West of England, Bristol Bar Vocational Course (PG Dip. Law)
- 2006:University of Kent at Canterbury, LL.B (Hons.) with European Diploma
Languages:
- English (primary)
- Urdu (fluent)
- Persian (conversational)
- Spanish (conversational)
2002
Called to the Bar of England & Wales (Barrister)
1997
Qualified as Advocate in Pakistan (Member of the Punjab Bar)
2020 – Current
Heading Four Golf Road Chambers which provides advisory, drafting and litigation services in:
- COMMERCIAL LAW: International / Domestic Arbitration; Commercial / Family Mediation; Cross-Border Disputes; Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) Contracts; Futures / Exchanges / Cryptocurrency; Asset-Tracing / White Collar Investigation / Goods and Services; Recovery of Monies; Breach of Contract; Anti-Money Laundering / Counter-Terrorism Financing.
- CIVIL LAW: Property; Islamic Inheritance; Employment; Service Matters against Govt./Regulatory Bodies.
- CRIMINAL LAW: Non-Contractual Criminal Breach of Trust; Injury; Murder; Drug Trafficking; Forgery; Trespass / Robbery; Contempt of Court.
2005 – Current
Practising Advocate in Pakistan with specialization in areas of International Commercial Arbitration; Contract; Energy; Foreign Investment; Infrastructure; Property; Employment; Regulatory Authorities; Local Bodies; Mediation.
2006 - 2008
High Profile Criminal Cases which include securing release of a (i) death-row prisoner who spent 18 years in prison for a murder committed in self-defence; (ii) foreign lady/ single mother used by drug mafias as a drug mule.
2005
Advisor to the Attorney General’s office on the reform of arbitration law in Pakistan. Co-drafted the international arbitration law of Pakistan which was promulgated as the “Recognition and Enforcement (Arbitration Agreements and Foreign Arbitral Awards) Act, 2011" incorporating the 1958 New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards into Pakistan law.
1997 - 2004
Began practice in international arbitration and commercial disputes With Mr. Van Vechten (Johnny) Veeder (leading Queen’s Counsel and world authority on International Commercial Arbitration) on issues of contractual breaches under English / International Law; international mining projects; exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons and oil; production-sharing contracts of consortiums involving international conflicts of law, fair and equitable treatment in bilateral investment treaties etc.
2020 - 2021
Commissioned by the Government of Punjab / World Bank to draft statute establishing Commercial Courts in Punjab province (half of Pakistan’s population) and conduct trainings of civil / district level judges to specialize as Commercial Court judges.
2020 - 2021
One of ten-member experts’ group advising the Government of Pakistan on reform of Pakistan law on Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT), International Investment Agreements (IIA) and the Indus Water Treaty re water issues.
2019 - 2022
One of three-member group that drafted the statute for Ministry of Commerce Trade Dispute Resolution Organization.
2018
Pakistan Representative of the Committee on Cultural Heritage Governance of the International Law Association for R&D on laws governing global cultural heritage.
2004
Consultant to the United National Commission on International Trade Law for training of Shari’ah judges, lawyers and government officials on International Arbitration Law and its inter-face with Islamic Law in Muslim countries in a series of United Nations intensive workshops in Sana’a, Yemen.
2000
United Nations Delegate on Trade Law, New York representing the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) in the UN Working Group on Trade Law dealing with international conventions and rules on International Arbitration.
2021
Member, Government College University Board of Studies, established Dr. Iqbal Law School (DILS) in September 2021. Visiting Faculty.
2020 - 2021
Kinnaird College for Women University Lecturer for Rule of Law and Economic Development on LL.B. Honours program.
2019
Government of Pakistan, National School of Public Policy Guest Lecturer on Indus Water Treaty and South Asia Geo-Politics, Treaties and Water Disputes.
2016
Pakistan Armed Forces Guest Lecturer on Islamic Law, History and Culture.
2014
Guest Lectures on Public International Law, International Arbitration, Comparative Religion, Arbitration and Mediation, Ethics.
2000 - 2005
LL.M. Lecturer, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London University, Lecturer for International Trade Law / Project Finance / ADR. Training of Chinese judges on Judicial Exchange Program
1999 - 2006
Editor of Arbitration International, one of the leading law journals for international arbitration used by leading practitioners, lawyers and academics around the world.
2009 - 2014
School of Oriental and African Studie (SOAS) London, England.
Completed four-year B.A. Honours in Arabic Degree in Classical and Modern Arabic, Grammar, Literature and Early Manuscripts.
2011 -
2012
University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
One-Year Diploma in spoken Arabic.
1996 - 1997
London School of Economics, London, England.
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Public International and Commercial Law with a 30,000 words thesis on Public International Law Dispute Resolution.
1992 - 1994
Oxford University, Balliol College, England
B.A. in Jurisprudence (Contract Law, Criminal Law, Jurisprudence, Public International Law, Company Law, Moral and Political Philosophy).
1990 - 1992
University of Punjab, Kinnaird College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Master of Arts I (M.A. in English Literature; poets and dramatists from the 14th century to contemporary novelists and playwrights).
1987 -
1989
University of Punjab, Lahore College for Women, Pakistan
Bachelor of Arts (B.A. in Psychology and Journalism).
Apr 2021
‘Strengthening the Rule of Law in Pakistan: New Commercial Courts in Punjab’ - Article published in national daily dated 1 May 2021.
Apr 2021
'Punjab Commercial Courts Ordinance 2021: A New Frontier’ - Article analysing first-ever commercial courts in Pakistan, published in Courting the Law Journal dated 29 April 2021 with further publication in June 2021 in Pakistan’s leading commercial law journal: Commercial Law Digest (CLD).
Mar 2018
‘Weaving the Interfaith Dialogue: Language of Dress on the Silk Road’ - Presidential Address presenting new research at the Convention of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Dec 2003
'Good Faith and Due Process: Lessons from the Shari'ah' - Article published in Arbitration International, Vol.19, Issue 4, 2003
May 2000
'Pakistan Supreme Court Decision on Hubco' Arbitration International - Article published in Arbitration International, Vol.16, Issue 3, 2000.
1998 - 1999
Arbitral Awards of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration - Book Editor on Legal Commentary on Islamic and Egyptian Law.
June 1997
Kashmir and International Law Research paper on “A Proposal for the Resolution of the Kashmir Dispute using International Arbitration.”
2014
Founded the Alam al-Khayal Foundation – Philanthropy for Peace which has been active in addressing civil society issues in Pakistan with a particular focus on programs on Sport for Social Development; Humanitarian Aid; Interest-free Scholarships for Higher Education / Professional Development; Law Reform; and Peace through Music.
2010
Frederick Richter Memorial Prize awarded for most meritorious work in the field of Oriental Art, Literature or Music at SOAS, University of London.
1997
Elected President of the London University Postgraduate Law Society.
1996
Commonwealth Scholarship to Oxford, awarded annually to 4 applicants nation-wide.
1995
Media Award for 'Best Theatre Actress of the Year'.
1994
Best Extempore Debater, Oxford Union Society.
1994
Debate House Opener for Public Debates, Oxford Union Society.
1992 - 1994
Represented Oxford University, Balliol College, in Intercollegiate Tennis Matches.
1992
Shield for Best Debater, Kinnaird College, Lahore
1990
Extra-Curricular Roll of Honour, Lahore College. Awarded to top 3 of 6,000 students.
1990
Academic Roll of Honour, Lahore College. Awarded to top 3 of 6,000 students.
1989
Elected President of the Lahore College Students Union after 14-year ban of military dictatorship. Defeated student candidate of religious political party 'Jamaat-e-Islami' which had been defacto principal of the university for 14 years.
1988
Secretary, Lahore College Debating Society.
1985 - 1987
College Debater. Represented Lahore College in 25 All-Pakistan Debating Competitions. Won prizes in 24.
1985
Academic Merit Scholarship for overall 3rd position in Pakistan in Matriculation.
Urdu (fluent)
English (fluent)
Punjabi (fluent)
Arabic (advanced)
French (elementary)