GBS Disputes

Deena is part of the team advising and/or representing:

• A Middle Eastern State, Respondent in an UNCITRAL arbitration initiated by Middle Eastern investors. The dispute, which involves claims in excess of USD 34.8 billion, arises from the alleged expropriation and mistreatment of investments in seven real estate projects. The proceedings are administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
• A State in a dispute between its customs authority and the supplier of technological infrastructure.
• A State on the negotiation of a treaty regarding joint exploration of hydrocarbons.
• The Arab Republic of Egypt, Respondent in an UNCITRAL arbitration initiated by four Middle Eastern investors in connection with the alleged violation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Agreement. The dispute arises from the alleged expropriation and mistreatment of investments in major commercial and touristic real estate projects in Egypt. USD 52 billion is at stake. We succeeded in obtaining the summary dismissal of claims totalling USD 30 billion with the remaining claims now being briefed by the parties on the merits.
• An African company in an ICC arbitration against a joint venture of European companies. The dispute arises from an EPC contract for the construction of a co-generation power plant. The law of our client’s State applies.
• A Middle Eastern national oil company in 11 disputes against an international oil company. The disputes concerned inflated cost recovery claimed and collected by the IOC and its predecessor in title under 11 concession agreements. The law of the Middle Eastern State applied. More than USD 250 million was at stake.
• The Arab Republic of Egypt, Respondent in two parallel ICSID and UNCITRAL arbitrations arising from a concession for the distribution of natural gas in one of Egypt’s largest governorates. The Claimants sought USD 190 million in damages under the Canada-Egypt and Egypt-UAE bilateral investment treaties in respect of the annulment of a commercial arbitral award by the Egyptian courts, the alleged failure to protect the assets of the Claimants’ company during the Egyptian revolution of 2011, the non-extension of the concession to cover a new phase, and the subsequent termination of the entire concession. We succeeded in obtaining the full dismissal of all claims, some on jurisdictional grounds and the remaining claims on the merits.
• A major oil company on a series of agreements to effect a multi-billion dollar settlement through amendments of existing concessions, sale of assets and grant of right regarding exported products.

Education

• Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, Master 2 Public Comparative Law
• Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, LLB and Master 1 International Business Law
• Cairo University, LL.B.

Admissions & Courts

• Cairo

Languages

• English
• French
• Arabic

Nationalities

• Egyptian
• U.S.