Career Summary

Sarosh Zaiwalla founded Zaiwalla & Co. Solicitors in April 1982 with offices in Chancery Lane, London. He oversees all the activities relating to the firm which over the years has exported millions of pounds’ worth of legal services.

Over the years Mr. Zaiwalla has been involved in over 1200 International Energy, Maritime and Construction Arbitrations in London and worldwide either as a solicitor, Counsel, party-appointed Arbitrator or Sole Arbitrator. He has acted for many prestigious clients including the President of India, China National Petroleum Corporation, Bank Mellat and NIDC of Iran and International Public Corporations..

Mr. Zaiwalla is a Freeman of the City of London and a Livery Man of the Worshipful Company of World Traders. Mr. Zaiwalla was also a member of the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC, Paris, from 1990 to 2002. He is a CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) mediator.

In October 2002, Mr. Zaiwalla was awarded with India’s Annual National Law Day 2002 by the Indian Prime Minister for his outstanding contribution to the field of International Arbitration Law.

In May 2004, Mr. Zaiwalla had the honour to be personally asked by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to facilitate a dialogue with the Government of People’s Republic of China (PRC) with a view to finding a peaceful resolution relating to Tibet.

In October of 2007, Mr. Zaiwalla was invited by the United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon for an extensive one-to-one consultation on issues relating to World Order.

In June 2008, he was appointed an Arbitrator to the Panel of Arbitrators by the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board under the Arbitration Act of Korea and Article 4 of the Arbitration Rules of the K.C.A.B.

Mr Zaiwalla has undertaken several overseas visits as part of the business delegation accompanying the UK Government Ministers and the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Cases

International Arbitrations 

• Participated in over 1,200 International Arbitrations either as Solicitor, Counsel, Party-Appointed Arbitrator or Sole Arbitrator.
• Conducted a major Energy Arbitration in London on behalf of Chinese Petroleum Corporations CNPC and CPTDC, which concerned a joint venture with LG Caltex for the construction of an LPG storage tank in Maoming, China.
• Conducted for CPECC (China Petroleum and Engineering Construction Company): An Arbitration in London concerning the construction of a gathering station for the Kuwait Oil Corporation.
• Conducted a large two-week Maritime Arbitration before Cedric Barclay as Sole Arbitrator in New Orleans.
• Conducted numerous International Arbitrations in London for the Government of India, ONGC, IOC and other Indian multi-nationals.
• Handled an Arbitration for the National Iranian Oil Company in London concerning the Russian Oil Rig Sakhalinskaya.

Experience as International Arbitrator 

• ICC - Appointed to a panel of arbitrators in US$multi-million dispute between a Gulf state-owned satellite agency and a Lebanese television company. The Tribunal is chaired by Professor Herbert Kronke, President of UNIDROIT, and the dispute is under UNCITRAL rules.
• Appointed as Sole Arbitrator to determine a US$multi-million dispute concerning a joint venture between English and Chinese companies.
• ICC - Member of the Arbitration Tribunal chaired by the former Court of Appeal Judge Sir Anthony Evans, along with the former Solicitor General of India Mr Harish Salve, which sat for four weeks in Mumbai, India. This US$multi-million dispute concerned the construction of a power plant in Karnataka in India and was governed by Indian Law.
• Appointed Arbitrator by a Danish Company, Volund, in a Tribunal chaired by Lord McKenzie Stuart (former President of the European Court of Justice) along with Mr Pathak (former Chief Justice of India and Member of the International Court of Justice). This US$multi-million dispute concerned the construction of a power plant near New Delhi.
• Appointed as Sole Arbitrator by the ICC Court to determine a US$multi-million dispute between a Japanese multinational and Indonesian Company concerning the construction of water pipelines in Malaysia.
• LMAA - Appointed as Arbitrator by a Ukrainian Shipping Company in an arbitration concerning a charter-party dispute governed by English law.
• Appointed as Sole Arbitrator by the ICC Court to determine a maritime dispute between an Iranian Shipping Company and a Far-East Shipping Agency.
• Appointed as an Arbitrator, in a US$ 300m international dispute, to a panel chaired by Bruce Harris, former President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
• Appointed as Sole Arbitrator by the President of the Law Society of England and Wales to determine a contractual dispute between a well-known British food manufacturer and a Jordanian company.
• Appointed to an Arbitration Panel by the Russian Federation in a US$400m dispute concerning the exploration of a coal mines in India.
• Appointed Sole Arbitrator by the President of the Law Society of England and Wales to determine a US$multi-million commercial dispute concerning parties from Israel.

Mediation

• Accredited Mediator of the Centre of Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), London.
• In 1994 facilitated a Third Channel confidential dialogue between the UK Prime Minister and the Chinese Government to resolve certain difficulties that had occurred relating to the Hong Kong handover in 1997.
• At the personal request of the Dalai Lama, initiated a dialogue with the Government of the Peoples Republic of China in relation to the resolution of the Tibet dispute.
• Facilitated a successful 2-day mediation in Dubai in relation to a shipping partnership dispute.

Practice Experience

• As a solicitor, handled numerous cases in the English Courts, up to the House of Lords and now the UK Supreme Court, as well as the Courts of the European Union.
• Conducted the UK Supreme Court case of Hashwani v Jivraj, “the UK’s most important court case of 2011.”
• Recently succeeded for Bank Mellat of Iran against the UK Government in the UK Supreme Court challenging legality of Iran nuclear sanctions.
• Advising clients on complex multi-jurisdictional transactions.
• Advising on major projects and delivery contracts.

Specialist areas

• International
• Commercial
• Contractual
• Energy
• Construction
• Maritime

Specialist knowledge of South Asia, the CIS, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa

Awards/Scholarships

Awarded the India National Law Day Award 2002 by the (then) Indian Prime Minister in New Delhi for, a unique contribution in the field of International Arbitration.’

Professional Memberships

Panels of Arbitrators

• Member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris from 1990-2002
• Member of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
• Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIA)
• Supporting Member of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA)
• Member of the Indian Council of Arbitration, Delhi
• Member of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
• Member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Korean Commercial Arbitrators Board

Professional Associations 

• Member of the Law Society of England and Wales
• Member of the Bar Council of India
• Member if the Council of the Harris School of Public Policy, the Chicago University
• Trustee of the British charity “The Unity of Faith”
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Manufacturers & Commerce
• Appointed as a Freeman of the City of London in 1998 and Liveryman in 2012

Publications

Authored numerous articles which have been published in Law Journals.

Other Activities

Chairman and co-convener, with Tony Baldry MP, of the Asian Business Breakfast Club. This Club meets occasionally in the House of Commons and other venues. The object of this forum is to bring about economic cooperation between businesses in Asia and Europe.