Sara Aalamri

Full Profile

Sara has over 15 years’ experience working with clients operating in the energy and natural resources, infrastructure and, projects and construction sectors

Sara is the Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Saudi National Committee for Arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR.  She is a member of the Makkah Region Lawyers Committee under the Saudi Bar Association, and an officer at the International Bar Association (IBA) Arab Regional Forum.

Sara is one of the first Saudi women lawyers licensed by the Saudi Ministry of Justice to practice law in the Kingdom. She graduated with a Master of Laws degree (LLM) from Boston University School of Law, US in 2010, and a Bachelors degree in Law from King Abdulaziz University, among the first class of Saudi women law students to graduate from a Saudi university, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2008.

Sara was acknowledged in Boston University School of Law 150^th Anniversary Commemorative Book as a first Saudi licensed woman lawyer.

Prior to joining Clyde & Co, Sara was a partner at a local law firm in the Kingdom Saudi Arabia, advising local and international clients on a wide range of Saudi law aspects and issues related to their business operations.

Sara is fluent in English and Arabic.   

Experience

• Acting for a Saudi contracting company in proceedings concerning claims and disputes in relation to unlawfully terminating a civil works and concrete buildings subcontract in ICC arbitration.*
• Acting for a Saudi contracting company in relation to  its claim against its joint venture partner being in breach of trust and misrepresentation in ICC arbitration.*
• Advising a Saudi contracting company on Saudi law regarding its claim in relation to unlawfully terminating a contract for design, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning in UNCITRAL Arbitration.*
• Representing a Saudi contracting company in a claim against the main contractor of a power plant project for outstanding payments and damages before the Commercial Court in Saudi Arabia.*
• Representing a Saudi contracting company before the Court of Commercial Appeal in its application to set aside arbitral awards issued against it and responding to applications filed by a Saudi supplier to set aside arbitral awards.*
• Advising a Saudi company engaged in marine services in relation to a claim for insurance coverage under a marine hull policy issued by a prominent Saudi insurance company. 
• Acting for a Saudi contracting company in the claim brought against them by the subcontractor under a mechanical erection works subcontract for unlawful termination, outstanding payments and compensation for liquidated guarantees, and presenting counterclaims on behalf of the client against the subcontractor for the costs of removing defective works, ratifications and completing remaining works, and damages resulting from delay, disruption and extended work in Saudi arbitration.*
• Representing a European chemicals company in its claim against its Saudi joint venture partners before the Commercial Court in Saudi Arabia.*
• Advising a Saudi contracting company on Saudi law in relation to its claim against its joint venture partner and its director in ICC Arbitration.*
• Advising a major Saudi food manufacturing company in relation to its multimillion claim against its joint venture partner, a leading international food products company in Saudi arbitration.*
• Advising on breach of fiduciary duty among other issues under Shari'ah in relation to a dispute that arose between two groups of beneficiaries themselves, and between them and a leading global financial services firm acting as a manager of the trust that included several companies, trusts, securities and property in Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and several off-shore commonwealth jurisdiction countries, in the amount of approximately USD 320 million, before the Royal Court of Jersey.*
• Representing a global hotel group in filing an objection against the decision issued by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) entailing the treatment of the client as a permanent establishment for the purposes of income tax under Saudi tax laws and regulations before the Tax Disputes Committee and Appeal Committee, which resulted in a favourable decision for the client rendering the cancellation of ZATCA’s decision.*
• Advising a major GCC financial entity with filing a dispute before the Committee for the Settlement of Banking Disputes in relation to its bid guarantee and offer to become the master developer of a mega government project in Saudi Arabia.*
• Advising several global car manufacturers on Saudi law issues related to their commercial agency and distribution agreements, including disputes with the Saudi agent/distributor and the negotiation of a settlement agreement for the termination and de-registration of an exclusive distribution agreement.*

*Experience gained prior to joining Clyde & Co