Karim Ghaly KC

Construction, Engineering & Infrastructure Disputes

“Karim Ghaly is the best barrister I have worked with. He is incredibly effective at cross-examination.”
Chambers Global 2026: Construction

“Clients liken Karim to a chess player – always several steps ahead of everyone else in the room. An extraordinary strategist, tenacious and pugnacious on his feet, and fantastic work-rate.”
Legal 500 2026: Construction

Karim represents governments, private employers, developers, contractors and professionals in disputes arising out of significant and complex construction, engineering and infrastructure projects across the world.

Cases of note:

• Represented the state-owned employer in a US$1 billion dispute arising out of the construction of a new airport terminal and runway in the UAE. Issues included delay, disruption and variations. ICC Arbitration/UAE law.
• Represented the main contractor JV in a US$500m dispute arising out of the termination of a contract for the construction of a horse racing stadium in the UAE. ICC Arbitration/UAE law.
• Represented a state-owned SPV in a US$150m dispute arising out of the construction of a desalination plant in the Middle East. ICC Arbitration/Omani law.
• Represented the employer in a US$120m dispute arising out of the construction of a mixed-use development in Qatar. Issues included delay, disruption and defects. ICC Arbitration/Qatari law.
• Represented the MEP subcontractor in a US$100m dispute arising out of an airport construction project in Oman. Issues included delay, the interpretation of the variation provisions and the applicability of the “back-to-back” provisions of the subcontract. ICC Arbitration/Omani law.
• Represented the employer in a US$70m dispute arising out of the construction of a palace in Qatar. Issues included entitlement to terminate under Qatari law, delay, variations and defective works. ICC Arbitration/Qatari law.
• Represented the subcontractor in a US$50m prolongation and variations claim arising out of a marine infrastructure project in Chile. Issues included delay, disruption and entitlement to payment for variations. ICC Arbitration/English and Swiss law.
• Represented the main contractor in two related US$50m disputes, concerning the curtain walling to two of the tallest towers in Downtown Dubai. Issues included delay, disruption, variations, defects, the right to omit works and the applicability of the “back-to-back” provisions of the subcontract. DIAC Arbitration/UAE law.
• FM Conway v The Rugby Football Union [2023] EWCA Civ 418 – represented the contractor in an English Court of Appeal case arising from infrastructure works to Twickenham Stadium.
• Represented the Indonesian shipyard in a US$50m rig-building dispute. Issues included liability for delay and entitlement to call upon the advance payment guarantees. SCMA Arbitration/Singapore law.
• Represented the main contractor in a dispute arising out of a major road building project in England. Issues included interpretation of the variation provisions of the contract and liability for defects. Adjudication.
• Iliffe v Feltham Construction [2015] EWCA Civ 715 – represented the main contractor in an English Court of Appeal case arising out of fire damage to the permanent and temporary works during construction.
• Greenwich Millennium Village v Essex Services Group Plc [2014] EWCA Civ 960 – represented the subcontractor in an English Court of Appeal case arising out of water damage to an apartment block.
• Represented the main contractor in a defective works dispute arising out of a light rail project in the UK. Adjudication.
• Arabtec Construction LLC v Ultra Fuji International LLC (CFI 004/2007) – represented the main contractor in the first construction dispute in the DIFC Court, concerning the construction of DIFC Gate Village. DIFC law.