Fareya is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Fareya Azfar & Araoui LLP.
She is a distinguished international arbitration and commercial litigation specialist with an extensive track record of resolving high-value, cross-border disputes. Practising in the UAE since 2010, Fareya represents owner-managed companies, family offices, and private investors in complex contentious matters across commercial arbitration, international litigation, and high-stakes corporate negotiations.
Biography
Fareya has served as lead counsel in over 130 international arbitration proceedings, successfully securing final awards in more than 100 cases. Her extensive institutional experience covers major international and regional dispute centres, including:
DIAC (Dubai International Arbitration Centre)
arbitrateAD (Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre)
ICC Court of Arbitration (International Chamber of Commerce)
LCIA (London Court of International Arbitration)
Ad Hoc Tribunals formed under LMAA and UNCITRAL Rules
Known for her unique dual foresight in pure contentious matters and strategic risk mitigation, Fareya partners directly with Boards, C-Suite executives, and shareholders. She acts as a vital buffer in corporate crises, navigating complex parallel multi-jurisdictional proceedings and resolving shareholder deadlocks, joint venture breakdowns, or distressed exits before formal insolvency becomes unavoidable.
Education and Admissions
Admissions
Fareya is licensed to practice in three jurisdictions, including the UAE and as Solicitor of the Higher Courts of England and Wales.
Experience Highlights
Energy & Infrastructure: Acted as counsel in a massive USD 1 billion dispute concerning the design, development, construction, and operation of an integrated water desalination and power production plant in the Middle East (Seat: Abu Dhabi, Rules: ICC).
Oil & Gas EPC Project: Managed a confidential, high-value joint venture dispute involving a major UAE oil and gas company and a global energy corporation regarding a main contractor on an EPC project in an active oil field (Seat: Abu Dhabi, Rules: ICC).
Sovereign Project Financing: Handled a confidential development agreement termination and financing dispute between an Emirati borrower and the State of Qatar, backed by a prominent Abu Dhabi bank (Seat: Abu Dhabi, Rules: ICC).
Cross-Border JV Dissolution (USD 450m): Navigated the dissolution of a joint venture between a large regional conglomerate and a prominent real estate developer, successfully securing a court order to freeze 38% of the JV’s shareholding (Seat: Eastern Caribbean, Rules: Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal).
Parallel Corporate Proceedings (USD 450m): Managed complex parallel cross-border arbitration proceedings within the UAE regarding the unlawful termination of a joint venture while foreign arbitration proceedings were concurrently ongoing in Dubai (Seat: Dubai, Rules: DIAC).
Public Development Consultancy (AED 199m): Represented clients in an ICC arbitration seated in Abu Dhabi regarding sustainability ratings under a consultancy agreement for a public building.
Maritime Enforcement (USD 150.2m): Provided legal advisory on the enforcement of two English Court orders in the DIFC Courts under the Arbitration Act 1996, involving a major shipping company (Seat: London, Rules: LMAA)
Partner