Aarta Alkarimi is a prominent legal professional specializing in construction law, mediation and arbitration. She holds several notable positions and qualifications and has extensive experience in handling complex cases. Aarta currently serves as the founding Partner of Chrysalis International Legal Advisors, a renowned alternative dispute resolution consultancy based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She has significant experience pertaining to resolving disputes through mediation and arbitration on large-scale and complex construction, infrastructure, and engineering projects around the world (including major trans-national projects).

As counsel, Aarta practiced law at the New York, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi offices of some of the most well-respected American firms before setting up Chrysalis in 2017. She has been based in the UAE since 2008.

Her list of clients have included governments, semi- government, publicly held companies, and private entities

For matters pertaining to construction/infrastructure projects and real-estate development, including:

• Crude oil and gas pipelines
• Utilities networks and facilities
• Airports
• Stadiums
• High-rise towers and mixed use facilities and
• Schools

Aarta’s expertise in arbitration is recognized, and she has received numerous awards and accolades for her outstanding contributions to the field. She has been recommended under Construction law by Who’s Who Legal (WWL) for several years and was ranked as the second- best female arbitrator by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre in 2018. She was also recognized as the Arbitration Practitioner of the Month by Jus Mundi in September 2022.

Aarta regularly acts as chairperson, party-appointed, or sole arbitrator under various institutional rules including the LCIA, ADCCAC and DIAC in addition to ad hoc arbitrations. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), a CIArb Chartered Arbitrator and accredited mediator. She holds a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration, in addition to a master’s degree in International business and trade law from Fordham University School of Law, New York City. She serves as an Officer and Council Member on the Diversity and Inclusion Council of the International Bar Association (IBA). She teaches arbitration award drafting for various arbitration centers through the United States Department of Commerce including the Maldives and Sri Lankan arbitration Centers.