Waleed is the Senior and Founding Partner at Eldwick Law. He is recognised by leading legal directories as a specialist dispute resolution lawyer. He has acted for multinationals, high-net worth individuals and state entities in proceedings before the High Court, Court of Appeal and several International Arbitration centres. He specialises in cross-border disputes, particularly where there are underlying allegations of fraud and dishonesty.
Waleed advises clients on their commercial and private disputes and often works closely with his clients’ in-house legal teams to resolve disputes at the earliest possible opportunity. Leading with a direct and confident approach, he has acted in numerous domestic and foreign proceedings and arbitrations, developing close relationships with experts around the world, particularly in Central Asia, China and the Middle East.
Alongside having Higher Rights of Audience (civil), he is also an Accredited Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CiARB), carrying out advocacy in the County Court, High Court and Court of Appeal.
Waleed has significant experience of sanctions litigation and in providing advice on sanctions compliance. With over a decade of experience advising on the UK and EU’s sanctions against Iran, Syria and Russia, he has acted in de-listing applications which have been heard before the General Court in Luxembourg (prior to the UK’s exit from the European Union) and advised on numerous sanctions related transactions, including divestments, and advised on sanctions exemptions and licences from OFSI, OTSI and the Export Control Joint Unit. He now specialises in advising clients on the interpretation of the UK’s sanctions against Russia: the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
Innovative, personable and commercial, Waleed has the trust of his clients and can identify the right strategic approach to resolve even the most intractable disputes.
Waleed graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Spanish Language & Literature, working in a legal and accounting advisory firm in Spain, before qualifying as a solicitor. He founded Eldwick Law in 2017, shortly after qualifying.
Waleed is fluent in Spanish, speaks conversational French and is currently learning Russian.
Experience
Arbitration
- Acting for a high net individual in enforcement proceedings arising out of an LCIA Arbitration.
- Acted for a Kazakh quasi-state entity in an UNCITRAL arbitration before the LCIA against one of the world’s largest multilateral development banks.
- Acting for a Kazakh quasi-state entity in an arbitration before the London Maritime Arbitrators’ Association.
- Acting on behalf of a multi-national construction company in an ICC arbitration against Shell Iraq Petroleum.
- Advising a Kazakh quasi-state entity in an action against a state company regarding the delivery of light crude oil.
- Acting for a high net worth individual, in an LCIA arbitration. Applying to set aside the enforcement of the LCIA award pursuant to s.66 of the Arbitration Act 1996.
- Acting for a high worth individual in a multi-million pound LCIA arbitration, and advising on challenges to jurisdiction and appeal, pursuant to s.67 of the Arbitration Act 1996.
- Acting for an ultra high net individual, at one point considered to be one of the 100 richest men in China, in contempt proceedings arising out of an arbitration from the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre, later recognised in the UK. Defending the civil and criminal contempt proceedings against my client.
- SIA Investment Industry -v- Pardus Wealth & Gregory Bryce [2024] 2774 (Comm) – Acted for the Claimant in obtaining a freezing injunction, following recognition of an award from the DIS (German Arbitration Institute) under s.101 of the Arbitration Act 1996. Following the freezing injunction, made the Defendants bankrupt, and then issued a committal application which was heard in the Commercial Court.
Litigation
- SIA Investment Industry v Pardus Wealth & Gregory Bryce [2025] EWHC 269 (Comm) – Acted for the Claimant in contempt proceedings against the Second Defendant, for failing to abide by the terms of a freezing order. Following a committal hearing, the Defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay indemnity costs in excess of £100,000.
- Bruno Arboit -v- Kei Kin Hung [2024] EWHC 3399 (Ch) – Acted for the Respondent, a very high-net worth individual from Hong Kong, in the recognition of a Hong Kong bankruptcy of over £1 billion under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006. Successfully resisted under Article 21 of the UNCITRAL Model Law on the basis that the Joint Trustees had used material potentially in contempt of court.
- Rahbarpoor -v- Suliman [2022] EWHC 1093 (Ch) – Acted for the Claimant in a High Court claim for forgery relating to the ownership of a property in London. Successfully obtained judgment, and freezing orders against the Defendants.
- Arora -v- Moshiri [2021] EWHC 2230 (Ch) – Successfully obtained judgment for the Claimant in a trial before the High Court for forgery. Pursued a post-judgment freezing injunction after the Claimant attempted to dissipate assets following judgment being handed down.
- London Infrastructure -v- Amin [2020] EWHC 2192 (Ch) – Acting for a UK based export finance company, which held various Kazakh subsidiaries holding mining licenses to drill for rare earth metals in Central Kazakhstan. Successfully obtained a freezing injunction and an order for delivery up of valuable mineral samples, followed by summary judgment in a claim for a declaration before the High Court of Justice in London.
- Re Gate Ventures plc [2020] EWHC 709 (Ch) – Acted for various shareholders in obtaining an administration order against a company that had raised over £24.5 million from nearly 3,000 mainly Chinese shareholders. The case attracted significant media attention as the company was chaired by former BBC boss Lord Grade and had provided an unexplained loan of £500,000 to the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson. After successfully obtaining an order for an administrator to be appointed, we investigated claims against the company to trace and recover the misappropriated investments.
- Quaradeghini -v- Mischon De Reya [2020] 4 WLR 34 – Acting for the Claimant in overturning strike out for want of prosecution on appeal.
- Energie Direct Franchising Limited -v- Star Gym [2019] EWHC 2100 – Acted for the Defendant in a franchise dispute, and successfully dismissed Claimant’s claim following a 7 day trial in the High Court.
- Al-Rawas -v- Hassan Khan & Co [2017] EWCA Civ 42 – Acting for the Appellants in co-joined appeals on the meaning of s.35 of the Limitation Act 1980.
- Acting for an ultra high net worth individual in a common law debt claim in excess of £800 million, arising out of a judgment from China
- Acting for an ultra high net worth individual in possession proceedings and interim charging order proceedings relating to the ownership of highly valuable properties in London, with a combined value of c. £80 million.
- Acting and advising senior management of one of Kazakhstan’s largest banks on claims in the English courts for the recovery of shares of the bank in the UK.
- Advising an international Kazakh based oil and gas drilling company in misfeasance and derivative claims against a formerly listed FTSE 100 oil and gas exploration company.
- Acting for numerous franchisees in fraudulent misrepresentations claims against the former CEO of UK based franchisor, operating over 100 gyms in the UK, Central Europe and the Middle East. The claims were brought on the basis of fraudulent misrepresentations made to the franchisees regarding the performance and profitability of the franchise business. Successfully pierced the corporate veil by bringing the claims against the former CEO, eventually obtaining judgment and initiating insolvency proceedings to recover assets.
- Acted for a very high net worth individual in a civil fraud claim for the recovery of a number of high value classic cars, registered in Switzerland. Successfully obtained a freezing injunction over the Defendants’ accounts and assets, as well as an order for delivery up of the vehicles.
Sanctions and Regulatory
- Acting for a multi-national chemical company based in the UK on the divestment of its business from Russia. Rendered an opinion on the impact of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, and now advising on obtaining licences from OFSI, OTSI and the Export Joint Control Unit.
- Acting for a multi-national fragrance company headquartered in the UK on the supply of products from the UK, EU, and UAE to Russia. Provided advice from a UK and EU sanctions perspective, in particular on the trade regulations at Part 5 of the Russia Regulations and EU Directive 833/2014.
- Acting for a UK hedge fund in providing advice on the disposal and purchase of shares in Evraz to its newly formed Moscow Stock Exchange listed company Evraz NTMK. Advising on the applicability of Regulations 12, 18B, and 19 of the Russia Regulations.
- Acting for a US/UK engineering company, and providing an opinion on the impact of designations against Chinese counterparties based on the Russia Regulations, as a result of Chinese trade with Russia, in particular receiving Russian energy.
- Advising a UK company, with subsidiaries in India, on the impact of sanctions on the export of pharmaceuticals to Russia, under the Russia Regulations. Issues concerning dual-use and the approach taken by the recently formed Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI).
- Tri-Ocean Energy v Council T-719/14 ECLI:EU:T:2016:458 – Acting for an Egyptian oil company in proceedings before the General Court in Luxembourg to de-list from the EU sanctions list.
- Tri-Ocean Trading v Council T-709/14 ECLI:EU:T:2016:459 – Acting for the parent company of an Egyptian oil company in proceedings before the General Court in Luxembourg to de-list from the EU sanctions list.
- Farahat v Council T-830/14 ECLI:EU:T:2016:462 – Acted for an individual subject to the EU Syrian sanctions on the ground of being employed by a company allegedly supplying crude oil to the Syrian government.
- Drafting a global sanctions policy for a Kazakh state company, to include preparation, implementation and training. Acting as the lead Partner on implementing the UK related section of the policy and coordinating with Australian, Canadian, US, EU and Kazakh counsel to complete the global sanctions policy.
- Advising a property management company on the impact of sanctions on the recovery of service charges from persons designated under the Russia Regulations.
- Advising a UK software company on how the Russia Regulations impacted their business operations, in particular their use of patented software belonging to a Russian company.
- Advising a UK based electronic payment company on the effect of Ukrainian sanctions designation in the UK.
- Advising a UK national on the purchase of shares in Evraz plc on the secondary market.
- Advised company directors in relation to an investigation by the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), the regulator of the Astana International Finance Centre (AIFC).