Profile

Arif Hyder Ali, FCIArb, has more than three decades' experience as an arbitrator and dispute resolution specialist. He is available for appointment as sole, presiding or party-appointed arbitrator in commercial, construction, investor-State and State-to-State disputes. He is listed on the panels of the major arbitral institutions and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Arif's international arbitration experience spans continents and cultures, the common and civil law legal systems, national political establishments and inter-governmental organizations, private companies and state-owned enterprises, sovereign governments and private individuals. In addition to his sectoral, industry and jurisdictional experience, Arif has substantial experience in disputes involving EU State Aid law, corruption allegations, windfall taxes, legal and tax stability agreements, public international law, the law of State responsibility, treaty interpretation, the law of international organizations and Internet governance.

Arif is sought out as an arbitrator for his detail-oriented case preparation, multicultural openness and sensitivity, and use of procedural tools to promote the quick and efficient resolution of disputes while ensuring party due process. He believes in active case management, early and constant engagement with the parties to define and modify the procedural framework for the arbitration if required, the proper marshalling of documentary, testimonial and other forms of evidence, early issue identification, and issuing awards promptly after final written or oral submissions.

Arif has been decorated by the King of Bahrain with the Order of Bahrain for his involvement in Bahrain's representation before the International Court of Justice. He has been recognized in all of the leading ranking directories and is a recipient of the Financial Times' Most Innovative Practitioner (North America) Award, amongst others.

Arif established AHALI Dispute Resolution LLC in January 2025 to focus his practice on serving as an arbitrator and mediator. Previously he led the international arbitration practices of three AmLaw 100 firms. Arif continues to serve as a strategic adviser to C-suites and governments and selectively as an advocate and strategic adviser in State-to-State disputes, commercial and investment arbitrations and international human rights matters.

Arif is the lead author of several treatises, including International Investment Protection for Global Banking and Finance: Legal Principles and Arbitral Practice (2021, WoltersKluwer, 591 pages), The International Arbitration Rulebook: A Guide to Arbitral Regimes (2019, WoltersKluwer, 580 pages), and Inversiones Españolas en el Extranjero: Mecanismos de Protección (2017, Thompson Reuters Aranzadi, 140 pages).

His working languages are English and Spanish. He is also conversant in French, Portuguese, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali.