Jennifer Paterson is a partner in the International Arbitration and Litigation and Dispute Resolution teams. Jennifer regularly advises and represents both regional and international clients in a wide range of commercial disputes. She has experience representing clients in local and international arbitration proceedings administered many of the major arbitration centers, including the ICC, LCIA, DIAC, and the former DIFC-LCIA, as well as ad hoc proceedings. Jennifer has full rights of audience before the DIFC Courts and the Courts of England and Wales. She also works closely with local counsel in respect of litigation pending before the UAE Courts.
Jennifer has been instructed in a broad range of contested matters, including complex commercial contracts, construction, real estate, oil and gas, joint venture, and employment disputes. In addition to being able to navigate complex disputes in a variety of local and international forums, Jennifer counsels clients on a range of compliance issues and internal investigations.
She is recognized by Chambers Global 2025 in Construction: Dispute Resolution, by Lexology Index 2025 (formerly Who’s Who Legal) in Arbitration as a Future Leader, and by The Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist Middle East 2023 for Private Practice Arbitration.
Recent client quotes include:
"Jennifer Patterson is superb at analysing legal problems and coming up with the solutions a client needs."
Jennifer Paterson is described as an "impressive lawyer[s] with a real eye for detail."
"Jennifer Paterson is one of the brightest minds of her generation, with the judgment of a senior partner."
"Jennifer has a huge capacity to digest and analyse large amounts of evidence and data. She makes judicious decisions and is all over the detail. Her drafting is excellent and proper."
Prior to joining the firm, Jennifer worked as a dispute resolution associate for another firm in the Dubai International Financial Centre. She started her legal career as a self-employed barrister in London.
- Recognized by Chambers Global as an Up-and-Coming Lawyer for Construction: Dispute Resolution in United Arab Emirates, 2024
- Recognized by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) in Arbitration as a Future Leader – Partner, 2025
- Recognized by The Legal 500 EMEA as a Recommended Lawyer in the United Arab Emirates, 2024
- Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation
- Construction
- Recognized by The Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist: Middle East for Private Practice Arbitration, 2023
- Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC), listed as an arbitrator
- Middle East Regional Chair, Young ITA (2021-2023)
- Speaker, “Workplace Investigations in the UAE,” hosted by the Middle East and North Africa Chapter of the Associate of Corporate Counsel (ACC), Webinar, 28 May 2024
- Panelist, “Is Regional Arbitration on the Verge of Extinction?” Legal 500 Middle East Disputes Summit 2023, Dubai, September 2023
- Young ITA "Ask The Arbitrator", Dubai Arbitration Week, Organizer, Dubai, November 2022
- 9th ICC MENA Conference, ICC YAF session to discuss the impact of COVID on the approach of arbitration practitioner and expert witness, Panelist
- Not Paying The Piper: Third-party funding - the solution to liquidity constraints, Panelist, The Legal 500 Middle East Disputes Summit 2019
- Demystifying the UAE Local Courts, Speaker, K&L Gates seminar
- The GAR Live Question time - How to appoint an arbitrator, Panelist, 3rd GAR Live Abu Dhabi 2018
- "Challenging an Arbitral Jurisdiction and Anti-Suit Injunctions," Lexis Nexis Middle East, 29 June 2023
- "Anti-Suit Injunctions," Lexis Nexis Middle East, 29 June 2023
- "Economic damages: a reconsideration of retrospective valuation," Law Business Research, Middle Eastern and African Arbitration Review 2023
- "Can we use freelancers?,” Lexis Middle East HR Alert, June 2022
- "Settlement of Civil Disputes in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC): Overview," Practical Law UK, April 2022
- "Settlement of Civil Disputes in the United Arab Emirates: Overview," Practical Law UK, April 2022
- Co-author, “Recent Judgment Highlights Potential Pitfalls in Technology Transfer Agreements in Egypt," The Licensing Journal, Volume 21 Number 4, April 2022
- “A review of the law in the United Arab Emirates regarding the exceptional nature of arbitration agreements,” An extract from Volume 13, No. 1 – 2021 of the International Journal of Arab Arbitration. The IJAA is available on Kluwerarbitration.com.
- “Settlement (civil litigation) Q&A: United Arab Emirates,” Practical Law, 2017
