Jonathan Sutcliffe is a partner and is a member of the International Arbitration practice group. Jonathan has significant experience in international arbitration and dispute resolution and has acted for numerous clients on a diverse range of international commercial arbitration, ADR, and litigation matters in the energy, construction, hospitality, real estate, defence, insurance, international joint venture, and film sectors, and on investor-state disputes. Jonathan is a member of the firm’s hydrogen group.
Jonathan also sits regularly as an arbitrator, including under the rules of arbitration of the ICC, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC, and ADCCAC, and in ad hoc arbitrations. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Jonathan is qualified in England and Wales, and New York and is registered as an advocate in the DIFC Courts. He is recommended for international arbitration and projects and energy disputes by various leading legal guides, including Chambers, The Legal 500, and The International Who's Who of Commercial Arbitration.
Prior to joining the firm, Jonathan served as a partner at an international law firm in Dubai. Previously, he served as a partner and associate at international law firms in London, New York, and Houston.
- Recognised by The Legal 500 EMEA in United Arab Emirates
- Leading Partner for Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation, 2009-2025
- Recommended Lawyer for Construction, 2024-2025
Noted as “an excellent lawyer: accurate, measured, calm, responsive, and easy to work with” and “technically very strong.” (The Legal 500 EMEA 2023)
“Very practical, readily available and straight forward with his advice.” (The Legal 500 EMEA 2022)
- Recognised by Chambers Global for Construction: Dispute Resolution in United Arab Emirates, 2024-2025
Recognised as an “excellent leader,” and providing “advice in a manner which is easy to understand and digest.” (Chambers Global 2024)
- Recognised by Chambers Global for Dispute Resolution in United Arab Emirates, 2011-2025
"Thorough, careful, hard-working and an excellent lawyer," "really intelligent, and good at explaining complicated matters in a simple way." (Chambers Global 2024)
Handling matters “in a fair manner,” offering “detailed reasoning.” (Chambers Global 2023)
“A very good practitioner…a very practical and pragmatic lawyer” with “a lot of knowledge on domestic and international laws.” (Chambers Global 2022)
- Recognised by Chambers Global with a Band 1 ranking for Dispute Resolution, Middle East-wide, 2013-2025
“Recommended for his construction disputes expertise.” (Chambers Global 2023)
“One of the most impressive arbitration partners in the region.” (Chambers Global 2022)
- Recognised by The Legal 500, Arbitration Powerlist: Middle East for Private Practice Arbitration, 2022-2023
- Recognised by Business Today as one of the 10 Leading Dispute Resolution Lawyers in the UAE, 2023
- Recognised as Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer, 2023
- Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal) Thought Leaders: Arbitration 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024
"Jonathan combines top level arbitration and legal knowledge with practical, nuanced advice."
"He shows keen intelligence and professionalism."
- Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal) Thought Leaders: Construction 2021-2024
Jonathan Sutcliffe is “an outstanding arbitrator” with one peer saying, “He is the most detail-oriented lawyer I’ve ever known–he is on top of every detail.”
- Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal): Arbitration 2010-2025
“He is technically excellent and a pleasure to deal with.” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2024)
“Very intelligent,” “he has very good strategic judgment and is able to focus on the issues that really matter,” “a truly excellent arbitrator.” (Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration 2023)
“I was very impressed with his handling of a case as an international arbitrator.” (Who's Who Legal: Arbitration 2022)
- Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal): Construction 2010-2024
“He gets results! Jonathan is very knowledgeable, offers excellent analysis and is hard working and easy to work with." (Who's Who Legal: Construction 2024)
“Jonathan is very knowledgeable, offers excellent analysis and is hard working and easy to work with." (Who's Who Legal: Construction 2023)
- Listed in Guide to the World's Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration for commercial arbitration, 2009, 2011, 2013-2015, 2020
- Recognised by Global Arbitration Review as a Name to Know, 2009-2010, 2016-2018, 2020
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Fellow
- AIPN (Association of International Petroleum Negotiators) MENA Organisation Committee, member
- International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Independent Professional Member
Arbitration Institutions
- International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), Panel of International Arbitrators
- Dubai International Arbitration Centre, listed as an arbitrator
- Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, List of Arbitrators
- Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Panel of Arbitrators
- CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals
- Houston Maritime Arbitrators Association, listed in Roster of Arbitrators
- LCIA (London Court of International Arbitration)
- ADGM Arbitration Centre, Panel of Arbitrators
- Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration, Roster of Arbitrators
- Qatar International Center for Conciliation & Arbitration (QICCA), List of Arbitrators
Representative recent speaking engagements include:
- Co-chair, “ITA-SCCA-PSU Joint Symposium: Complimentarity of Courts and Arbitration Institutions; AI Top 10 Recommendations; and the Saudi Civil Code,” Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 24 February 2025
- Moderator, “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, Speaker, Dubai, November 2022
- Current trends in litigation funding, panel moderator, The Legal 500 Disputes Summit Middle East 2022, Dubai, September 2022
- Featured Speaker, “Ask the Arbitrator” Q&A Session, National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) International Arbitration Affinity Group, June 2022
- "Virtual Hearings - Lessons Learnt," Society of Construction Law (Gulf), 10 March 2021
- Trends in Upstream Oil & Gas Disputes, panelist, September 2020
- Litigation Funding - An introduction, Qatar Business Law Forum, Doha, November 2019
- Drafting Enforceable Awards, ICC Institute Advanced Training, Presenter, Abu Dhabi, October 2019
- Not Paying the Piper: Third-Party Funding - the Solution to Liquidity Constraints?, Moderator, The Legal 500 Middle East Disputes Summit 2019, Dubai, May 2019
- Different Approaches to Cross-Examination and Advocacy, Panelist and advocate, 6th Annual GAR Live Istanbul, June 2018
- Dispute Resolution in Saudi Arabia, Panelist, Association of Corporate Counsel Middle East, Dubai, January 2018.
- Efficient Case Management Procedure with Experts, Speaker, ICC Conference on Construction Arbitration, Dubai, November 2017.
- Bilateral Investment Treaties and Claims in Construction, Speaker, Hill International and CIOB Construction Masterclass, October 2016.
Recent publications include:
- Co-author, “ADR in the United Arab Emirates: proactive dispute management,” Asia Business Law Journal, 25 October 2023
- Co-author, "Expert Briefing: Investment Activities in Singapore: A Legal Perspective," Asia Business Law Journal, 19 October 2023
- Chapter on International Arbitration - Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Outside Counsel Perspective, Co-author, International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives (updated, 2020)
Jonathan Sutcliffe is always there for us 24/7, and provides truly excellent service. He makes us feel as though we are his most important client.
Jonathan Sutcliffe garners deep respect for his significant experience in international arbitration and litigation in the DIFC. He is highly regarded for his ability to handle an array of construction, IP, joint venture and general commercial disputes.
Strengths: He handled things in a fair manner, obviously reading the documents very carefully. He offers detailed reasoning and I was really impressed by that.
Recognized as “one of the most impressive arbitration partners in the region” in the category of Middle East-Wide: Dispute Resolution
