Matthew Walker, a partner at the firm, is an international arbitration, litigation, and dispute resolution lawyer who focuses on construction law. Matthew acts as arbitrator and counsel in arbitration and has co-authored many leading practitioners’ guides to arbitration in Qatar, including for LexisPSL, GAR Know How, Lexis Middle East, and Practical Law for Thomson Reuters. This has seen Matthew recognized in WhosWhoLegal as recommended for arbitration in Qatar, as well as Thought Leader for construction. Matthew was awarded Lexology’s Client Choice Award (voted on by clients) for 2024 for Arbitration & ADR in Qatar and is recognized in The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2024 as a Recommended Lawyer for international arbitration in London, as well as for insurance litigation (policyholder), and construction: contentious and non-contentious.
He has acted as advocate and counsel in ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ad hoc, and QICCA arbitrations in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Turkey, Hong Kong, India, and the United Kingdom, as advocate and co-counsel in cases before the Appellate Division of the Qatar International Court (QICDRC) and as co-counsel in cases before the Qatari state courts. He also litigates in the English High Court, the Technology & Construction Court, and the Court of Appeal in England. He has sat in several arbitrations as arbitrator, including as President of the Tribunal, co-arbitrator, sole arbitrator, and on a panel of five arbitrators. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, and has been accredited as a Mediator by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Matthew also provides non-contentious construction advice, particularly in the rail sector. He has undertaken secondments to Qatar Rail, London Underground, and the Crossrail Project for the contractor. He has advised a client in the energy sector on contract drafting and risk management for the provision of hydro-electric equipment to overseas clients and has advised on construction contracts including across FIDIC, NEC, JCT, ACE, RIBA, and bespoke forms on projects of varying size and complexity.
- Recognised by The Legal 500 United Kingdom as a Recommended Lawyer for Insurance litigation: for policyholders, Construction: contentious, Construction: non-contentious, and International arbitration in London, 2024
- Recognised by The Legal 500 EMEA as a Recommended Lawyer for Dispute resolution in Qatar, 2024
- Sole winner of Lexology’s Client Choice Award (voted for by clients) for 2024 for Arbitration & ADR in Qatar.
- Listed by Who's Who Legal as Recommended for Arbitration, 2024
- Listed by Who’s Who Legal as a Global Elite Thought Leader for Construction, 2021-2023
- Recommended as one of the leading construction lawyers working in Qatar by Who’s Who Legal, every year from 2015-2024
- Recognized by Chambers Global as a Spotlight lawyer for Dispute Resolution: International (Expertise Based Abroad-UK) in Qatar, 2023-2024
- Recognized by Chambers Global guide for Dispute Resolution (International) in Qatar, 2016-2019
Client testimonials include the following, all taken from The Legal 500 2023 editions:
- "Matthew Walker is the standout partner for commercial disputes in the Middle East. His understanding of the culture, politics and legal systems of the Gulf is second to none."
- "Matthew Walker - very knowledgeable in relation to Middle Eastern laws, and particularly good at listening to clients and understanding what they need."
- "[He] is a very experienced construction lawyer, extremely sharp and with a keen eye for detail. His case management skills are impressive."
- "Matthew Walker is brilliant – a superb lawyer, terrific leader of a team, and a highly effective communicator who is wonderful with clients."
- "Matthew Walker is the leading international commercial and construction disputes lawyer in Qatar. Clients love his business acumen and his commitment to getting the best possible result."
- "Mathew Walker has extensive experience in the Middle East and acts as litigator and arbitrator. He has proven to be exceptional, very cultivated, calm and in command of his cases. A highly recommended lawyer for dispute resolution cases; you simply cannot go wrong by working with him and his firm. He is one of the best."
- "Matt Walker is a standout arbitration lawyer. He is commercially minded but detailed in his approach. Matt has an impressive grasp of complex delay and quantum issues but gives his experts space to work."
- Member of the Africa Construction Law (ACL), present
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) - admitted as Fellow, 2008
- Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB) - admitted as Fellow, 2017
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) - confirmed as accredited Mediator, 2018
- Honorary Secretary, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Qatar & QFC branch), 2018 - present
- Member of ADR Committee for the Qatar International Court, advising on changes to QFC Law and creation of new arbitration centre, 2015
- Technology and Construction Solicitors Association
- Society of Construction Law (Gulf)
- Speaker, “Building Resilience in Africa’s Construction Sector,” Africa Construction Law Conference in Nairobi, 3-4 June 2024
- Panellist, “Strategies for Success in Navigating Delay and Quantum Issues in International Construction Arbitration in a Changing World,” London International Disputes Week, 18 May 2023
- Speaker, “Time-bar Provisions in Construction Arbitration”, International Arbitration School (IARBS), 15 March 2023
- "Virtual Hearings - Lessons Learnt," Society of Construction Law (Gulf), 10 March 2021
- Arbitration in Qatar - an introduction, LexisPSL, August 2023
- Enforcement of arbitral awards in Qatar, LexisPSL, August 2023
- Interim remedies in support of arbitration in Qatar, LexisPSL, August 2023
- Challenging arbitral jurisdiction and stay of court litigation in favour of arbitration in Qatar, LexisPSL, August 2023
- GAR Know How Commercial Arbitration, Qatar chapter, Global Arbitration Review, May 2023
- GAR Know How Commercial Arbitration, Qatar chapter, Global Arbitration Review, May 2021
- Local Arbitration Laws and Institutions, Lexis Middle East Law, 23 April 2021
- The Guide to Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards - Qatar chapter, Global Arbitration Review, 2019
- ADR in Qatar - A New Law, A New Regional Seat of Choice, and a New Era, Lexis Middle East Law, 6 February 2018
