Hannah Braiding-Watson
Associate
Areas of Focus
- International Arbitration
- Disputes & Investigations
- Construction Litigation
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- International Disputes
- International Commercial Arbitration & Disputes
- Investment Treaty Arbitration & Disputes
- Enforcement & Arbitration Adjacent Actions
- Associate in the Middle East disputes practice.
- Focuses on high-value, complex commercial disputes.
- Also experienced in regulatory investigations and advisory matters.
Hannah is an associate in Akin’s disputes and international arbitration practice. She has advised clients on a range of high-value, complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution matters, at both the trial and appellate levels. Her experience spans various industries, with a focus on the financial services and life sciences sectors.
Hannah has acted in major award set aside proceedings before the DIFC Courts and has been involved in drafting critical DIFC legislation.
Hannah’s experience also extends to regulatory investigations and non-contentious advisory matters. In particular, she has represented clients in relation to investigations by the Australian corporate regulator and advised on evolving regulatory obligations.
Hannah has cross-jurisdictional experience, having worked in Sydney and Dubai. She was previously the Associate to The Honourable Justice David Jackson of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Hannah was listed as a Key Lawyer in The Legal 500, 2026.
At University, Hannah received First Class Honours and was awarded multiple academic prizes, including for the highest mark in Administrative Law at the University of Queensland and in EU Competition Law at Sciences Po, Paris.
- Acted for a publicly listed conglomerate in the Middle East in multiple DIFC Court proceedings relating to a failed investment, including successfully defending set aside proceedings concerning a $1.65 billion ICC arbitration award - the largest award set aside in DIFC Court history.
- Key role in drafting amendments to critical DIFC legislation.
- Successfully defended originator pharmaceutical companies against a claim for compensation by the Australian Government on an undertaking as to damages before the High Court of Australia.
- Represented originator pharmaceutical companies in Federal Court of Australia proceedings concerning a claim by the Australian Government on an undertaking as to damages.
- Represented a non-bank lender in litigation in the Supreme Court of New South Wales in connection with its lending to the purchaser in a M&A transaction.
List may include matters worked on prior to joining Akin.
EducationLL.B. (Hons), University of Queensland, with first class honors, 2020
B.A., University of Queensland, 2020
LL.B. (Hons), University of Queensland, with first class honors, 2020
B.A., University of Queensland, 2020
ClerkshipsSupreme Court of Queensland
Supreme Court of Queensland
Bar AdmissionsLaw Society of New South Wales, Australia
Law Society of New South Wales, Australia
- The Legal 500 EMEA, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and International Litigation, UAE, 2026.
