Ryan Whelan
Senior Counsel
Areas of Focus
- International Arbitration
- Disputes & Investigations
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Construction Litigation
- International Disputes
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Complex or Controversial Projects
- Hydrogen
- Oil & Gas
- Projects & Energy Transition
- Pro Bono
- Commercial Arbitration & International Commercial Disputes
- International Investment Disputes
- Senior counsel in the Middle East disputes practice. Focuses on high-value, complex and cross-border arbitration and litigation as well as front-end project contracting and project counselling.
- Recognized as an “up and coming star” and Future Arbitration Leader, Ryan’s practice extends across a number of jurisdictions and sectors. He has experience in more than 30 countries, including in connection with megaprojects and first-of-its-kind technology in the Middle East and Asia.
- Ryan is the recipient of several industry awards, including U.K. Legal Personality of the Year (as voted for by the profession) and recognition on the FT Innovative Lawyers List (Europe). He has worked in London and the Middle East since 2013.
Recognized as an “up and coming star” (Legal 500) and a Future Arbitration Leader (Who’s Who Legal), Ryan has experience in more than 30 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Who’s Who Legal (2023) notes that clients and peers have described Ryan as “one of the top lawyers in the region” and “very intelligent.” He is also highly regarded for his case management, which is described as “second to none.”
Ryan has broad international experience across a range of sectors. His practice includes complex and reputationally sensitive disputes involving joint ventures, shareholders, finance and fraud, as well as more technical matters involving complex infrastructure, project technology and energy disputes. His experience on major capital projects extends to mega and giga-projects and includes acting as project counsel and providing strategic advice to prevent issues developing into disputes. Ryan’s clients include sovereign states, sovereign wealth funds, national oil companies, contractors, conglomerates, hedge funds and private equity firms.
Ryan has acted in arbitrations under a variety of governing laws and institutional rules, including the ICC, LCIA, SIAC, ADCCAC and DIAC rules. In addition to his arbitration practice, Ryan has experience with litigation in the High Court, London (Commercial and the Technology and Construction Court (TCC)); the Grand Court, Cayman Islands; the on and offshore courts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and local courts across the Middle East (including in support of enforcement matters). Ryan is editor of the Construction Disputes Law Review (2023) and co-author of the chapter on Concurrent Delay in the GAR Guide to Construction Arbitration (5th Edition).
At University, Ryan graduated top of his class with first class honors and was elected Law Society President. He also received a number of academic awards, including the Cruickshank Prize (top honors graduate), the Edmond Prize in Law (best record in criminal law, contract, tort, property, family and land law) and the Quincentenary Prize (jointly awarded by the University and the City’s Lord Provost). He is the founder and chair of ProBonoSkills.com, a not-for-profit venture that provides students undertaking pro bono with access to high quality on-demand training so that they can do more, help more and achieve more for their communities.
Verified client quotes: “We use Ryan as lead counsel when an issue is particularly thorny. He is extremely smart, strategic in approach and very hard-working. Our senior business colleagues also really rate Ryan because his advice is commercially astute and he explains complex points of law and strategy in a way that is easy to understand. We use a number of firms and he really stands out as impressive.” (General Counsel, global energy company, represented on various matters); “Ryan is one of the brightest and most talented outside Counsel I have had the pleasure of working with” (Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Conglomerate, represented on SIAC Arbitration); “Ryan is a first class litigator and hell of a nice bloke” (CEO, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) energy company, represented in 1996 Act Arbitration).
- Representing a U.S. headquartered global construction and project management company in connection with a multibillion dollar arbitration (ICC, London) concerning a transport infrastructure project in the Middle East.*
- Representing a leading U.S. manufacturer in a SIAC arbitration (expedited procedure, Singapore) commenced by a former conglomerate joint venture partner in India.*
- Representing an Employer (conglomerate) in connection with a high value arbitration (DIAC, Abu Dhabi) relating to a prominent infrastructure project in the Middle East.
- Representing a private equity company in connection with a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) dispute before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts.
- Advising an oil major in connection with a multi-jurisdictional dispute and enforcement arising from a reputationally sensitive fraud.
"Ryan is one of the top lawyers in the region”; “His case management is second to none”; “He is very intelligent”; and “he has a valuable ability to remain connected to the details of the case while also incorporating strategic and macro-level considerations.”
Who's Who Legal Future Arbitration Leaders, 2023
EducationLL.B., University of Aberdeen
LL.B., University of Aberdeen
Bar AdmissionsLaw Society of Scotland
Law Society of Scotland
- Member of the team who won Pro Bono Firm of the Year at the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) Middle East Awards Ryan has travelled twice to the Ukraine/Poland border to support refugees looking to resettle in the U.K.
- Who’s Who Legal—Arbitration Future Leader (2023 and 2024).
- Who’s Who Legal describes Ryan as “one of the top lawyers in the region” and “very intelligent.” He is also noted to be highly regarded for his case management, which is described as “second to none” (2023).
- Legal 500 UK notes that “Ryan Whelan is an up and coming star, with a strong arbitration practice of his own” (2021).
- LexisNexis UK Legal Personality of the Year (2020).
- Work on Gina Martin’s upskirting campaign commended in both the House of Commons and House of Lords (2020).
- AllBright Changemaker Man (2020).
- Financial Times Innovative Lawyers List (2019, Europe).
- Law Society Gazette’s Lawyer in the News (2019).
- Frank Wheat Award for Pro Bono (2019).
- Financial Times Lawyer of the Week (2018).
- Olympic Torchbearer in recognition of pro bono work (2012).
- Cruickshank Prize for top honors graduate (2009).
- Founder of ProBonoSkills.com.
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb).
- Member of the International Bar Association.
- Member of the Society of Construction Law.
- Visiting Lecturer, Strathclyde Law School (Arbitration LLM).
- Supported Safe Passage International (2022 and 2023) with its on-the-ground work assisting Ukrainian refugees.
- Represented Ms. Gina Martin in her high-profile campaign to make upskirting a specific criminal offence under the law of England & Wales.
- Representing the family of Ms. Claire Morris in their successful effort to reclaim her grave from Malcom Webster, the man convicted of her murder.
- “Comparative Approaches to Concurrent Delay,” Global Arbitration Review The Guide to Construction Arbitration, October 12, 2023.
- “New Rules for the SCCA—The Changes and How They Compare,” May 4, 2023.
- “The Dubai International Arbitration Centre: How does it compare?,” Akin International Arbitration Alert, November 3, 2022.