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Michael Davar
Senior Associate
Michael Davar is a UK-qualified lawyer specialising in international arbitration and litigation in our London office. Michael advises on a range of complex multijurisdictional commercial disputes for various clients, including governments, oil and gas operators, offshore contractors, mining companies, ship owners, charterers, brokers, traders, shipbuilders, banks, private equity companies, information technology companies and high-net-worth individuals in arbitration, litigation and mediation.
Michael is highlighted in The Legal 500 2020 as a “rising star” for work in international arbitration.
Michael regularly speaks in conferences and for industry groups. He is the co-author of the specialist legal volumes International Commercial Arbitration: 21st Century Perspectives (2016); Oil and Gas Decommissioning: Law Policy and Comparative Practice (2016); International Commercial Arbitration: 21st Century Perspectives (2020); and The Regulation of Decommissioning and Abandonment and Reuse Initiatives in the Oil and Gas Industry (2020). His cases Essar Oilfields Services Limited v. Norscot Rig Management PVT Limited [2016] EWHC 2361 (Comm) and AB Bank Limited, Offshore Banking Unit v. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC [2016] EWHC 2082 (Comm) have set English legal precedent.
Prior to entering the legal industry, Michael worked as an FX and Fixed Income Trader at a hedge fund. He holds degrees in law and economic history and speaks several languages, including Russian and Georgian.
Energy
- US$500 million ICC arbitration acting for an oil and gas operator in a dispute against a state arising from the unlawful termination of a production sharing agreement.
- US$500 million ICC arbitration acting for an oil and gas operator in a dispute with its co-venturer arising from the repudiation of a joint operating agreement.
- US$350 million ICC arbitration acting for a natural gas trader in a dispute arising from the termination of a long-term gas supply agreement.
- US$120 million multi-party ICC arbitration acting for an oil and gas operator against a state and its co-venturers arising from losses suffered through the confiscation of oil and the termination of a production sharing agreement and corresponding counterclaims covering decommissioning, well-integrity, environmental and tax claims.
- US$82 million Australian High Court claim arising from an oil and gas operator’s renunciation of a long-term offshore drilling contract.
- US$20 million SIAC arbitration acting for a Philippine oil and gas operator in a dispute against a Malaysian drilling contractor arising from the repudiation of an offshore drilling contract.
- US$14 million ICC arbitration acting for an Indian drilling contractor in matters arising from a partial arbitral award against an oil and gas technical service provider regarding the provision of technical management services for a semi-submersible oil and gas platform.
- Singapore SIAC arbitration involving claims arising from an integrated telecommunication package on a central processing facility and FPSO.
- ICC arbitration acting for offshore oil and gas contractor in contesting issues arising from ICC partial awards.
- Essar Oilfields Services Limited -v- Norscot Rig Management PVT Limited [2016] EQHC 2361 (Comm): Acted for an offshore oil and gas contractor in challenging an ICC Arbitral Award for Third Party Litigation Funding. The case set the first English legal precedent for the recovery of third party litigation funding under the English Arbitration Act 1996.
Shipping and Shipbuilding
- US$300 million dispute acting for an international ship management company arising from the repudiation of five long-term charterparties.
- US$137 million arbitration under LMAA terms defending charterers from claims arising from three long-term charterparties.
- US$43 million arbitration under LMAA terms defending a shipbuilder in a dispute with a German shipping consortium arising from an alleged repudiation of a shipbuilding contract.
- US$20 million arbitration under LMAA terms defending a Norwegian ship owner concerning an offshore AHTS purchase option dispute.
- US$15.8 million London High Court claim acting for a high-net-worth individual against a superyacht shipbuilder arising from breach of warranty.
- US$10 million London High Court claim acting for a high-net-worth individual against a superyacht distributor and shipbuilder arising from a breach of warranty.
- US$3.5 million London High Court claim acting for a mining company regarding a dispute with owners arising from a vessel’s collision with a quay in Liberia during the provision of dredging services.
- US$1 million arbitration under LMAA terms defending charterers against a high-value and complex demurrage claim involving issues of force majeure.
- US$600,000 arbitration under LMAA terms acting for a global telecommunications provider in a dispute relating to damage caused to a submarine cable system by a vessel’s anchor.
- US$500,000 SIAC arbitration defending ship owners on numerous competing bunker supply claims from bunker traders and physical suppliers.
- US$400,000 chain arbitration under LMAA terms acting for disponent owners regarding claims of overconsumption and underperformance and breach of warranty.
International Trade
- US$20 million negotiation acting for a chemical manufacturer regarding a contract of affreightment.
- US$3 million GAFTA arbitration acting for a Korean commodity corporation in a dispute against an Argentinian grain trader arising from the sale of genetically modified wheat.
- GAFTA arbitration acting for a wheat trader in claims arising from the breach of description and quality terms under an International Contract of Sale.
- London High Court proceedings defending purchaser in claims arising from the sale and supply for cyclohexane in bulk.
- GAFTA arbitration appeal against award in favour of buyers for numerous soybean sale and purchase agreements.
- Acting for an iron and steel conglomerate in a dispute arising from contracts of affreightment and agency agreements for the carriage and sale of iron ore.
- Acting for international chemical conglomerate regarding the review and negotiation of various contracts of affreightment.
Fraud, Private Equity, Private Client and General Commercial Matters
- US$50 million HKIAC arbitration acting for a high net worth individual in a dispute with a BVI investment company arising from claims made under a personal guarantee.
- GBP39 million London High Court proceedings acting for high net-worth individuals in their professional negligence claims against a UK law firm arising from an M&A transaction.
- US$22 million London High Court proceedings acting for an international bank against a Singaporean investment vehicle and various individuals arising from a substantial fraud.
- US$1.5 million London High Court proceedings acting for a multi-asset exchange platform for forex trading against a Cypriot forex broker, two high-net-worth individuals and a trust company arising from a substantial fraud.
- US$500,000 London High Court professional negligence and legal cost recovery dispute acting for a shipowner in claim against prior legal advisors.
- London High Court Norwich Pharmacal proceedings acting for international bank against foreign bank located in the UAE.
- Acted for a high-net-worth individual in a complex claim for high-value shares in a family business.
- SIAC arbitration acting for international football marketing agency arising from the sale and purchase of premier league football digital advertising space.
- Enforcement proceedings acting for an investment management vehicle under the Administration of Justice Act 1920.
- London High Court brokerage dispute acting for a private equity-owned insurance broker against an insurance underwriter and a high-net-worth individual.
- London High Court intellectual property dispute acting for private equity-owned insurance broker and insurance underwriter.
- London Mediation and High Court warranty claim acting for high-net-worth individual against superyacht builder.
- London High Court professional negligence claim acting for private equity-owned insurance broker and its CASS auditors.
Education
- Kaplan Law School, L.P.C.
- The College of Law, Graduate Diploma in Law
- London School of Economics, B.Sc.
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2014
Languages
- English
- Russian
- Georgian
- Co-author, “Recognition and Enforcement: Brussels v Arbitration”, The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management, August 2020.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning: Scope for Dispute”, The Regulation of Decommissioning, Abandonment and Reuse Initiatives in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Obligations to Opportunities, August 2020.
- Presenter, “Tempering Evidence in the Era of Technology: Witness Statements in International Arbitration”, ICC YAF and ICDR Y&I joint, GIAC Arbitration Days, bilisi, Georgia, 11 October 2019.
- Presenter, “Bills of Ladings under Time and Voyage Charterparties” and “Safe Ports and Berths”, Cambridge Academy of Transport, London, 17 June 2019.
- Co-author, “Freight forwarders and the freight rule”, Shipping and Trade Law, June 2019.
- Co-author, “Choice of Law: A Fair Exchange”, Commercial Litigation Journal, August 2017.
- Co-author, “Overcoming the principle of ‘Reflective Loss’”, Finance Disputes and Regulatory Investigations Blog, November 2017.
- Author, “The Principle of Futility in Contractual Construction”, Commercial Litigation Journal, August 2017.
- Presenter, “Practical Lessons and Pitfalls in Charterparty Disputes,” Reliance Industries Limited, West of England Insurance Services (Luxembourg) S.A., London, 24 March 2017.
- Author, “Don’t Shoot Yourself in the Foot”, Shipping and Trade Law, March 2017.
- Co-author, “International Arbitration – Shipping and Maritime: Outside Counsel Perspective,” International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives, Lexis Nexis, 2016.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf: Decommissioning Security Disputes,” International Energy Law Review, September 2016.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning Disputes in the UK Continental Shelf,” Oil and Gas Decommissioning: Law, Policy and Comparative Practice, Global Law & Business, ed. 2, 2016.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning Security Disputes”, International Energy Law Review, September 2016.
- Co-Author, “Decommissioning Net Costs and Net Value Disputes”, Oil Voice, June 2016.
- Presenter, “Decommissioning Security Disputes,” “Decommissioning – the D Word – A Problem or a Big Opportunity?” The Geological Society, London, June 7, 2016.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf: Net Costs and Net Value Disputes,” Oil Voice, June 2016.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf: Decommissioning Security Disputes,” Platform-OilandGas Journal, February 2016.
- Author, “The Supreme Court Re-Frames the Modern Law of Implied Terms,” Shipping and Trade Law Journal, December 2015.
- Co-author, “Is Positional Loss Recoverable,” Shipping and Trade Law Journal, October 2015.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf: A Litigator’s Perspective,” Sweet & Maxwell, International Energy Law Review, September 2015.
- Co-author, “GAFTA Seller’s Truly ‘Golden Victory’: Supreme Court Reduces Damages from US$3 Million to US$5,” Lexology, August 2015.
- Co-author, “Decommissioning in the UK Continental Shelf: Delay Disputes,” Oil & Gas Monitor, July 2015.
- Author, “The Supreme Court Adopts a Literal Approach: Arnold v Britton and others [2015] UKCS 36,” Shipping and Trade Law Journal, July 2015.