Omar Qureshi

Omar Qureshi is a partner in the firm's dispute resolution team.  He leads the firm’s anticorruption practice. 

Omar advises on all aspects of disputes and litigation risks issues, including domestic and international litigation and arbitration under various rules and regimes for clients in various industry sectors. He specialises in corporate investigations and commercial contract disputes, often involving allegations of fraud.

Omar is the architect of the firm’s online “Anti-corruption Zone”, a one-stop shop for information on bribery and corruption law, policy, trends and cases.  He has also designed an electronic anti-corruption training tool for clients.  He regularly speaks and writes on corruption issues.  He is currently advising clients in developing procedures to meet the requirements of the Bribery Act 2010.

Omar is a member of the CLLS Corporate Crime and Corruption Committee, Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association, the Fraud Advisory Panel, LCIA, YIAG, ICC and FCPA / Anti-Corruption Sub-Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, White Collar Crime Committee.

He is recognised in the Global Arbitration Review and Legal 500.

Relevant experience includes advising:

Corruption & Fraud

• Fiona Trust & Holding Co & ors v Yuri Privalov & ors/Intrigue Shipping Inc & ors v H Clarkson & ors - defending claims of more than $700m by Russia’s largest State-owned shipping companies, involving allegations of a fraudulent conspiracy to defraud the claimants through secret commissions and bribes and the sale of vessels at an undervalue
• The holding company of a global publishing group in connection with internal and external investigations into improper payments made in relation to a World Bank sponsored education project in Africa and advising on settlement negotiations with the authorities
• A global communications company on an internal investigation in connection with allegations of improper conduct involving public officials and advising in structuring a major transaction to avoid corruption risks
• A European product manufacturer concerning threatened proceedings, involving claims regarding fraudulent applications for state subsidies and allegations of accessory liability for fraudulent breach of fiduciary duty. The matter also involved liaising with the Serious Fraud Office and relevant police authorities 
• A UK investment company in relation to allegations of bribery and corruption in the UK and India 
• An airline services company on an internal investigation in connection with allegations of bribery, corruption and money laundering offences
• A bank on its liability and risks associated with payments from a customer’s accounts subsequently the subject of investigation by the authorities
• A global oil & gas supply company on on potential corporate criminal liability arising from actions of a director of a foreign subsidiary, involving allegations of conspiracy and bribery in respect of alleged payments to foreign public officials
• A global oil & gas supply company on corruption risk in connection with overseas project tendering and distribution practices via third party agents 
• A healthcare provider in connection with allegations of fraudulent invoicing claims for treatments provided to insured patients, including investigating allegations and defending claims brought by insurers
• Advising on a formal complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission following the discontinuance of a prosecution (for fraud and offences under the Theft Act), due to evidence and statements being lost, destroyed or not properly gathered
• Various clients in the communications, insurance, consumer products, construction and energy sectors in developing policies and procedures to minimize the risk of bribery

Arbitration

• A private equity house in multi-party and multi-ICC arbitration proceedings (under various laws) commenced by a State body for alleged breach of a privatization agreement in the telecoms sector
• A private equity house in multi-party ICC arbitration proceedings commenced by a State under an anti-embarrassment agreement connected to the privatization of the state telecoms company
• A State body in LCIA arbitration proceedings against a private company for breach of a multi-property lease agreement
• A Property fund in disputes governed by ICC arbitration concerning breach of a share purchase agreement for a staged purchase of SPV commercial property-holding companies in Eastern Europe, also involving allegations of breaches of ancillary agreements and procuring a breach of contract 
• An Eastern European steel manufacturer  in ICC arbitration proceedings brought by a UK trader under a contract (and approximately 300 separate sub-contracts) for the supply/sale of raw materials and steel products, including allegations of fraud (against both parties and their managers, various banking institutions and a foreign state), breach of export controls and bribery
• Gas pipeline JV on various ICC governed disputes (including liquidated damages and performance bond issues) arising under an EPC turnkey contract for the delivery of two sub-sea gas pipelines 
• An international offshore oil services company in LCIA arbitration concerning an alleged breach of a teaming agreement relating to the supply of steel catenary risers
• An international oil company in an LCIA arbitration brought by a Norwegian charter company concerning an alleged breach of contract relating to the hire and damage of a drill ship 
• An international oil company in an arbitration commenced under the Norwegian Law on Arbitration against a provider of engineering and constructions services, in respect of alleged breaches of an EPCIC contract for the delivery of a fixed offshore oil platform  
• A commercial real estate broker in an LCIA arbitration proceedings against the Russian arm of an international real estate broking company concerning commissions due under, and the proper interpretation of, a Commission Agreement 
• Dardana Ltd v Yukos Oil Company, enforcing a Swedish arbitration award in the UK against Yukos for debts owed under a contract for oil exploration services

Litigation and other disputes

• An online marketmaker on remedies for breach of an undertaking given in enforcement proceedings and successfully pursuing contempt of court application 
• A European bank on liability over the alleged breach of a sub-manager agreement arising from investments by the bank's investment vehicle in US long-short equity funds made in possible breach of local regulatory requirements 
• A Corporate Finance Adviser on terms of a bespoke NomAd Agreement and  “option” provisions entitling NomAd to act as adviser on any subsequent transaction 
• A Russian telecoms company in a corporate dispute with a Russian mobile operator (listed in London and New York) over the ownership and sale of shares in a joint venture entity 
• A leading independent private bank in respect of termination rights for material and other breaches of a contract for the provision of hosted voice call recording services/ telephone banking services 
• A gas pipeline owner concerning notification by the Facility Agent under a syndicated loan of a market disruption event, following lender’s inability to raise matching deposits at LIBOR 
• A European bank on rights to withdraw 'irrevocable' offer to purchase another bank and exit negotiation process, following market downturn making the deal unattractive 
• A property fund regarding a dispute relating to the development of, and licensing approvals regarding, a commercial site in a European airport complex, including advising on settlement issues and defamation allegations
• Bouverie No. 1 Limited v De Vere Hotels & Leisure Ltd, the owners of The Belfry, in proceedings concerning the breach of a hotel management agreement in respect of rebranding proposals by De Vere and in proceedings concerning the historical misappropriation of customer deposits by previous owners/managers
• Shareholders in a dispute concerning the occurrence of compensation trigger events for preference shareholders

Education:

Magdalen College, Oxford, BA Hons in Philosophy, Politics & Economics;
College of Law, London, Diploma in Law and LPC;
Higher courts rights of audience qualification.