Expertise
Lucas is an international arbitration and litigation specialist and has advised on matters throughout the Middle East for over 15 years. He has extensive experience advising on disputes relating to telecommunications, banking, insolvency, aviation and fraud as well as general commercial disputes. Lucas also specialises in the running of complex cross border investigations and advises clients on compliance issues.
Lucas' practice is inherently international in nature, and he has worked on cases from a wide variety of jurisdictions outside of the Middle East including Uganda, Rwanda, Mauritius, New York, Italy, Cayman Islands, France and Switzerland.
Lucas is experienced in advising on litigation under the Civil Procedure Rules of the English Court, the DIFC and ADGM and on international arbitrations under the LCIA, ICC, DIAC, SIAC, HKIAC, GCC Commercial Centre and CRCICA as well as ad hoc arbitrations under the arbitration laws of England & Wales, Oman, UAE and KSA.
Lucas is also a member of the DIFC Courts' "Courts of the Future Working Group".
- Experience
- Advising the Central Bank of Bahrain in relation to the investigation, litigation and asset recovery strategy arising from the fraudulent actions and insolvency of The International Banking Corporation in Bahrain. The matter involved claims issued in KSA, Bahrain, New York and England & Wales with sums in excess of $8 billion including a claim against a 'big four' auditor for professional negligence.
- Advising a Bahrain based bank in respect of a mis-selling claim valued at US$ 25 million connected to the purchase by the bank of CDOs from an international investment bank. The transaction included a complex Islamic Finance element.
- Acting for a French defence company in an ICC arbitration seated in Paris brought by a UAE bank relating to claims arising from letters of guarantee and standby letters of credit governed by English law.
- Advising a Qatar based international logistics company in respect of an internal investigation arising from employee fraud related to shipping charges invoiced by agents. As part of the investigation, the team used AI to assist in the analysis of over 6 million email chains.
- Acting for a UAE digital mobile solutions provider in matter in the DIFC courts in respect of a professional negligence claim against a global wealth manager and bank.
- Advising an Italian fashion house in respect of an arbitration under LCIA rules seated in Dubai concerning the development and sale of NFTs and related breaches of an English law agreement.
- Acting for a Middle East based oil & gas company in respect of an investigation relating to breach of procurement regulations and fraud.
- Acting for a Saudi will establishment in respect of a claim in the High Court of England & Wales against a guardian for breach of duties and fraud. The matter involves satellite litigation in Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, Germany, BVI and the Cayman Islands.
- Acting for a multi-national cloud services and software provider in respect of multiple arbitrations arising from breaches of its standard terms and conditions.
- Acting for an Abu Dhabi investment fund in a claim for fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of contract under DIFC law.
- Acting for the defendants in a claim for breach of fiduciary duty and dishonest assistance in the High Court of England & Wales, arising out of the diversion of contracts relating to the maintenance, repair and overhaul of 11 MD82 aircraft.
- Advising a group of Saudi investors in respect of breach of fiduciary duty claims arising from real estate purchases made in London to the value of $3 billion.
- Advising investors in a Texas based technology start up in claims against directors for breach of fiduciary duty arising from actions taken in companies in Mauritius, the Seychelles and Delaware which had been set up for the purpose of acquiring shares in the Texas company.
- Advising a claimant, an investment fund based in the UAE in respect of an arbitration under LCIA rules arising from a breach of warranty in a share purchase agreement. The value of the claim was US$25 million.
- Acting for investors in an FX trading company in claims arising from fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.
- Acting for an investment fund in a fraud investigation arising from an air defence contract with a Brazilian entity.
- Acting in a joint venture dispute before the DIFC courts relating to the establishment of a real estate investment fund.
- Advising a European telecommunications company in respect of an investigation into bribery and corruption concerning the Middle East operations.
- Advising a UAE based telecommunications company in respect of potential claims arising from the operation of its Nigeria based subsidiary and the accounting treatment given to payments to the parent company.
- Acting for the Oman Telecommunications Regulatory Authority in an arbitration proceeding under the Oman Arbitration Act with its seat in Muscat. The dispute related to the payment access deficit sums payable to the incumbent operator in Oman. The claim was valued at $80 million.
- Acting for LAP GreenN in the Commercial Court in Mauritius in a claim arising from three letters of guarantee provided to the Huawei group of companies for an amount totalling US$65 million.
- Advising LAP GreenN in respect of a breach of contract claim brought against its subsidiary in the Ivory Coast.
- Advising LAP GreenN in respect of a professional negligence claim to be brought against the auditors of its subsidiary in Togo.
- Advising and international oil company in respect of its operation of a concession in the Middle East and a potential dispute with its joint venture partner and two GCC governments. In particular, leading the team advising on the potential avenues available to the client to terminate certain contracts relating to the operation of the concession.
- Acting for the Claimant in an ICC arbitration arising out of the construction of an offshore oil drilling platform. The value of the dispute was $30 million, and the seat of the arbitration was in Mumbai.
- Acting for the Claimant in an LCIA arbitration with its seat in London. The arbitration relates to the sale and purchase of an oil concession in Egypt and claims of misrepresentation and breach of warranty. The value of the claim is $25 million and the arbitration is ongoing.
- Acting for the Claimant, a UAE based construction company in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore with claims against the employer in the construction of a refinery in the UAE.
- Acting for the Respondent in a Cairo seated arbitration under Egyptian law in respect of breaches of a drilling agreement.
- Advising an Oman drilling company in relation to the recovery of a drilling rig in Indonesia together with a breach of contract claim under Indonesian law.
- Acting for Salalah Port Services in Oman in respect of an arbitration under ICC rules arising from a claim against a petroleum company for damage caused to pipelines.
- Part of a team advising an international governmental body (Middle East) on dispute avoidance techniques and acting in arbitration arising from the installation of major infrastructure (road) works under a FIDIC form of contract. The total value of claims is in the region of US$250 million.
- Part of a team advising an international construction company in relation to a dispute concerning the construction of roads in the Caribbean. The total value of the claim was US$25, million.
- Advising the owners of a drilling company operating in Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in respect of claims for conversion in the Bahrain and English courts. The claims totalled £25 million.
- Acting for the Respondent in a DIAC arbitration with its seat in Dubai. The arbitration arose from the provision of security services by the Respondent to the Claimant in Afghanistan. The value of the claim was $31 million with a counterclaim of $180 million. The award is anticipated imminently.
- Advising the defendant, a producer and supplier of industrial air conditioning units, in respect of claims brought against it by its joint venture partner before the Grievances Board in Saudi Arabia.
- Acting for the Claimant in a DIAC arbitration with its seat in Dubai. The arbitration arose from a breach of a sole distribution agreement relating to the sale of vegetable ghee in Syria. The value of the claim was $25 million.
- Acting for a Lithuanian aircraft operating and leasing company in respect of a breach of contract claim against an Italian operator involving the courts in England and Italy.
- Acting for a Lithuanian aircraft operating and leasing company defending a claim in the High Court for breach of contract. The value of the claim was £20 million.
- Acting for the sellers of a part-works company in respect of a claim in the High Court for breach of warranty and fraud amounting to £25 million.
- Acting for the Defendant in a joint venture dispute before the DIFC court relating to real estate development in the UAE valued at in excess of $300 million.
- Acting for the Claimant in a breach of contract dispute before the DIFC courts relating to the acquisition of generators valued at approximately $1 million.
- Education
- University College London - 1996
- Publicationsq
- Pre-Action Letters: Overview (UAE) – Thomson Reuters Practical Law
- Attachment (Freezing) Orders: Overview (ADGM) – Thomson Reuters Practical Law
- Rules of Evidence (Civil Proceedings): Overview (UAE) – Thomson Reuters Practical Law
- Recovery of Trade Debts: Overview (ADGM) – Thomson Reuters Practical Law
- ADGM Courts: Not Open for Business as a Conduit Jurisdiction? – Kluwer Arbitration Blog
- Testimonials
- "Lucas Pitts is extremely well rounded as a lawyer" – Chambers Global 2024
- "chiefly recognised for handling aviation, finance and fraud matters and has a wealth of experience acting across the ADGM and DIFC courts as well as the DIAC" – Legal 500 2024