Sara Aalamri

Full Profile

Sara has over 15 years’ experience working with clients operating in the hospitality, energy and natural resources, infrastructure and, projects and construction sectors

Sara is one of the first Saudi women lawyers licensed by the Saudi Ministry of Justice to practice law in the Kingdom. She graduated with Honours, among the first cohort of Saudi female students to study law in Saudi Arbia, from King Abdulaziz University, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2008. She also earned a Master of Laws degree (LLM) from Boston University School of Law in the US in 2010.  

Sara is the Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Saudi National Committee for Arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR. She also serves as a committee member at the Makkah Region Lawyers Committee under the Saudi Bar Association (SBA), and as an officer at the International Bar Association (IBA) Arab Regional Forum.
Sara is fluent in English and Arabic.   

Experience

Arbitration & Litigation experience

• Providing Saudi law advice in relation a dispute between the Employer on one side and the Contractor and Engineer on the other side in a mega industrial project with a total value of approximately USD 8-9 billion.
• Acted for a Saudi contracting company in proceedings involving contractual claims and unlawful termination under a civil works and concrete buildings subcontract in ICC arbitration.
• Advised a Saudi contracting company on Saudi law issues regarding its claim in relation to the unlawful termination of a contract for design, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning in UNCITRAL Arbitration.
• Represented a Saudi contracting company in a claim against the main contractor of a power plant project for outstanding payments and damages before the Commercial Court in Saudi Arabia.
• Represented a Saudi contracting company before the Commercial Court of Appeal in its challenge to arbitral awards issued against it, culminating in a successful judgment annulling the awards.
• Advised a Saudi company engaged in marine services in relation to a claim for insurance coverage under a marine hull policy issued by a prominent Saudi insurance company.
• Represented a European chemicals company in a shareholders’ dispute against its Saudi joint venture partners before the Commercial Court in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised a Saudi contracting company on Saudi law issues in a shareholders’ dispute and brining claims against its European joint venture partner and CEO in ICC Arbitration.
• Advised a major Saudi food manufacturing company in a shareholders’ dispute brining a multimillion claim against its joint venture partner, a leading international food products company, in Saudi Ad-hoc arbitration.
• Advised a major GCC financial entity with filing a dispute before the Committee for the Settlement of Banking Disputes in relation to its bid guarantee and offer to become the master developer of a mega government project in Saudi Arabia.
• Advising several global car manufacturers on Saudi law issues related to their commercial agency and distribution agreements, including disputes with the Saudi agent/distributor and the negotiation of a settlement agreement for the termination and de-registration of an exclusive distribution agreement.
• Providing a Saudi law expert report in relation to a commercial dispute between a Saudi computer software distributor and an international computer software company before the High Court in Ireland.
• Advising Public Investment Fund (PIF) company on contentious real estate issues including the assessment of cause of action in lieu of rent and eviction.
• Representing the Saudi subsidiary and UAE affiliates of an international energy and automation solutions provider in filing 42 claims against a debtor undergoing financial reorganisation under the Bankruptcy Law in Saudi Arabia and achieving a highly successful approval rate.
• Representing an international social media platform in proceedings filed against them by an account holder before the Saudi court and successfully dismissing the case.

Regulatory & Investigation experience 

• Advised a law firm on Saudi Ministry of Justice (MOJ) AML/CFT compliance implementation in line with guidelines, including CDD/KYC frameworks and regulatory engagement with the MOJ and SBA.
• Advised a foreign law firm on the regulatory requirements under the MOJ’s Regulation of Foreign Law Firms, Companies Law and Regulation of Professional Firms in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised and represented clients in regulatory disputes, including successful challenges to Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) tax assessments and penalties.
• Advised clients in relation to fraud and misconduct, including criminal proceedings breach of trust, defamation, embezzlement and civil bribery claims.
• Advised on regulatory compliance and enforcement across sectors, including customs evasion, anti-commercial fraud, product compliance, enforcement actions and ongoing compliance reviews.