Joanne Strain

Managing Partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Joanne Strain is an English law-qualified solicitor with over 18 years of experience, including over a decade with KWM in the Middle East. Her practice encompasses international commercial arbitration and common law litigation, and she specialises in disputes with a significant cross-border element. Joanne has many years of experience executing complex dispute resolution strategies, before courts and tribunals, to achieve optimum results for her clients.

Joanne acts for clients in disputes arising under all major arbitral institutional rules, including the LCIA, ICC and DIAC Rules. In addition, Strain executes dispute resolution strategies before the courts of England and Wales, the courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre, the courts of Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Dubai World Tribunal and works closely with colleagues on matters arising before the UAE courts and in the wider GCC. She is regularly appointed as arbitrator, with appointments from the ICC, DIFC-LCIA and LCIA, including multiple appointments as sole arbitrator.

She advises major corporates, financial institutions and high-net-worth individuals on a wide range of financial and commercial disputes, including complex joint venture and shareholder arrangements, with particular expertise in disputes emerging from large-scale Middle East projects and financial settlements. Additionally, Strain advises clients on compliance with international sanctions and anti-corruption legislation.

Joanne is ranked by both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. She is also ranked in the Legal 500 Arbitration Private Practice Powerlist, Middle East, and in the Construction Week Middle East Power List. She is variously described by clients and peers as an 'outstanding leader who is highly knowledgeable in her field', 'extremely capable and totally unflappable' and an 'outstanding leader who is highly knowledgeable in her field' (Chambers & Partners 2023 and The Legal 500 2022).