Ardil Salem
Partner Litigation, Arbitration, and Employment
Languages
English, Arabic, French
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Insights and events
Legal 500 UK, 2025Ardil Salem is a rising disputes partner with huge energy, charm, acumen and commitment. One to watch.
Ardil Salem is a highly experienced commercial litigator, whose practice focuses on high-value, complex and multi-jurisdictional corporate and commercial litigation. He handles disputes spanning a broad range of industries and geographies and has an established track record of achieving successful outcomes to his clients’ most challenging problems.
Ardil advises clients on disputes involving joint ventures, breaches of contract, M&A transactions, breaches of duty by company directors, fraud, complex trust structures and allegations of professional negligence. He has a particular interest and expertise in disputes arising out of corporate restructurings and insolvent companies, including claims pursued by officeholders, the enforcement of security (and the disputes this can give rise to), as well as quasi-contentious risk advisory work in connection with proposed transactions by specialist investors in distressed entities.
In terms of geographies, Ardil has significant experience of disputes and investigations emanating from the Middle East and Africa. He speaks fluent Arabic and French, which assists when it comes to managing the sensitivities which are typically in issue in any contentious matter. Ardil also has significant experience of offshore litigation, including the use of asset tracing remedies and the offshore enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.
A dynamic and effective negotiator, much of Ardil’s work involves the negotiation and structuring of settlements, utilising all of the main methods of alternative dispute resolution (including regular use of mediation).
Before joining Hogan Lovells, Ardil worked in the London office of an international law firm and spent two years practising at an offshore law firm in the Cayman Islands, where he regularly appeared before the Courts.
Legal 500 UK, 2025Ardil Salem is a rising disputes partner with huge energy, charm, acumen and commitment. One to watch.
Representative experience
Acting for FMO in its successful Commercial Court claim for US$57m against Bengaz SA (a Beninoise entity), including obtaining worldwide freezing relief, proprietary injunctions and Chabra relief
Acting for a company and its liquidators in defence of a contractual construction and rectification claim brought by the previous owners of the business under a deferred consideration clause in an SPA
Acting for a leading technology company in a dispute with a minority shareholder involving allegations of unfair prejudice
Acting for an international financial services group in proceedings before the DIFC Court arising out of a joint venture through which it conducts business in the Middle East
Acting for a Swiss headquartered oil trading company in its defence of a US$2bn High Court claim concerning a disputed Contract of Affreightment
Acting for a BAT group company in an appeal to the UK Supreme Court that considers the issue of the content of directors’ duties when a company is in financial distress
Acting for a BAT group company in proceedings before the High Court against PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in respect of its audit work of Windward Prospects Limited
Acting for BAT in proceedings arising from the US$1bn clean-up of the Fox River, including proceedings brought in the English High Court seeking the recovery of around $800m in dividends
Advising a Middle Eastern headquartered logistics company and port operator on its investment in an offshore incorporated venture capital fund and subsequent application for a freezing injunction
Representing a Middle Eastern based media company in a dispute with a state affiliated joint venture partner arising from a shareholder agreement relating to sport broadcasting rights
Representing a European investment bank in an investigation into allegations of payments made to corrupt public officials in order to secure business opportunities in a North African state
Representing an AIM listed investment fund in an internal investigation into allegations that an appointed investment manager had misappropriated substantial funds over an extended period
Acting for Mr Cevdet Caner in defence of claims brought against him by the Joint Liquidators of Level One Residential Jersey Limited and Special Opportunity Holdings Limited
Advising a North Sea oil assets focussed private equity fund in relation to its investment in various distressed North Sea oil assets
Advising a listed oil company in relation to litigation risks arising in the context of its restructuring
Advising a European investment bank on enforcement of a judgment of over US$200m, against assets located in the Cayman Islands, held through a complex trust structure
Acting for Discover Investment Company in its application before the Cayman Islands’ Courts for Norwich Pharmacal relief against former investment managers
Credentials
- L.P.C., BPP Law School
- MA (Cantab), Law, University of Cambridge
- Solicitor, England and Wales
- Attorney-at-Law, Cayman Islands (non-practising)