Expertise
Rick Gal is a Legal Director in Addleshaw Goddard's Commercial Disputes team, based in London.
Rick has broad experience of managing complex, high-value, cross-border disputes. He has a particular interest and expertise in disputes with an international nature and in the energy, natural resources, TMT and hospitality sectors.
Rick is a specialist in international commercial arbitration, investment treaty arbitration and related court proceedings. He has represented clients located in a broad range of jurisdictions and under the leading institutional rules, including the LCIA, ICC, SCIA, CIArb, ICSID and UNCITRAL Rules.
Rick also has experience of English and foreign court proceedings , and of mediations. He regularly advises corporates, banks and states during the execution of transactions and in anticipation of formal dispute proceedings.
He obtained his Higher Rights of Audience in 2015 and is able to conduct his own advocacy. He has spoken and published extensively on topics relating to international arbitration and dispute resolution more generally.
Rick joined the Addleshaw Goddard team in August 2023, after 12 years with the International Arbitration Group of Allen & Overy. Rick studied law at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University.
- Experience
Rick's recent experience includes:
- representing two oil and gas majors in a long-running London-seated UNCITRAL commercial arbitration and in related English and Indian court proceedings against the Government of India involving claims exceeding USD 5 billion
- representing an African-based multinational mobile telecommunications company in respect of a shareholder dispute with its local partner regarding an operating company located in Central Africa
- representing an exploration and production company in a London-seated LCIA arbitration arising from the delayed supply of gas from an offshore gas production system located in the Middle East
- representing a Middle Eastern-owned oil and gas company in a contractual dispute before the English Commercial Court over the payment of royalties in respect of a Dutch offshore oil field
- representing an East Asian listed upstream oil and gas company in a contractual dispute against its partner in an ICC arbitration seated in London concerning the ownership of an oil field in the Middle East
- representing a South Asian state in ICSID and ICC proceedings involving claims exceeding USD 10 billion arising out of a mining dispute relating to one of the world’s largest copper-gold mines
- representing an operator of luxury hotels in a London-seated ICC commercial arbitration arising out of a dispute over the management, marketing and construction of an East African-based hotel
- Education
- Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University - MA (Honours) in Law (2007)
- College of Law, London – LPC (2008)
- The City Law School, City University London - Higher Courts (Civil Advocacy) Qualification (2015)
- Professional Memberships
- The Law Society of England and Wales
- LCIA YIAG
- ICC YAAF
- University of Cambridge Alumni Arbitration Law Association
- Global Advisory Board of the Young Arbitration Group of the Centre for International Investment and Commercial Arbitration in Pakistan
