Essam Amer

Cross-border disputes and construction claims specialist with more than four decades across Egypt, the United States and Kuwait, admitted before the Egyptian Court of Cassation and licensed in New York.

Essam Amer is Senior Counsel at Dawoud & Dawoud Law Firm, advising on cross-border construction and energy projects, claims and pre-litigation dispute resolution across the Gulf, the Middle East and civil-law jurisdictions.

For a decade he was Senior Consultant in the Legal Affairs Group of Kuwait Oil Company, leading the Projects & Claims legal team on EPC, LSTK and FIDIC-based contracts, delay and disruption claims, performance bond demands and terminations. He supported KOC's LCIA claim against Hyundai Corp., brought with HFW in London, which resulted in a USD 150 million award, and played a leading role in pre-tender negotiations with major oilfield contractors that saved KOC USD 11 million and, separately, USD 22 million.

He also structured the GCC Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence Sharing NDA among Saudi Aramco, ADNOC, BAPCO, PDO and KPC, and advised on the use of UN Compensation Commission funds for oil-sludge remediation. Earlier, from New York, he spent sixteen years advising on international commercial, maritime and insurance disputes, AAA and LCIA arbitrations, extradition and anti-money-laundering matters, and served as a legal expert witness before the District Court of Harris County, Texas.

Areas of Expertise

• Construction & FIDIC Claims
• Oil & Gas / EPC
• International Arbitration
• Cross-border & Extraterritorial Disputes
• AML & Extradition

Career Trajectory

1. PRESENT Senior Counsel

   Dawoud & Dawoud Law Firm, Cairo

   Construction, energy and cross-border disputes; pre-litigation claims strategy.

2. 2022 – PRESENT Legal Counselor, Solo Practice

   New York, USA

   Cross-border construction, oil and gas, EPC, PPP, BOT and FIDIC matters for US law firms and Gulf clients; AML and extradition advice.

3. JUL – OCT 2021 Senior Associate

   Law Firms of Meshari Al-Osaimi, International Law Division, Kuwait

   Construction and oil-and-gas claims against major international contractors; 28 U.S.C. § 1782 judicial-assistance matter for some 137 Kuwaiti claimants.

4. 2011 – 2021 Senior Consultant, Legal Affairs Group

   Kuwait Oil Company, Kuwait

   Led the Projects & Claims legal team: legal opinions, FIDIC/EPC contracts, LCIA and local disputes, and training for KOC's legal and commercial teams.

5. 1995 – 2011 Legal Counselor, International & Foreign Law Practice

   New York, USA

   Maritime, marine insurance and commercial disputes before US federal courts; AAA and LCIA arbitrations; expert witness in Britannia Airways v. AR Group (Harris County, 2001).

6. 2003 – 2004 LL.M. & Trial Externship

   SUNY Buffalo · Erie County District Attorney's Office

   Advanced trial techniques under U.S. Magistrate Judge Hugh B. Scott, W.D.N.Y.; homicide prosecution support.