Chelsea Pollard
Associate
Chelsea Pollard is a dispute resolution associate focusing on international arbitration, dispute avoidance, and complex, high-value disputes in the construction, infrastructure, and energy sectors. She has experience representing owners, contractors, and other stakeholders in disputes arising from EPC contracts, power projects, real estate developments, hotel management agreements, and other major commercial arrangements.
Biography
Language - English
Jurisdiction - United Arab Emirates
Chelsea has experience in arbitrations under the ICC, DIAC, and UNCITRAL Rules, as well as arbitration-related proceedings before the DIFC Courts. Chelsea previously worked at a leading law firms in the Middle East and at an arbitral institution in Malaysia. At the institution, she contributed to the development of arbitration rules, standard-form building contracts, and standard-form software development contracts. She is admitted to practice in California.
Chelsea was runner-up in the Delos Cross-Examination ROAP Construction, EMEA 2025/26 Edition. Her recent publication includes the UAE chapter of the Guide to Arbitration Places, published by Delos Dispute Resolution in its second edition in 2025 and Disputes Under Omani Exploration and Production Sharing Contracts published in Daily Jus, Industry Insights: 2023 Energy Arbitration Report.
She regularly contributes to discussions concerning construction, energy, and international arbitration, including:
- Moderator, “US-Iran Conflict: Force Majeure, Hardship and Dispute Risk in Global Trade,” L2, 13 March 2026
- Speaker, “Role of Experts in Major Construction Project for Delay and Cost Overruns Claims”, IPBA New Delhi, 27 February 2026
- Speaker, “GAP Headnote Series: UAE,” Delos Arbitration, 15 January 2026
- Moderator, “The Dos and Don’ts of Arbitrating in the Middle East,” Dubai Arbitration Week, 10 November 2025
- Speaker, “Demolishing the Old School: Automation-Driven Transition in the Construction Industry,” Asia ADR Week, 11 October 2025
- Speaker, “Dispute Resolution in the Natural Resources Sector,” Third Summit of the Asia Young Arbitration Practitioners, 6 October 2025
Chelsea has also served as co-chair of the American Society of International Law’s New Professionals Interest Group, social media co-chair of the ABA Women in Dispute Resolution Committee, and a facilitator for the Young ITA Mentoring Program.
Experience
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Energy Charter Treaty Arbitration Enforcement
Enforcing procedural orders granting anti-suit injunctions protecting against a €7.2 billion judgment in the Russian courts in an underlying Energy Charter Treaty arbitration against the Russian Federation, and successfully defending three challenges to members of the arbitral tribunal before the DIFC Courts.
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Middle East Power Plant EPC Arbitrations
Representing the owner of power plants in two unrelated UNCITRAL arbitrations in the Middle East involving claims by EPC contractors and counterclaims collectively exceeding SAR 2 billion; in one of the matters, the contractor’s claim was successfully reduced by approximately 90%.
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DIAC Real Estate Development Arbitration
Representing a contractor in a DIAC arbitration concerning a real estate development project, which included defending significant counterclaims brought by the employer.
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ICC Arbitration Proceedings
Representing a hotel owner in an ICC arbitration arising from the termination of a hotel management agreement with the total amount in dispute approximately QAR 56 million.
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DIAC Arbitration Proceedings
Representing a contractor in a DIAC arbitration arising from the termination of a subcontractor in connection with a defunct project.
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ICC Arbitration Proceedings
Representing a Spanish entity in an ICC arbitration concerning claims for VAT on sums awarded in an earlier arbitration, obtaining a full award of costs.
