The Mantle Law Team

Matthew Heywood

Mat is a leading international disputes Partner in the Middle East, specialising in construction, infrastructure and energy, and the founder of Mantle Law. He advises and represents clients on the resolution of disputes arising out of major infrastructure projects throughout the World with a particular emphasis on the Middle East. Crucially, that includes all stages of the project lifecycle in an effort to minimise costs and mitigate risks. Mat is a leader in dispute resolution and manages some of the largest disputes in Mantle’s sectors.

Over the years, Mat has built up strong relationships with a wide variety of clients and it is those clients that have helped him build and launch a new type of law firm, focused on the core principles of client-centricity, depth in quality and service innovation.

Mat is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office but works on projects throughout the globe.

Gurbinder Grewal

Gurbinder focuses on resolving contentious construction and infrastructure disputes through arbitration, adjudication, litigation or ADR. He typically acts for Employers and main Contractors in a wide range of sectors and disputes relating to payment, claims for variations, extensions of time, defects and professional negligence.

Gurbinder is also experienced in acting as ‘project counsel’ on live construction and engineering projects either domestically or internationally, assisting clients in managing claims and avoiding disputes. Legal 500 UK notes that Gurbinder is “an adjudication specialist”, “has an encyclopaedic knowledge of construction law” and “never loses focus of the client’s commercial objectives”. Chambers UK reports that “Gurbinder’s ability to identify the key points, combined with his understanding of commercial pressures, invariably gets his clients a successful outcome to their disputes” and that he is “highly commercial, responsive and extremely knowledgeable in his field”.

Gurbinder is based in Mantle Law’s London office.

Michael Hartley

Michael acts for clients in the construction, oil and gas, energy and power sectors in large scale disputes in various forums (including DIFC Courts, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC, ADCCAC and ICC). Consequently, Michael has significant experience in power and water plants (including coal fired, IWPP and desalination plants) and offshore projects (including shipbuilding, oil and gas platforms, underwater pipelines and dredging disputes). This is in addition to Michael’s experience in the more classic onshore infrastructure disputes (such as hotels, skyscrapers, mixed use developments, highways and district cooling plants).

Michael is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

“Michael Hartley has a keen eye for detail and is a hardworking and committed individual…it is always good to work with a professional lawyer such as Michael as you know you’re in good hands.” Legal 500 // 2021

Michael was recognised in the Asian Legal Business MENA Super 50 Lawyers for 2023 for outstanding client service.

Alexander Studholme

Alex is experienced in advising clients in complex commercial arbitrations with a particular focus on construction and engineering disputes.

He is known for his down-to-earth, approachable and practical manner in working with clients, while applying his sharp intellect to help find effective and creative solutions to legal and factual challenges.

Alex and Mat have worked together previously, including advising a joint venture of contractors on one of the largest infrastructure project in Qatar. 

Alex is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Alexander Slade

Alexander is an experienced energy disputes lawyer, representing clients in large-scale disputes in the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors. His practice focuses in particular on complex international commercial arbitrations and investment treaty arbitrations. He also advises on public international law matters.

Alexander’s experience covers a wide variety of energy-related matters, including upstream and mid-stream oil and gas, renewable energy projects, and energy-related infrastructure and construction projects including offshore work. He has acted in arbitrations under most of the major arbitration rules (ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, SCC, SIAC, ICSID, etc), and subject to a variety of arbitral seats and governing laws. Alexander appears as advocate before arbitral tribunals and the English courts.

Alexander has been ranked as a Future Leader in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration from 2017 – 2023, and has been recognised for international arbitration by Legal 500 (2018, 2020 – 2023) and Chambers (2019).

“Alexander Slade is an outstanding lawyer with a firm grasp of oil and gas exploration and production sharing contracts. His style of argument is very convincing.” (Legal 500, 2024)

“Alexander Slade is a great lawyer – always available to support clients, and he has strategic vision, deep knowledge of construction disputes, and an easygoing manner.” (Legal 500, 2024)

Alexander is based in Mantle’s London office but works on disputes all over the world.

Lucy Bushell

Lucy is a construction disputes and international arbitration specialist with a wide range of experience representing and advising domestic and international clients on complex construction, infrastructure, energy, oil and gas matters. She has extensive Middle-East experience, having worked in the UAE for eight years before returning to England, and enjoys the opportunities and challenges of undertaking complex disputes across multiple jurisdictions. Lucy is known by clients for her excellent technical and strategic skills, commercial focus, and her willingness to always go the extra mile.

Lucy is based in Mantle Law’s London office.

Lucy Walton

Lucy is a Senior Associate with a wide range of experience advising on complex infrastructure, construction and energy matters. Lucy has extensive Middle East experience having worked in the region managing disputes in the UAE, Oman and Bahrain for the past seven and a half years.

Lucy was included in the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist for the Middle East 2022 as Senior Associate.

Lucy is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Jackson Dixon-Best

Jackson’s practice focuses on complex, high-value construction and engineering disputes in the Middle East. He has represented clients in international arbitrations under all the major institutional rules, as well as in ad-hoc proceedings, seated in various jurisdictions and subject to civil and common laws. He is also experienced in other forms of dispute resolution including litigation, expert determination and adjudication.

Prior to joining the firm, Jackson worked at leading international and US law firms and practiced from Brisbane, London and Doha. He also spent time on secondment to a major Qatari State entity.

Jackson is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Georgina Barlow

Georgina has extensive experience in complex, high value, international arbitration disputes under a range of arbitral seats, governing laws and rules of arbitration. She represents clients in a variety of industry sectors, with a particular focus on energy, construction and infrastructure, Georgina also has experience acting in litigation claims in the High Court, TCC and DIFC Court, as well in adjudications and mediations.

Georgina has been recognised as a key lawyer in Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration in Legal 500 UK 2020 and 2021 where she is described by sources as a “rising star in international disputes”.

Georgina is based in Mantle Law’s London office.

Alice Andreoletti

Alice has particular expertise in complex cross-border disputes in the construction, engineering and energy sectors, with experience in many jurisdictions across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and South East Asia. She has acted in commercial and investment arbitrations under a range of governing laws and institutional rules including ICC, LCIA, ICSID and UNCITRAL, as well as adjudications and High Court proceedings (TCC and Commercial Court). Alice holds a ‘Licence’ in French Law, a Masters in International Relations and Public International Law and Higher Rights of Audience in the civil courts of England & Wales.

Alice is based in Mantle Law’s London office.

Andrew Primett

Andrew is an Associate with experience in construction and engineering disputes across a number of jurisdictions including the UK, Australia and Middle East. He is experienced in advising clients in relation to complex, high-value arbitrations across different arbitral seats (including ICC, LCIA and DIAC) and in respect of disputes before the UAE courts.

Sirena Chalhoub

Sirena is specialised in advising on construction matters in the Middle East. She has represented clients in DAB, arbitration and UAE Court proceedings, using her Arabic speaking skills to assist international clients.

Sirena is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Oliver Pickford

Oliver is an Associate and his practice focuses on domestic and international construction and engineering disputes, and he has experience in statutory adjudication and international arbitration. Oliver has acted for both contractors and developers in connection with a wide range of projects in the UK, Europe and Middle East, including high-end residential, commercial and infrastructure. Before qualifying as a lawyer, Oliver spent nearly six years working in the construction industry.

Marc Hoare

Marc comes from a construction background, having worked in commercial management and dispute resolution within construction and engineering firms in the UAE, Morocco and Qatar since 2008, and has been involved in civil, MEP, building and fit-out works.

Marc brings with him a grounded common-sense approach to establishing the facts surrounding disputes and a collaborative mindset to managing and interfacing with clients and other stakeholders. Having obtained an LLM in construction law in 2016 and membership to the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in 2018, he will continue to obtain legal qualifications with Mantle Law.

Marc is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Charlotte McCulloch

Charlotte is a qualified Legal Executive and has been a Graduate Member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives for over ten years. She has worked in the legal profession since 2005, with roles in a number of well-known international and boutique law firms. Charlotte brings a broad range of management and legal experience including acting as personal assistant to senior partners, assisting with the running of large legal departments, project-managing complex litigation matters and assisting with the drafting of legal documents. 

Charlotte and Mat have worked together for a number of years on various client and operational projects. She was formally based in London, but since relocating to the Middle East has continued to develop valuable experience of the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors in the region.  

Charlotte is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Hannah Winter

Hannah has worked in the legal profession since 2004 within several large well-known international and small boutique law firms. Hannah brings a broad range of management and legal experience including personal assistant support to Management Board level down to drafting and managing complex legal documents.

Hannah assists with the firm’s construction, infrastructure and energy clients.

Hannah is based in Mantle Law’s London office.

Leanne Darby

Leanne is an experienced PA and has worked in the legal sector since 2012. Leanne brings a wide variety of knowledge with her, having worked as a barrister’s clerk in Chambers and a PA in a well-known London law firm, where she was responsible for assisting numerous fee earners and the practice area leader.

Leanne is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.

Tania Dennis-Anderson

Tania is a highly accomplished Personal Assistant with over 20 years of dedicated experience in the field of law, specialising in diverse areas such as employment, corporate, banking and finance, real estate, and construction law. Tania has consistently proven herself as an invaluable asset to legal professionals and their respective firms, offering unparalleled support and expertise.

Tania is based in Mantle Law’s UAE office.