Joanne is a Partner in Quinn Emanuel’s Abu Dhabi office, specialising in complex commercial litigation and international arbitration.

Joanne has over a decade of on-the-ground experience in the Middle East, giving strategic advice to clients navigating complex disputes across the GCC. An expert in common law litigation, Joanne acts for clients in disputes before the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts, the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Courts, and the Courts of England and Wales. In addition, Joanne has many years’ experience in international arbitration, acting for clients in disputes under all the major institutional rules, seated in the UAE and internationally, and frequently sits as an arbitrator. 

Joanne has been recognised by the legal directories for many years, including most recently in the “Hall of Fame” by The Legal 500 and as a Band 3 ranked Lawyer by Chambers and Partners. Joanne is further recognised by The Legal 500 Arbitration Power List 2023, The Construction Week Middle East Power List 2023 and by Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2023. 

The legal journals (Legal 500 2023 and Chambers & Partners 2023) describe Joanne as: 

“an outstanding leader who is highly knowledgeable in her field and has a wide spectrum of knowledge of the local laws and court procedures”; 

“committed, unflappable, and great in a crisis; she has excellent judgment and always knows the right question to ask”; 

“an exceptionally talented lawyer. Incisive, clear and thoughtful”; 

“receiv[ing] considerable praise for her handling of a wide variety of disputes, including debt recovery, insolvency and commercial fraud matters”.