Q. Tell us a little bit about your current role and what attracted you to this position?
A. I have recently joined Stephenson Harwood, as a managing associate, following 12 years at White & Case in Warsaw, Doha and Dubai. I act as lead counsel on complex construction arbitrations, and also advise clients on strategy and pre-arbitration claims management.
I have acted for contractors, developers, and government entities in relation to a variety of high-value construction projects. I have significant experience in dealing with highly complex technical issues in disputes and working closely with experts.
I joined Stephenson Harwood because my role there, entails the type of work which allows me to progress my career in my desired direction. I continue working on disputes related to some of the landmark projects in the region. I advise on various claims including delay, prolongation, disruption, variations, defects, termination, final account etc.
After my first few months at the firm, I am convinced that it was a great decision, and I am very well equipped and supported to service some of the largest and most complex construction disputes in the region.
Q. When and how did you get to this position?
A. My interest in arbitration started when I participated in the 16th and 17th Willem C. Vis Moot Commercial Arbitration as a law student. Following the Vis Moot, I went to London to join WilmerHale for a three-month internship. After I qualified as a legal advisor, on my return to Poland, I decided to pursue my career in arbitration. At that time, most arbitration cases were related to construction disputes. Through working on those, I discovered that construction is my passion.
While working for White & Case in Warsaw, Poland, I did a 4-month secondment in Doha, Qatar. I was amazed by the complexity and scale of projects in the region and decided to relocate to the Middle East permanently. I lived in Doha for 2 years and then moved to Dubai, where I worked at White & Case from May 2016 to October 2022. Last year, I felt ready for a new challenge and accepted to join Stephenson Harwood to help strengthen their construction disputes practice in the Middle East.
Q. How is your career linked with the CIArb and at what point did you join the CIArb?
A. I joined CIArb as a very young practitioner to broaden my knowledge of arbitration. I became an associate in 2011 and participated in the Advance Level Training for Counsel in November 2013. My professional and personal commitments made it challenging for me to be an active member for many years. However, I have recently been able to become more involved again.
The CIArb UAE branch is very active, has a lot of interesting initiatives and I am looking forward to actively contribute to the community.
In the years to come, I want to pursue my career as an arbitrator. For that reason, I decided to apply for CIArb Fellowship, which I believe will provide me with the recognition within the industry necessary to obtain my first arbitrator appointment.
Q. What has been your biggest achievement and has being part of the CIArb helped you realize it in any way?
A. My biggest achievement is that I have acted on a wide range of complex multi-billion and multi-million international arbitrations, particularly relating to those in the construction, infrastructure, real estate, transportation, and energy sectors. My practice includes disputes related to major international projects, such as high-rise towers, infrastructure, power plants and rail. I have gained significant experience working in several jurisdictions and with lawyers all around the globe including many of the industry leaders.
I am passionate about my work, and I have managed to turn the tide in many disputes, due to my willingness to explore complex technical details and outside-the-box thinking.
Being a part of CIArb allowed me to have access to various training programmes and a network of professionals willing to provide guidance.
Q. What are your aspirations for the future?
A. I want to continue serving my clients in the best way I can. I also want to help grow Stephenson Harwood’s construction disputes practice and be a role model for my younger colleagues.
I am a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, and I am actively involved in supporting younger colleagues by serving as a mentor in various mentorship programmes.
At the same time, I am working towards becoming a Fellow of CIArb and in pursuing my career as an arbitrator.
Q. What advice do you have for someone new to the industry / or someone who would want to follow this career path?
A. Believe in yourself and get involved in the industry. Some examples from my own experience include asking someone to be your mentor, speaking at a conference, organising an event or applying for an internship at an arbitral organisation.
There are lots of opportunities to gain experience or develop your skills in international arbitration. It is a very competitive field with a lot of distinguished practitioners but remember that they also had to start somewhere and were once in your shoes. So just believe in yourself and follow your dreams. Patience and perseverance are key.
Magda Kofluk is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is Managing Associate at Stephenson Harwood Middle East and may be contacted on Magda.Kofluk@shlegal.com
To be interviewed in future Newsletters, please contact our interviewers Kasia Halliday at khalliday@thinkbrg.com or Maria Mazzawi at MariaMazzawi@eversheds-sutherland.com.
CIArb UAE Branch News 