"Othmane is extremely professional"

"His legal analysis is very thorough"

"He provides strategic advice that is highly valuable"

"Othmane’s mastery of both procedural aspects of the arbitration and substantive matters is unmatched in the market"

"I was thoroughly impressed by Othmane's exceptional advocacy skills, particularly during the cross-examination phase"

WWL Arbitration (2024)

Saadani & Associates was founded by Othmane Saadani. He specializes in international arbitration and international litigation. He was recognized as a future world leader in the field of arbitration (Who's Who Legal – Future leaders – Arbitration 2024).

He regularly represents private companies, states, and state entities in commercial disputes as well as in investor-state disputes. His experience spans various sectors, such as energy (including renewable sources), construction, telecommunications, commodities trading, pharmaceuticals, medical, and post-M&A disputes. Othmane represents and advises his clients in arbitration proceedings governed by the rules of all major institutions, including ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, AAA, DIAC, SCCA, LCIA, and SAC. He also appears before offshore common law jurisdictions including the Courts of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), where he argues cases under English law.

Othmane also has an extensive experience in post-arbitration litigation such as setting aside actions and enforcement of arbitral awards. He is known for having acted in high profile enforcement matters involving sovereign states.

Othmane is a dual trained civil and common law lawyer. He has a master’s degree in international litigation and a postgraduate diploma in international public law from University Paris Ouest Nanterre. Othmane has also earned an LL.M in Litigation from the University of California Los Angeles School of Law (UCLA Law).

He taught international arbitration at the Université Catholique de Lille and he lectures business law at Curtin University in Dubai. Othmane was also a member of the editorial board of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin and regularly publishes legal articles in leading law reviews.

Before founding Saadani & Associates in 2018, Othmane trained at Lazareff Le Bars and White & Case in Paris, at Gibs Giden in Los Angeles and practiced as an associate in the affiliate office of Mayer Brown in Casablanca. Othmane is a former counsel at the Secretariat of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, where he led the case management team responsible for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from Abu Dhabi. His role encompassed the management of ICC arbitration proceedings, scrutinizing ICC awards, advising arbitral tribunals, and providing briefings to the ICC Court of Arbitration in procedural matters.

Othmane is a member of the New York bar and has full rights of audience before the Courts of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). He speaks English, French and Arabic.