Khizar Arif is a Solicitor Advocate with over 20 years of experience in commercial transactions, dispute resolution, and litigation. He has worked at a variety of reputable commercial law firms and in-house at shipping and metals trading companies in London and Hamburg, earning a distinguished reputation for complex, multi-party, high-value, cross-border commercial work.
Khizar specializes in renewable energy projects, including wind parks (having worked on various European and Asian offshore wind projects), solar, hydrogen, wave, and biomass energy. His expertise extends to transport and installation charterparties, land agreements, supply agreements, construction, operation and maintenance contracts, power purchase agreements, and regulatory compliance. Khizar regularly advises all project stakeholders, such as sponsors, developers, suppliers, T&I vessel owners/charterers, manufacturers, operators, borrowers, and lenders.
Khizar is an experienced negotiator and litigator, adept at handling technically complex, multi-layered, high-value claims with cross-border elements. He has successfully represented clients in informal negotiations, as well as formal proceedings such as mediation, adjudication (e.g., DAAB), arbitration (e.g., ICC, LCIA), and litigation in the higher courts. Khizar has a particular interest in renewable energy transactional work and disputes, especially in the context of offshore wind projects.
Relevant Experience
Transactional:
- Drafted, reviewed and negotiated terms of preferred-bidder, monopile supply, transport and installation, construction, cabling, direct agreements/guarantees and power purchase agreements for various offshore wind projects.
- Drafted and reviewed a contract based on a BIMCO Supplytime Charterparty for the transfer of a WTG-Installation Vessel and harmonisation with various FIDIC-Standard clauses for a proposed German offshore wind park in the Baltic Sea.
- Advised on various issues concerning permit requirements and cabotage issues under maritime law for offshore wind project.
- Prepared the terms and conditions of a contract for the EPCI of a pier for a Floating Storage and Regasification Terminal in Wilhelmshaven, Germany based on FIDIC Red 1999.
- Review of construction and installation contracts and related documentation and prepared a due diligence report in connection with a geothermal project in Germany.
- Drafted and reviewed terms and conditions of a power purchase agreement for solar (PV) project, including commercial operation, delivery schedule, penalties for under delivery, payment and termination terms.
- Reviewed and revised the commercial attachments of a model contract for the procurement of various components of an offshore wind farm.
- Advised on logistics conditions, customs and import issues in the context of an offshore wind project in Taiwan.
- Reviewed charter party terms and conditions and note of potential claims for late provision of an installation vessel by vessel owners.
- Advised on Power Purchase Agreement for 100 MW Solar (PV) project in Africa.
Disputes:
- Managed claims (inc. drafting, substantiation and negotiation)- tracked downtimes during T&I campaign, handled extension of time and costs claims during construction phase and managed amendments and settlements.
- Advised a Contractor in respect of various common law issues against a state agent Employer in EUR30m ad hoc arbitration claim based on breach of a FIDIC Silver Book 1999-based construction contract for emissions reduction works at a power plant.
- Negotiated terms of a settlement contract for the repair of a damaged submarine cable for an offshore wind project in Taiwan.
- Advised on claims for liquidated damages, extensions of time/costs, costs of delays/disruptions, defects in wind turbines, poor welding of foundations and defects in foundations.
- Advised in expert determination relating to terms for extension of a maintenance agreement.
- Represented a UK claimant in a complex GBP1.2bn cross border partnership/ real estate dispute against multiple UAE based parties in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal.
- Acted for an Italian industrial electrical equipment supplier against a Dubai based EPC services provider for breach of contract in ICC arbitration proceedings.