Alessandro is a Partner and Head of the International Transaction Group at Fichte & Co. His broad practice encompass many areas of the firm’s transactional work, ranging from ship finance, ship sale & purchase, construction and conversion contracts, to joint ventures and equity financings, investments, acquisitions and disposals, mergers and public takeovers and capital raisings, all areas in which he has acted for established businesses, start-ups and Banks His interests also lie in port development, where he has advised port authorities and operators regarding the development and restructuring of their operations.

A keen sailor himself, Alessandro regularly advises on yachts and superyachts finance, construction and disputes in which he acts for a number of the firm’s clients, ranging from very and ultra-high-net worth individuals, shipyards, and insurance companies. More recently he was involved in the dispute around the “Luna”, the second-largest expedition yacht in the world, and her arrest by the UAE courts.

Before joining Fichte & Co Alessandro practiced in Italy with a top-tier insurance law firm, during which time he also assisted the Chair of Maritime Law at the University of Bologna. He then moved to the UK to enhance his knowledge of Maritime Law, studying at the University of Southampton and gaining international work experience in London.

He is named as a recommended lawyer in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 EMEA with clients praising as “he knows shipping law inside out and is a delight to deal with” and “combines strong legal knowledge with practical approach”. He is further recommended as a global leader in Transport – Shipping by Who’s Who Legal.

Alessandro is amongst the Founding Members of the UAE Maritime Law Association, a first in its genre association of lawyers and other professional in the UAE of which he has been elected first and current Chairman and that he led into membership of the CMI.

Qualifications

• LL.D. , Univerisyt of Bologna, Italy
• LL.M., University of Southampton, UK
• GDL, The College of Law (now University of Law), Guildford, UK

Recent cases

• Representing an international trader in the wrongful termination by a UAE based trader of two supplies of oil and related partnership agreement. The claim involves representation in DIFC-LCIA arbitration proceedings and several related instances to the DIFC Courts acting as supervisory court
• Acting for a Middle East trader in the recovery of advances paid and damages for non-performance of two separate supplies of Soybean Oil and Soyabean Meal from Brazil. The claim involves two separate arbitration proceedings in London under GAFTA and FOSFA rules under the Brazilian seller and a UAE guarantor
• Representing a UAE conglomerate in arbitration proceedings in relation to a performance guarantee given under a charterparty to a Greek owner
• Acting for a UAE based quasi-governmental company in the arrest of six VLCCs as security for a charterparty dispute under arbitration in London

Publications

Enforcement of Judgements, Awards & Deeds In Commercial Matters – UAE Jurisdiction – 2013 – Thompson Reuters

Enforcement of Judgments and Arbitral Awards – UAE Jurisdiction – Thompson Reuters  -> Click Here

The International Comparative Legal Guide – Shipping Law 2021 – UAE Chapter -> Click Here

2021 Customs Q&A Guides collection – Lexis Nexis – UAE Chapter -> Click Here

Shipping in the United Arab Emirates – Lexology – A structured guide to shipping laws in the United Arab Emirates -> Click Here

Marine insurance and accidents in the United Arab Emirates – Lexology – A structured guide to marine insurance and accidents in the United Arab Emirates

Ship registration in the United Arab Emirates – Lexology – A structured guide to ship registration laws in the United Arab Emirates -> Click Here

Carriage of goods by sea in the United Arab Emirates – Lexology – A structured guide to laws covering the carriage of goods by sea in the United Arab Emirates -> Click Here

Time-bars, time limits and deadlines for legal cases under UAE law- Lexology – A time-bar (or a statute of limitations as known under common law jurisdictions) is a statutory time limit for the enforcement of a civil claim -> Click Here