Richard Clarke is an English barrister who represents institutional investors, corporations and individuals in high-stakes international disputes. He advises on the monetisation of defaulted loans, bonds, guarantees, judgments and arbitral awards, often where debtor assets are held through complex offshore structures, trusts, and foundations. He also specialises in disputes involving sovereign states and state owned enterprises.

Richard advises general counsel and board members navigating critical situations including joint venture, M&A, and shareholder disputes, as well as matters involving allegations of fraud and misconduct.

He has appeared as counsel in the High Court and Court of Appeal in London, and in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Courts of the UAE. He has also litigated cases in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and acted in arbitrations and enforced resulting awards seated globally, including ICC, LCIA, DIAC, UNCITRAL, LMAA, and ICSID.

He has been based in the UAE for over a decade and has been recognized by Chambers & Partners as "one of the best younger lawyers in the DIFC” and by Legal 500 for his “good legal judgment” and having “made a major impact in the region”.

• Chambers Global 2025 Recognizes Kobre & Kim and Several Global Lawyers
• Richard Clarke to Speak at the COMBAR 3rd Gulf Round Table 2025
• Kobre & Kim at Dubai Arbitration Week
• Richard Clarke to Chair Panel at Asset Recovery Middle East: Fraud Litigation, Enforcement & Contentious Insolvency
• Jef Klazen, Richard Clarke, and Jason Kang join International Enforcement of Judgements and Awards Forum
• Chambers Global 2024 Recognizes Kobre & Kim and Multiple Global Lawyers
• Kobre & Kim Case Concerning Spain’s Sovereign Immunity and Investment Treaty Arbitration Featured by The Lawyer Among Top 2024 Appeals
• Richard Clarke and Nada Oteifi on Unlocking Value in Claims, Judgments and Awards at Dubai Arbitration Week
• Kobre & Kim Successfully Defeats Spain’s Sovereign Immunity Challenge in UK High Court in Landmark International Enforcement Case
• Richard Clarke Recognized as “Rising Star” in The Legal 500’s United Arab Emirates Rankings
• Kobre & Kim Enhances Capabilities in Dubai and the Middle East
• Enforcement in Dubai Just Got Easier
• Kobre & Kim Enforces Over US $2 Billion in Distressed Bonds
• Non-U.S. Creditors Can Crack Delaware’s Domestic Asset Protection Trusts
• Non-U.S. Creditors Can Crack Delaware’s Notoriously Tough Trusts
• Precedent-Setting Win in Dubai Opens Doors for Global Creditors to Fight Fraudulent Conveyance in the Middle East
• Dubai and Abu Dhabi Courts Widen Door for Creditors in the UAE
• Kobre & Kim Represents Debtors in Defending Against the Enforcement of More Than US $10 Billion in Claims
• Chinese Infrastructure Investors Can Effectively Challenge Sovereign Debtors
• Kobre & Kim Client Receives Favorable Ruling in Enforcement of Award Against Sovereign State
• Enforcing Claims Against Sovereign Debtors in the Middle East
• New York Court Opens Path for Global Bondholders to Bring Unilateral Claims Against Recalcitrant Bond Issuers
• Political Strategies in Monetizing Sovereign Arbitration Awards
• Considerations for Navigating Asset Protection and Wealth Structures in Cyprus
• New Pathways for International Creditors to Fight Fraudulent Conveyance in Dubai
• Middle Eastern Investors Have Options to Protect Their Investments in China
• Powerful Option for Creditors Enforcing Judgments from Common Law Courts in the United Arab Emirates
• What a Landmark Ruling Against Spain Means for Investors in Disputes with Sovereigns
• PRC-Based Investors Can Now Enforce Claims in the Middle East
• UAE Foundation Structures Help Protect Intergenerational Wealth
• U.S. Court Expands How Creditors May Enforce Judgments Against Sovereigns
• Russian Entities Seek Arbitration in Hong Kong’s Neutral Forum
• Preparing for Enforcement at Least Six Months Before an Award or Judgment
• Navigating Enforcement and Recovery Risks in Sukuk Islamic Bonds
• Enhancing the Returns in Sovereign Debt Enforcement
• Global Creditors Can Fight Fraudulent Conveyance in Dubai
• Non-Traditional Sovereign Debt Defaults Recovery Strategies for International Bondholders
• Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals Can Mitigate Two Hazards Lurking at Free Ports
• More Routes to Recovery for Global Creditors in the Middle East
• Global Creditors Can Successfully Fight Fraudulent Conveyance in Dubai
• Kobre & Kim Successfully Enforces Hundreds of Millions of US Dollars of Cross-Border Judgments and Awards
• How to Avoid a Hollow Win: Enforcing Civil Law Judgments in Common Law Courts
• Kobre & Kim Strengthens its Commitment in Greater China