She is highly regarded for her expertise in the construction, commercial and energy sectors and has worked at the Bar in the general Asia-Pacific region and London, as well as in Australia.

She is the former general counsel of Bovis Lend Lease and devised the undergraduate international commercial arbitration course at the University of Sydney’s Law School. She was also responsible for setting up an emergency childcare scheme at the NSW Bar Association.

Rana is also the founding member, director and current vice-chair of the Society of Construction Law Australia and an active member of a number of other significant industry associations.

She was also a finalist in the Legal Mentor category at last year’s Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards and a judge at this year’s Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards.

Commenting on her decision to join Thirty Nine Essex Street, Rana said: “I’m delighted to be joining forces with active chambers with a broad reach across the Asia-Pacific region. Thirty Nine Essex is able to provide highly-specialised advocacy and arbitration services over many jurisdictions in emerging and developed international arbitration jurisdictions. I am very excited about being a part of this continuing growth in Asia Pacific.”

Judge’s day

International arbitration expert John Judge has also joined Thirty Nine Essex Street alongside Rana.

Judge was a senior partner at Stikerman Elliot LLP for many years before he established an independent practice as a resident arbitrator at Arbitration Place in Toronto. 

Judge has an extensive international practice with particular emphasis on the commercial, financial services, construction and technology sectors. He has sat as an arbitrator and as chair on substantial international arbitrations through the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris, the London Court of International Arbitration and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (the international arm of the American Arbitration Association); he also sits on the SIAC international panel.

Thirty Nine Essex Street’s chambers are based in London, Manchester and Singapore.

Thirty Nine Essex Street’s chief executive and director of clerking David Barnes commented on the appointments: “We are thrilled to welcome John and Rashda to chambers. We have seen an increasing demand for our services in the Asia Pacific and we have taken significant steps to meet this demand including opening an office in Singapore at the start of 2013. The addition of John and Rashda, both renowned in international arbitration, will greatly enhance the strength of our offering in the region and elsewhere overseas.”