Stephenson Harwood partner Kamal Shah has been named joint winner of the 'Mentor of the Year' award at the African Arbitration Association Awards 2020.

Shah won the award in recognition of his work spearheading a number of initiatives within Stephenson Harwood’s Africa group, including his involvement with the firm’s Africa secondment programme. The secondments offer lawyers from Africa the opportunity to spend time with the firm in London. Since its launch in 2007, more than 60 lawyers from firms in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda have spent time at the firm. In addition, Shah was commended for his work initiating both the Stephenson Harwood mentorship programme for the winner of the Young African Arbitrator of the Year Award 2020, and the Nigeria Law School Prize, which is awarded to the top performing student at the Law School annually. He was also recognised for his involvement with the Association of Young Arbitrators, an organisation which provides a platform for young practitioners.

Shah, head of Stephenson Harwood's Africa practice, specialises in complex, cross-border international arbitration, litigation, and fraud and asset tracing in Africa and India. He acts for governments, government entities, banks, private corporations and high net worth individuals in a range of matters.

Shah shares the award with Dr. Prof. Emilia Onyema of SOAS University of London, who was also awarded the prize in recognition of her contributions to supporting young African practitioners in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.