Tanzanian born Dr Rukia Baruti, is an experienced independent arbitrator and a qualified solicitor in England & Wales. She serves as a non-executive director on the Board of Burford Capital since August 2022, where she is also a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee.
Dr Baruti began working in commercial law firms in the City of London in 1997. In 2006 she joined the international arbitration group at SJ Berwin LLP (later merged with King & Wood Mallesons), where she practiced arbitration and litigation. Since joining SJ Berwin LLP, she has focused on international arbitration and international law. She has two decades of experience in international arbitration and international law, spanning both the practice and training of these fields.
Dr. Baruti’s career has included experience in the roles of Counsel, Arbitrator, Secretary to the Tribunal, and counsel in arbitral institutions. She has worked under all the principal international arbitration rules. She is frequently appointed by international arbitration institutions, including the ICC and the LCIA, as a sole arbitrator or panel member.
Dr. Baruti is a thought-leader for diversity in arbitration and a champion for African participation in international law and arbitration. In 2011, she founded the Africa International Legal Awareness (AILA), a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing African involvement in the international legal community, where she was a managing director until 2018. She also co-founded the African Arbitration Association, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promotion of African arbitration practitioners, where she served as Secretary General and as a director on its Board from June 2018 to October 2022.
Dr. Baruti holds a bachelor’s degree in law (first class) from Birkbeck College, University of London, a Master’s degree from the University of Westminster, and a doctorate (cum laude) from the University of Geneva.
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