CRCICA Mourns the loss of Mohamed Madkour

CRCICA sadly mourns the loss of Mohamed Madkour, Partner and Head of Arbitration at Ibrachy and Partners (“I&P”) who passed away on Saturday, 19 May 2018 following his hospitalization in Paris. Prior to joining I&P he practiced law at Crowell & Moring LLP, Cairo office, Al-Kamel Law Office, and a number of leading international law firms in Paris.

“Mohamed Madkour was undeniably one of the rising stars of the Egyptian Arbitration Community. Above all, he was known of being an ethical person who respects everyone and was appreciated by all the community in Egypt and abroad on the human level” Dr. Ismail Selim, CRCICA Director.

The sad news stunned the whole legal community in Egypt; “Words can never compensate for a lost soul, let alone that of Mohamed Madkour, who was pleasant, noble and kind, a true gentleman”, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Salah Abdel Wahab, Founding Partner & Head of the International Arbitration, Construction, Oil & Gas and Project Finance Groups, Zulficar & Partners Law Firm.

Those who worked with Mohamed Madkour will always cherish their shared memories: “We spent countless days and nights working together and experiencing the ups and downs of our profession. Through all of that, we bonded over our shared heritage. He was always a delightful person, and a dynamic and dedicated colleague”, Ms. Samaa Haridi, Partner, Hogan Lovells (USA) who worked with Mohamed at the same law firm.

Madkour was a blessed amalgam of personal nobility and professional distinction. Dr. Karim Hafez, Principal, Hafez, well speaks it out:

“Mohamed Madkour was a truly nice man. The adjective is overused but undervalued. He had that quality of pleasantness and of agreeableness that made him just plain likeable. Even a chance encounter with him left you feeling a little better about yourself. That is a rare quality. It was not necessarily what he said or how he said it: somehow he inspired you into being a happier version of yourself.

He belonged to a generation of young, ambitious and enterprising lawyers who sought personal fulfilment through professional accomplishment. He did much to lay the foundations of a successful career and was well on his way to significant achievements. But he was more than a promising lawyer: he was a kind soul. Those who loved him will cherish that memory for as long as they are around.”

The same personal and professional values were well echoed in the words of Dr. Khaled Hamdy Attia, Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution, Al-Tamimi & Co. – Egypt:

“It is with deep sorrow that we have lost one of the most ethical and noble lawyers, my esteemed colleague, brother and friend Mohamed Madkour. Mohamed has enriched the legal field with his excellent work and extensive knowledge. He has always been a role model to his peers in the arbitration community. May his soul rest in peace.”

Craig Tevendale, Head of International Arbitration in the London office of Herbert Smith Freehills and a member of the advisory committee of CRCICA, commented that:

“Mohamed Madkour is a very sad loss to the global international arbitration community. He was a wonderfully gifted lawyer and a great friend to work with on the arbitration cases on which we were co-counsel. It was not only his deep knowledge of our field and his first class intellectual ability which marked him out, however. Mohamed was a sincere, loyal and very insightful friend with a great interest in the success and happiness of others. His very untimely loss is a shocking event. I shall miss Mohamed very much, as will his other friends in the London, New York and Paris offices of Herbert Smith Freehills.”

Through his short career, Mohamed Madkour received remarkable professional recognitions:

“(Mohamed Madkour is) very strong in arbitration, excels in finance and investment disputes for multinational and large domestic clients” Legal 500

“Mohamed Madkour of Ibrachy & Partners is a highly respected practitioner who is especially recognized for his work in domestic arbitration cases. He is often sought out for his specialist expertise in Islamic finance disputes.” Chambers and Partners

Few are those who can leave such a profound impact after a short yet honorable life. Words cannot express our grieve for the loss of such a distinguished gentleman who “was more than a promising lawyer: he was a kind soul”. During this difficult time, CRCICA expresses sincere condolences and share our thoughts and prayers with his family, friends, and colleagues.

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