Saudi Arabian firm Abdulaziz H. Al Fahad & Partners Lawyers joins King & Spalding in Riyadh

King & Spalding announced today that Saudi Arabian firm Abdulaziz H. Al Fahad & Partners Lawyers (Al Fahad & Partners) has joined the firm in Riyadh. The combination creates a 26-fee-earner office and represents a major strategic expansion for King & Spalding in the Kingdom.

The combined firm will operate under the name King & Spalding Al Fahad and will have an office at its current location in Prestige Center Building No. 4 Takhasusi Street until a combined space is identified.

“Our Middle East practice has a rich history in the region, and Al Fahad & Partners is one of Saudi Arabia’s most respected firms – and one we’ve worked alongside on many matters over the years. Our clients have told us that the combination of King & Spalding’s international experience and global footprint and Al Fahad & Partners’ deep Saudi experience creates a differentiated offering for them in the Kingdom,” said Robert Hays, chairman of King & Spalding.

Al Fahad & Partners is a 17-fee-earner practice founded in 1985 by Abdulaziz H. Al Fahad, which covers energy, capital markets, corporate and commercial, regulatory, real estate, as well as litigation and dispute resolution. The other partners joining King & Spalding from Al Fahad & Partners are Fahad N. Alarfaj, Ibrahim Alkhudair and English-qualified lawyer Phil Loynes.

“As Saudi Arabia looks increasingly towards international investments, the requirement for integrated local and international legal skills is a must for any law firm wanting to succeed in the region,” said Abdulaziz H. Al Fahad, founder of Al Fahad & Partners. “Joining forces with King & Spalding is a perfect fit for us and our clients as we look ahead to a new era for Saudi Arabia.”

King & Spalding has been involved in many pathfinder matters in Saudi Arabia since first forming an affiliation there in 2007, including on multiple projects in support of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan designed to diversify the country’s economy, modernize key industries and encourage international investment. These have included advising NEOM on a USD8.4bn world-first green hydrogen and green ammonia megaproject and Azmeel Contracting on its landmark USD2bn Saudi restructuring.

The combined office will have 26 fee-earners, the vast majority of whom are Saudi Arabian nationals. The office will focus on core strengths of both historical firms covering key practices such as corporate, finance, energy and real estate in addition to Islamic finance, funds, construction, projects, M&A and dispute resolution. In 2023, King & Spalding became one of the first international law firms to be granted a foreign law license by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Justice following local reforms.