Charles Russell Speechlys hires two partners in the Middle East

Thanos Karvelis and Mark Hill

The firm’s Dubai office has expanded with the addition of Thanos Karvelis and a new full-service TMT team led by Mark Hill.

Charles Russell Speechlys’ Middle East offices continue to grow, with the addition of Thanos Karvelis as a partner and a new full-service technology, media and telecommunications team led by new partner Mark Hill. Both Karvelis and Hill will be based in the firm’s Dubai office.

Karvelis, who joined the firm on March 3, 2019, is an arbitration and litigation practitioner, with extensive experience in mega construction and infrastructure projects and disputes across the Middle East, Europe and Africa. As a civil law practitioner, he also has significant experience in other fields of law including corporate/commercial.

His experience acting as lead counsel in international arbitrations under various institutional rules will strengthen Charles Russell Speechlys existing award-winning disputes team based in Dubai and Bahrain. Karvelis joins the firm from Dubai-based firm Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants.

Hill, who also joined the firm on March 3, 2019, is a media and entertainment, intellectual property and technology lawyer, who specialises in handling contentious and non-contentious work in the creative and technology sectors and related industries.

His twenty years’ experience in the Middle East market will complement the Charles Russell Speechlys teams currently working in Dubai and the wider Gulf region.

Hill joins the firm with a senior associate, Lara Haidar, both arriving from boutique firm The Rights Lawyers, founded by Hill in Dubai in 2003.

Patrick Gearon, Head of Charles Russell Speechlys’ Middle East offices, said, “Thanos’ extensive experience will strengthen our arm in international construction and commercial disputes and bolster our growing international arbitration offering.

“Mark’s broad expertise and reputation in the region for both intellectual property, media, technology and commercial work will be an invaluable addition to our team and will strengthen our offering to our technology, media and telecommunications clients in the Middle East and further afield.

“We are delighted to be able to welcome Thanos and Mark to the firm at this exciting time of growth for our offices in the Middle East.”

Thanos Karvelis said, “Charles Russell Speechlys is a firm with a strong global reputation and is growing rapidly in the Middle East. I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring my own practice to the firm at this particularly exciting time of growth.”

Mark Hill said, “The opportunity to join Charles Russell Speechlys and integrate into a full service law firm with a truly international reach is a perfect fit for my profile and I’m delighted to be joining the growing Middle East team at this exciting time.”