Law firm highlights
ABDUL AZIZ AL-YAQOUT, Middle East’s Regional Managing Partner at DLA Piper, the global law firm, has scooped this year’s coveted CEO Middle East Award for ‘CEO of the Year in Law,’ in recognition of the work he, and the firm, conducted over the last year. The award recognises the commitment Abdul Aziz Al-Yaqout has personally made during his tenure, leading DLA Piper in the region, the firm’s success at supporting and growing local, regional and international businesses, as well as the firm’s unprecedented corporate responsibility programme. The event was held held at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel in Dubai. The awards focuses on leaders who have made exceptional strides forward in their chosen fields. On receiving this distinguishing title, Abdul Aziz Al-Yaqout commented, “It’s an honour to receive the award for CEO of the Year within the legal field, an accolade that reflects the strength and commitment of our entire team. Our strategy focuses on quality, collaboration and integration, with our clients, our employees, and the communities we operate within. By maintaining a focus on both supporting the evolution of legal frameworks to harness growth and supporting our staff to strive to be the best, we’ve created a leading firm that is ready to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”
CLYDE & CO has been awarded 18 ‘Law Firm of the Year’ category wins and 16 Honourable Mentions in an annual survey of over 21,000 in-house counsel and senior company directors across the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions, including being named ‘Most Responsive International Firm’, in the UAE for the fifth year running. The survey also named the firm as Most Responsive International Firm for Indonesia, while Clasis Law, Clyde & Co’s associated firm in India, was awarded ‘Most Responsive Domestic Firm’ in India. The annual survey, which is now in its eighth year, is said to be the largest such survey of in-house counsel in Asia and the Middle East. The survey is conducted by Pacific Business Press, hosts of www.inhousecommunity.com and publishers of Asian-MENA Counsel magazine. Survey participants are asked which firms they ‘prefer to use’ for various expertise areas and provide feedback on the quality and value of service received from external counsel in their jurisdiction.
CLIFFORD CHANCE hosts UK Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (SoSJ), the Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP, at a meeting of British law firms operating in Riyadh. Riyadh Office Managing Partner Tim Plews and Riyadh-based partner Paul Latto, hosted the event at Clifford Chance’s Business Gate office which saw seven other UK law firms attend. Discussions focused on the legal services industry’s contribution to economic growth and stability, and support of trade and investment in other sectors. There are already many positive and productive links between Saudi Arabia and the UK in the legal sector, with a number of UK law firms – including Clifford Chance – operating offices in Riyadh. The firm recently launched the Saudi Arabian Graduate Scheme, which offers Saudi nationals the opportunity to train with, and pursue a career at Clifford Chance Law Firm.
ALLEN & OVERY is all set to launch operations in South Africa. It appears, that the destination is the next hotspot for potential openings. First, Simmons & Simmons entered with a new alliance at the beginning of the month, now Allen & Overy looks set to launch in the country. The firm is understood to be preparing for a South Africa office with the hire of a team from local firm Bowman Gilfillan, led by banking head Lionel Shawe. Simmons and A&O are following a major legal fashion. Ever since legacy, Norton Rose merged with Deneys Reitz in 2010, the South African market has been a real deal to tap into. White & Case was the first international firm when it opened in Johannesburg almost 20 years ago. But Baker & McKenzie, Dentons and Hogan Lovells among others have all stepped in more recently. Clyde & Co was the most recent before Simmons, landing in Johannesburg with a five-lawyer raid on Linklaters’ ally Webber Wentzel’s insurance and legal liability group. The country is by far the most developed legal market in sub-Saharan Africa. But with most of the favoured merger partners gone, a greenfield launch through a heavyweight partner hire is the best way in.
