Law Firm Highlights
Clifford Chance launched a joint Saudi and foreign owned law firm in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a team of 30 permanently based Saudi and foreign lawyers. It is the first international law firm to do so. Mohammed Al-Jadaan remains special adviser to Clifford Chance and Khalid Al-Abdulkareem and Abdulaziz Al-Abduljabbar join Clifford Chance as partners.
Morgan Lewis appointed private equity and investment funds lawyer, Tom Cartwright as a partner in the Business and Finance Practice, resident in London. Three renewable energy lawyers also joined the firm from Foley & Lardner LLP. Led by James T. Tynion III, the former co-chair of the Energy Industry team at Foley, who is now a partner in the New York office, the group also includes energy transactions partner, Elizabeth P. Hanigan in Chicago, and counsel Evelyn M. Kim in San Francisco.
Rouse Dubai moved to a new location in UAE after 15 years in the Twin Towers on Beniyas Road in Deira, Dubai. The office is on the 11th Floor of The Maze Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road.
DLA Piper’s Middle East restructuring practice was awarded the coveted 'Restructuring Deal of the Year 2013' by Islamic Finance News. The firm has been commended for its work advising on the complex USD1.3 billion restructuring of A'ayan Leasing and Investment Company, one of the highest profile restructurings in the Middle East in 2013.The team was led by Peter Somekh and James Iremonger, senior legal consultant, with support from Paul McViety, legal director and Debbie Barbour, partner. Also, DLA Piper's Africa Group has expanded in North, Southern and Eastern Africa with the addition of three new member firms. Algerian firm B L & Associés, Rubeya & Co Advocates of Burundi and Namibian firm Ellis Shilengudwa Inc have joined the firm's Africa Group as of 1 October 2013.
Bin Shabib & Associates was honoured ‘Top Supporting Consultant 2013’ at the JAFZA Associates Business Forum ceremony held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel JBR in Dubai in December. Bin Shabib was recognised and honoured for their quality of service and contribution to JAFZA following a successful year working together on many projects, including seminar programmes in Paris, France and Lausanne, Switzerland on ‘Doing Business in Dubai’. The award, presented by Salma Hareb, CEO and Ibrahim al Janahi, Deputy CEO at JAFZA, was received by Bin Shabib partners Michael Kortbawi and Rima Mrad.
King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin won ‘Best Onshore Law Firm of the Year – Client Services’ at the MENA Fund Manager Fund Services Awards 2014 last month. The awards recognise service providers who have shaped the MENA funds industry over the last year.
Norton Rose Fulbright has entered into an innovative corporate partnership with the McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team and has been appointed as the global legal advisor to the McLaren Group. As global legal advisor, Norton Rose Fulbright will work closely with McLaren Group’s in-house legal team, providing a range of services including corporate and M&A, contractual and intellectual property, real estate and employment law. The firm’s appointment as global legal advisor to McLaren Group covers McLaren Racing and McLaren Applied Technologies and excludes McLaren Automotive
