Law firm highlights – December 2021

• PwC Legal in the Middle East signed a strategic alliance agreement with the Dr. Qaisar H Metawea Law Firm in Saudi Arabia as part of its regional expansion and integrated services offering. The alliance establishes a differentiated legal offering in the Kingdom and further cements the firm’s position as the one of the fastest growing legal practices in the region as part of the world’s largest legal network by geographic coverage. Darren Harris, PwC Legal Middle East’s leader noted, “Our alliance with Dr. Qaisar Metawea is a significant step that serves PwC Legal Middle East’s growth plans and allows us to work more closely with Dr Qaisar’s team of award-winning Saudi lawyers. He added, “We are proud to continue investing in the future and committed to delivering real impact for our clients in Saudi Arabia through these multi-disciplinary professional services offering. It all adds up to The New Equation, our global strategy.” Dr. Qaisar Metawea, Dr. Qaisar H Metawea Law Firm’s founder and managing partner said, “This alliance solidifies our ongoing valued relationship with PwC Legal Middle East’s team, enabling us to offer our clients a comprehensive legal experience across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This alliance will bring local, regional and international experience and knowledge on the ground in Saudi Arabia, with the ability to offer innovative solutions that meet the dynamic market needs.” PwC Middle East’s Saudi Arabia country leader Riyadh Al Najjar commented on the alliance,” With the Kingdom’s rapid transformation as part of Vision 2030, this alliance is a testament to our continued investment in the country as we find innovative ways to enhance our presence further across all lines of service including our legal practice.” Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Saudi Arabia Tax & Legal leader ended, “PwC Legal’s continued investment in the Saudi market, further demonstrates PwC’s commitment to support the Kingdom in its transformation as a long-standing partner. Amidst the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving business environment, at PwC, we recognise the complexity around the different local regulations and the interconnectivity between tax, legal and accounting.”

• DWF Group plc, together with the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia, has today announced its planned launch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the establishment of Riyadh as its regional headquarters for business services. The announcement was made at a signing ceremony during the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, which was attended by His Excellency Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Fahd Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Sir Nigel Knowles, CEO of DWF Group, and Mohab Khattab, who will become the CEO of DWF Arabia, a DWF Group entity. DWF has also established a new association with local law firm Al-Ohaly & Partners. Mohab Khattab is an experienced senior Saudi lawyer and executive with a substantial background in M&A and business development in the legal, energy, financial services, and TMT sectors. Prior to DWF, he was the General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of the Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company (Dussur). Al-Ohaly & Partners is a Legal Advisory firm, which will provide counsel on matters relating to dispute resolution, corporate and banking & finance. Abdulrahman Al-Ohaly is a licensed and qualified lawyer with significant experience representing clients in litigation, corporate transactions, M&A, and corporate restructuring within the Gulf region. Sir Nigel Knowles, Group CEO at DWF Group plc, said, “This is an important step forward for us in developing our ability to support our clients wherever they need us to be. Today, at the Future Investment Initiative, we have committed to develop our regional hub in the KSA where we can offer our differentiated business services to clients through Mindcrest and Connected Services. We will build our presence in KSA in the months and years ahead, to support both the Government of Saudi Arabia and the business community as a trusted advisor. The ambitions set out by Vision 2030, will transform both the Kingdom and the wider region and are consistent with our goal of creating job opportunities and contributing to the diversification of the Saudi Arabian economy. DWF Arabia and Al-Ohaly & Partners will work closely with our existing teams in Doha, Dubai and globally.”

• Trowers & Hamlins is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of its Dubai office. A fixture in Dubai since 1991, Trowers have been legal pioneers in the city and throughout the years the office has continued to build relationships, expertise and commercial connections across the UAE. Recently the Dubai office has worked with the Government of Dubai and the Electricity and Water Authority on the latest stage of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in what is a concerted push towards a more sustainable future and a project that reflects Trowers’ overall approach to the ESG agenda. The office celebrated the occasion by hosting a client reception at The Ritz-Carlton DIFC with numerous Trowers figures both past and present attending alongside clients and friends of the firm. Head of the Dubai office, Cheryl Cairns commented, “The Dubai office has grown exponentially over the last 30 years and it was wonderful to be able to celebrate all that has been achieved in that time. Dubai as a city has developed at a great pace and I am proud of the way in which we have grown our expertise and adapted to the many changes that have taken place. For such a transient city, most of our partners have been here in Dubai for over a decade which is a great credit to the culture we have here in the Dubai office. This gives them a fluency in what matters most to clients and a deep personal local knowledge.” Bill Jefferies, the head of Corporate in Dubai and the wider UAE, added, “The fact we are celebrating the 30-year anniversary of our Dubai office is testament to the firm’s ability to survive and thrive in a highly competitive market. Our Dubai presence has been a key pillar in our successful drive to distinguish ourselves as one of the leading law firms in the region. This success stems largely from the culture, ethos and client-first approach that has been at the heart of the Dubai office since it opened and that certainly remains to this day.”