Pérez‑Llorca launches Abu Dhabi office to strengthen Middle East presence
Pérez-Llorca announced on June 24th that it has launched operations in Abu Dhabi, marking a key milestone in its international growth strategy for 2026. This opening strengthens the firm’s commitment to the Middle East, a key region for global investment, and forms part of an international roadmap that this year also includes the launch of operations in Peru.
Located in ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, the new office will enable Pérez-Llorca to strengthen its relationship with key financial players in the Middle East and support their investments in the markets where the firm operates, working in collaboration with Pérez-Llorca’s teams in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, as well as with the Portuguese-speaking Africa practice coordinated from Lisbon and professionals in London, New York, Brussels and Singapore.
The office is led by Gonçalo Capela Godinho (in photograph), a partner with a career spanning nearly 25 years, including several years spent in Latin America and New York, who has extensive experience in complex and cross-border transactions and has played a key role in the establishment and rapid consolidation of Pérez-Llorca’s Lisbon office. Commenting on the launch, Capela Godinho said, “Abu Dhabi has established itself as one of the leading international financial hubs and an increasingly important nexus for institutional capital. Our presence in the Middle East will enable us to strengthen our relationships with our existing clients and work more closely with the investors who are driving some of the most significant transactions and capital allocation decisions globally.”
Arvind Ramamurthy, chief market development Officer at ADGM, said, “Pérez-Llorca’s decision to establish a presence in Abu Dhabi reflects the growing importance of the Gulf in international investment and commercial activity. As capital becomes increasingly global in scope, demand for sophisticated legal and advisory expertise continues to grow alongside it. The firm’s presence further strengthens the depth of professional services available within ADGM and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s role in facilitating international investment and commercial activity.”
The decision to launch a regional office reflects Pérez-Llorca’s long-term conviction in the region and confidence in the economic fundamentals that have driven growth and attracted international investment in the Gulf.
The Abu Dhabi office will become an integral part of Perez-Llorca’s global network and reflects a long-term structural strategy rather than a standalone expansion. The move is underpinned by the UAE’s proximity to the main centers of international investment and Perez-Llorca’s capacity to support its clients wherever new business opportunities emerge.
Over the past few decades, sovereign wealth funds and major institutional investors from the Gulf have become increasingly influential participants in international transactions, becoming key players in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, technology, healthcare, property and the energy transition.
At the same time, commercial and strategic ties between Gulf states and Perez-Llorca’s core markets, including Latin America, have deepened considerably. A regional presence will enable the firm to better serve investors and businesses operating across these corridors, while reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s growing role for international legal and financial activity.
“Geopolitical cycles are a fact of life in any international market. Our decision to establish a presence in Abu Dhabi is based on a long-term vision and the conviction that the region will continue to play an increasingly significant role in global investment flows. We remain fully committed to the region and to supporting our clients from an international platform,” said Pedro Pérez-Llorca, senior partner of the firm.
With the launch of Pérez-Llorca’s operations in ADGM, the firm takes another step forward in consolidating its international presence.
This office is in addition to the merger agreement between Pérez-Llorca and Miranda & Amado, a leading Peruvian law firm; the deal was announced in May and is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks once it has been approved by the governing bodies of both firms.
Iván Delgado, international executive partner at Pérez-Llorca, stated, “The launch of our office in ADGM and the forthcoming merger with Miranda & Amado in Peru are complementary milestones within the same international project. We want to have a presence both in markets that generate capital and in those that offer investment and growth opportunities. Abu Dhabi and Lima strengthen our ability to connect international investors with strategic projects in Europe and Latin America, solidifying a unique platform within the Ibero-American region.”
With Abu Dhabi and Lima as new growth hubs, Pérez-Llorca is making progress in building an Ibero-American platform capable of connecting capital, legal talent and investment opportunities in strategic markets, thereby strengthening its ability to support clients and investors in highly complex cross-border transactions.
