Middle East & North Africa (MENA)

Our approach is not based on multiple offices but is based on frequent visits to our clients and the locations where they do business.

Our principal clients are located in the GCC, the KSA, the Levant region and Egypt, and these clients have been loyal to our leading practitioners in the region for a considerable time. We also have recently established a team focussing on Israel.

Typically, our clients’ requirements can be categorised as follows:

• Corporate finance: our practitioners have both US and English firm backgrounds and have been acting for investors (VC’s, private wealth and banks) and growth companies throughout their careers. Much of this work is technology-focussed and stretches from the first external round through to IPO. We are often against the leading corporate finance law firms in the region.

• Corporate: we provide general corporate M&A, counselling and restructuring work in the region. This work is largely asectoral, though our latest transactions have focussed on hotel and leisure. Our representations are mostly GCC-based (KSA and the Emirates).

• Dispute resolution: as with many other leading UK and US firms, arbitration and dispute resolution is a key offering in the region, whether it be related to the most basic disputes or complex arbitration on large infrastructure matters.

Substantially all our work is based upon a requirement for skilled practitioners in the Region, rather than in respect of clients operating in the UK for the first time. A list of representative transactions is available on request.

We have a network of contacts across the region, both through our strategic alliances and the fact that we have longstanding connections locally.

For further information please contact Timothy Leeson.