Middle East desk

The physical and financial infrastructures of the the Middle East are fast changing and becoming ever more sophisticated. Businesses operating in the region require lawyers who are innovative and dynamic in order to maintain their competitive edge.

We have extensive experience of acting for Middle Eastern clients in both contentious matters as well as transactional work. Our clients include private and public organisations from a range of sectors, but in particular from technology and telecoms, media, property and aviation and Central Government. We have specific expertise in these sectors in intellectual property, public & regulatory and corporate finance. We are continuously involved in significant litigation and arbitration as well as complex transactions, often set in a multi-jurisdictional context. We have acted for:

• the largest bank in the Middle East on customer account issues
• claimants in ICC arbitration proceedings focusing on Middle East shareholder disputes relating to the telecoms industry and transaction worth in excess of $4.5 billion, successfully settled for a considerable sum
• an oil and gas company and its high profile Middle Eastern shareholders in defending various claims (in England, Mauritius and South Africa) arising out of rights issues
• a Middle Eastern petroleum company in a claim against a former employee and sham company for misappropriation of several millions of pounds
• a leading Middle Eastern national airline
• listed receivables financing business on insolvency issues arising from the misapplication of funds which included advice on Sharia compliant financing structures
• a large US bank in a number of Middle Eastern corporate jet financing
• a banking client on a US$100 million bilateral term loan, working capital, letter of credit and guarantee issuance facility to a group of agribusinesses based in Egypt and Saudi Arabia

We have both the knowledge and resources to provide rapid, tailored commercial advice to companies and private clients who conduct business within the Middle East and wider afield. We have worked with some of the leading law firms across the various jurisdictions and our lawyers include individuals who have worked in the region and are qualified to practice in the Dubai International Financial Court. As such, our cross-sector team recognises the unique features of conducting business in the Middle East and understands first-hand the expectations of clients working in the region.

For further information, please contact Tony Lewis. For a full contact list, please click here.