Finalists: DLA Piper • Eversheds • Hogan Lovells • Simmons & Simmons • White & Case

"Clifford Chance has been established in the Middle East for more than 40 years and this longevity is testament to its ability to be innovative in its approach to delivering legal services," said the judges.

"With an impressive array of landmark deals across the Middle East, it has focused on building and strengthening relationships with its clients in the region. Its strategic vision is underpinned by clear principles, which have yielded it sustainable growth."

Highlight deals undertaken by the firm's 130-strong Middle East legal team include work on two of the largest M&A transactions in the region: advising Sorouh Real Estate on its merger with Aldar Properties in Abu Dhabi (see Corporate Team of the Year), and Qatar National Bank on its £1.2bn purchase of a majority stake in Societe Generale's Egyptian arm.

It also had a major hand in the first project to be implemented under Kuwait's new Public Private Partnership Laws 2013 – advising Japan Bank for International Cooperation as the largest provider of single project finance debt for the Az-Zour North 1 power and water project. In January it opened Saudi Arabia's first joint Saudi and foreign-owned law partnership when it teamed up with local outfit Al-Jadaan & Partners Law Firm.

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