Allen & Overy (A&O), Clyde & Co and Hadef & Partners are among a raft of law firms up for accolades at Legal Week's annual Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards.

The awards, which will take place on 12 May at the Ritz-Carlton in Dubai, aim to recognise exceptional achievement by private practice and in-house lawyers working in local and international companies and law firms.

A&O and Clydes are among the nominees for International Law Firm of the Year, which for the first time was drawn up after canvassing the views of lawyers in the market. Other firms on this list include Baker & McKenzie, Clifford Chance (CC), Dentons, Herbert Smith Freehills, Eversheds, Hogan Lovells, Reed Smith and Stephenson Harwood.

Among the Middle East firms to be shortlisted for Firm of the Year – which has been divided into two categories based on size, and is also drawn from nominations – are Al Tamimi, Hadef and KBH Kaanuun.

In-house teams up for recognition include HSBC, Tyco and the Commercial Bank of Dubai, while general counsel and regional legal heads from PepsiCo, Airbus Defence and Space and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank are also nominated.

Key practice awards see firms including Ashurst, Norton Rose Fulbright and Eversheds up for the Banking Team of the Year, while those on the corporate shortlist include Al Tamimi, Galadari and Eversheds. Among those shortlisted for the Dispute Resolution Team of the Year are BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, Dentons and Pinsent Masons.

Last year's event, which was hosted by BBC World News journalist Yalda Hakim (pictured), saw Eversheds, CC and Shearman & Sterling pick up key awards.

This year, for the first time, Law.com and The American Lawyer will be supporting the awards as media sponsors, following ALM's acquisition of Legal Week earlier in the year.

For sponsorship enquires, contact Natalie Hill on [email protected] or +44(0) 207 316 9119. For table sales contact Peter Doolan on  [email protected] or +44(0) 207 316 9860. Click here for more information on the event.

The shortlist in full

General Counsel of the Year
Dr Raed Al-Saadouni, Airbus Defence and Space
Simon Copleston, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Ayman Hamdy, Emaar Properties
Nick Hornung, Dubai World
Lee McMahon, Ferrexpo Middle East
Allen Merhej, The First Investor
Nicholas Polley, SEDCO Holding
Dean Sheehan, PepsiCo
Brigitte Zammit, Emirates International Telecommunications

Legal Department of the Year (Large Team)
Commercial Bank of Dubai
Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing
Dubai Police – Legal Affairs Department
First Gulf Bank
HSBC
SEDCO Holding
Tyco

Legal Department of the Year (Small Team)
Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons
Aster DM Healthcare
China State Construction Engineering Corporation
Deutsche Bank
Mazrui International
The First Investor
Virgin Mobile

In-house Innovation Award
China State Construction Engineering Company
The Academy of Law
The DIFC Dispute Resolution Authority
The First Investor

Legal Counsel of the Year
David Johnson, First Gulf Bank
Leandri Lambert, Links Group
Dr. Zaid Mahayni, SEDCO Holding
Nicola Packer, Flash Entertainment
Anis Zerriny, Cerner Corporation

International Law Firm of the Year
Allen & Overy
Baker & McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Clyde & Co
Dentons
Eversheds
Herbert Smith Freehills
Hogan Lovells
Reed Smith
Stephenson Harwood

Middle East Law Firm of the Year – Large Team
Al Tamimi
BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem and Associates
Galadari
Hadef & Partners

Middle East Law Firm of the Year – Small Team
Al Jallaf Advocates & Legal Consultants
Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Global Advocacy and Legal Counsel
Hassan Al Khater Law Office
KBH Kaanuun
Khoshaim & Associates

Banking and Finance Team of the Year
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Clifford Chance
Eversheds
Hadef & Partners
Hogan Lovells
Norton Rose Fulbright
Pinsent Masons

Infrastructure and Energy Projects Team of the Year
Ashurst
Bracewell
Dechert
DLA Piper

King & Spalding
Shearman & Sterling

Construction Team of the Year
Allen & Overy
Clyde & Co
Dentons
Pinsent Masons
Stephenson Harwood

Real Estate Team of the Year
Al Tamimi
Allen & Overy
Charles Russell Speechlys
DLA Piper
King & Wood Mallesons
Pinsent Masons
Trowers & Hamlins

Corporate Team of the Year
Al Tamimi
Allen & Overy
Clifford Chance
Clyde & Co
Eversheds
Galadari
Morgan Lewis
Squire Patton Boggs

Dispute Resolution Team of the Year
Baker & McKenzie
BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates
Charles Russell Speechlys
Clyde & Co
Dentons
Hadef & Partners
Herbert Smith Freehills
Pinsent Masons

Regulatory and Investigations Team of the Year
Baker & McKenzie
BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates
Clyde & Co
Dentons
DLA Piper
KBH Kaanuun
Simmons & Simmons
Squire Patton Boggs

TMT Team of the Year
Baker & McKenzie
Dentons
DLA Piper
Pinsent Masons
Simmons & Simmons
STA

Employment Team of the Year
Al Tamimi
Clyde & Co
Eversheds
KBH Kaanuun
Pinsent Masons

CSR Team of the Year
Al Tamimi
Clyde & Co
Dentons
Eversheds
Reed Smith