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International Edition

In-housers to bridge Middle East culture clash

In-house lawyers are set to play a crucial role mediating between the contrasting business cultures at the heart of the explosion of international investment activity in the Middle East, according to one of the region's most senior lawyers. Speaking at the inaugural Legal Week Corporate Counsel Forum Middle East, David Brimacombe, Standard Chartered Bank's regional head of legal, said a dramatic increase in cross-border activity had fuelled demand for in-house lawyers across the region.
2 minute read

International Edition

DLA Piper cuts ties with Saudi ally

DLA Piper has shaken up its Middle East offering after ending its relationship with Saudi Arabian firm Abdulaziz Al-Fahad. The alliance formally ended today (30 June) bringing an end to the two-and-a-half-year tie up, which was understood to have come to an end after differences between the two firms.
2 minute read

International Edition

City trio land roles as £200m Bahraini Freightliner deal braves tough market

Addleshaw Goddard, CMS Cameron McKenna and Macfarlanes have won roles on Bahrain investment bank Arcapita's acquisition of UK freight transfer company Freightliner Group. The deal, which signed earlier this month (13 June), saw Freightliner's owners - 3i, Electra Private Equity and Freightliner management - sell the company to Arcapita for around £200m.
2 minute read

International Edition

Eversheds to cut costs with SA outsourcing

Eversheds is set to outsource legal work to its new South African ally Routledge Modise, with the firm moving to cut costs for clients by upping the amount of work it sends to alliance firms. Eversheds has pinpointed its South African ally as an especially lucrative partner because, in addition to the low cost-base, the country has a similar legal system and native English-speaking lawyers.
2 minute read

International Edition

Cliffe Dekker ties up flagship merger in latest African union

DLA Piper's South African ally, Cliffe Dekker, is planning to merge with local rival Hofmeyr Herbstein & Gihwala, creating one of the largest law firms in South Africa. The firms, which will merge subject to regulatory approval, will operate as Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr from September this year and will have 127 partners split between Johannesburg and Cape Town. The two firms are roughly the same size by partner numbers with Cliffe Dekker contributing 65 partners and 62 hailing from Hofmeyr.
2 minute read

International Edition

Dentons promotes new Middle East partner

Denton Wilde Sapte has bolstered its Middle East practice with the promotion of Safwan Moubaydeen to the partnership. Moubaydeen, who has acted as counsel to the firm's Qatari arm since 2007, will split his corporate practice between the Doha office and his private practice in Jordan, working with clients such as Al Jazeera and National Electric Power Company.
1 minute read

International Edition

Milbank, Sullivan line up on $2.8bn project financing deal for Yemen LNG plant first

Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy and Sullivan & Cromwell have taken the lead on a $2.8bn (£1.4bn) project financing deal in the Gulf. Milbank advised a consortium of lenders including BNP Paribas, Citi, ING, Royal Bank of Scotland and Societe Generale, while Sullivan acted for the project's sponsors.
2 minute read

International Edition

DLA ally Cliffe Dekker seals tie-up with SA rival

Cliffe Dekker, the South African ally of DLA Piper, is to merge with local rival Hofmeyr Herbstein & Gihwala, in a deal that is set to create the country's largest law firm. The combined firm will operate as Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr from September, boasting 127 partners in Johannesburg and Capetown. It is thought the combined practice will be the largest law firm in South Africa, with Cliffe Dekker contributing 65 and 62 hailing from Hofmeyr.
2 minute read

International Edition

Ashurst secures senior CC telecoms hire

Ashurst has expanded its communications practice in the City with a senior hire from Clifford Chance (CC). Dhana Doobay is set to leave CC - where she was director of the international telecommunications projects - and join Ashurst as a partner by mid-August.
2 minute read

International Edition

Norton Rose continues Dubai drive with new finance partner

Norton Rose has bolstered its Middle East practice with the hire of corporate partner Andrew Abernethy for its Dubai office. Abernethy joined the firm on 2 June from the Wellington office of New Zealand firm Bell Gully, where he was a partner in the corporate finance practice for five years. Before joining Bell Gully, Abernethy spent six years with Shearman & Sterling in New York and is admitted to practise both US and New Zealand law.
2 minute read

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