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International Edition

Middle East three-year M&A overview

A comprehensive look at the top M&A deals in the Middle East from the past three years, featuring mandates for Reed Smith, Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance.
1 minute read

International Edition

Cleared for take-off – the new shape of the Middle East legal market

Dubai's detractors have had a field day in recent years. The wise man, they pointed out, did not build his house upon the sand. From its heyday in the 2000s, doomsayers forecast the city would collapse and be swallowed up by the desert. That has not happened and, after a painful retrenchment, the Middle East's leading hub is back on the path to growth. With the opening of Terminal 3, Dubai's airport expects 75 million international passengers in 2013, rising to 90 million in 2015. This would catapult it into the lead as the world's busiest airport, dwarfing its closest rivals London Heathrow (65 million), Paris Charles De Gaulle (56 million) and Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok (53 million).
9 minute read

International Edition

Links and Webber Wentzel set out team to oversee South Africa alliance

Linklaters and South Africa's Webber Wentzel have put together a cross-firm committee of partner representatives to oversee their alliance. The magic circle firm, whose exclusive tie-up in South Africa went live on 1 February, is represented by emerging Europe, Middle East and Africa chief Sandeep Katwala, Africa co-head Andrew Jones and capital markets partner Patrick Sheil, all of whom were involved in negotiating the alliance. The trio will sit on the committee alongside three representatives from Webber Wentzel: senior partner David Lancaster (who spearheaded discussions over the alliance opposite Linklaters), M&A co-head Christo Els and head of energy and mining projects Peter Leon.
2 minute read

International Edition

Law firms must have a clear strategy to survive unparalleled change in the market

While the legal profession has seen a slight recovery from the dark days of 2008, the sector is still facing challenging times. This recession is unlike any other. The market is going through unparalleled change, is increasingly oversupplied and is facing mounting regulatory pressures. So what can law firms do to survive and prosper amid the turbulent headwinds? In my role, I deal with a diverse range of legal businesses, from magic circle to high street firms.
5 minute read

International Edition

And now for the hard part – after five mergers, can Norton Rose's CEO tackle his biggest challenge yet?

When Norton Rose's merger with US firm Fulbright & Jaworski goes live on 1 June, it will have completed its fifth tie-up in just three-and-a-half years. Given that even one merger is beyond the ability of many of the UK's leading players, the achievement cannot be underestimated. The unions mean that in just 42 months, Norton Rose will have transformed itself from an also-ran UK law firm with a smattering of international offices and turnover of £314m into a global giant operating in 55 locations around the world with revenues approaching £1.3bn.
28 minute read

International Edition

CC relocates partners to Hong Kong and Qatar

Clifford Chance (CC) is relocating two partners to Asia in a bid to strengthen its practices in Hong Kong and Qatar. The magic circle firm is boosting its Doha office with the addition of corporate partner Jason Mendens from Sydney, who will be the firm's first corporate partner on the ground in the resource-rich Gulf country.
2 minute read

International Edition

UK and Dubai courts draw up new guidelines to boost trade ties

The Commercial Court of England and Wales has signed a protocol with the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts in a bid to strengthen legal and trade ties between Dubai and the UK. The memorandum, designed to help lawyers, investors and businesspeople who want to develop closer trade and investment links between the UK and UAE, has been drawn up in an effort to increase business confidence on both sides.
2 minute read

International Edition

SNR Denton secures new Kuwait association

SNR Denton has secured a new association in Kuwait via an agreement with local lawyer Jamal Ahmed Al-Shehab, who is returning to private practice after his recent retirement as minister of justice for the Kuwaiti Government. The association, which ends SNR Denton's existing tie-up with local firm International Legal Group (ILG), will be known as The Law Office of Al-Shehab & partners in association with SNR Denton.
2 minute read

International Edition

ENS continues Africa expansion into Uganda

Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs has launched in Uganda as the firm continues its recent expansion across Africa. The firm has secured the launch via a takeover of local outfit Synergy Solicitors and Advocates. The office will be managed by Synergy corporate consultant Donald Nyakairu and will focus on energy, finance, telecoms, refining and infrastructure work.
2 minute read

International Edition

DLA Piper tunes in for role on Al Jazeera takeover of US TV network

DLA Piper has taken the lead role for Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera on its acquisition of former US vice president Al Gore's cable television channel Current TV. The US-based news channel was co-founded by Gore and and former Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison lawyer Joel Hyatt. The value of the deal was undisclosed but is widely estimated to be worth around $500m (£309m).
2 minute read

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