Our lawyers have long represented Middle East-based clients on projects in and involving the Middle East. To support its many clients who have businesses, investments, construction and development projects, offices and other interests throughout the Middle East, we maintain locations in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. These activities of the firm's clients are supported by our domestic United States, as well as our London, Beijing and Hong Kong locations.

The deep and longstanding diplomatic, commercial and personal ties between nations, companies and individuals from the Middle East and Houston (where we were founded in 1919), Washington, D.C. (where the firm has had an location since 1927), London (where the firm has had an location since 1973) and New York (where the firm has had an location since 1989) are well known. As international commerce has grown, many close lawyer-client relationships have evolved naturally in parallel, providing a solid foundation for our Middle East team.

Our lawyers resident in the Middle East locations have decades of experience living and advising clients in the region. Various members of our Middle East team are fluent in Arabic and other languages that are relevant to our work Middle East. Visit our Dubai and Riyadh locations.

Among the core areas of our Middle East team are:

Energy

We have one of the world's leading energy teams. More than 250 lawyers in our U.S. and international locations handle a comprehensive range of projects and matters for this important global industry.

Arbitration and disputes

Our internationally-prominent arbitration and disputes team has involved numerous matters in and involving the Middle East. In addition to our other experience in this area, lawyers in our Middle East team have represented both commercial and governmental clients in disputes before most of the major arbitral tribunals in the world, in a variety of industries. They also have extensive involvement in local litigation and arbitration working with local counsel. 

Structured and project finance

We advise clients on the development, construction, finance, operation, acquisition and disposition of infrastructure projects around the world. Our work in this area has included representation of our clients on more than 200 power projects having a combined total investment amount exceeding US $54 billion, to date. We represent multilateral lenders, commercial banks, developers, sponsors, investors, insurers and others on multiple types of projects in various sectors.

Islamic Finance. Our lawyers have been at the forefront of Islamic finance since 1996 in the Middle East, North America, Europe and Asia. They are known throughout the world for their successful efforts in developing, and transactionally implementing, a wide range of innovative Shari'ah-compliant structures and products, and the associated legal architecture, in the geographic areas throughout the world, and particularly for many of the first such structures and products in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Defense and Security. Members of our Middle East team have advised numerous defense contractors and suppliers in connection with defense and security procurement, programs and matters in numerous countries in the region. Their experience includes US Foreign Military Sales and other US regulatory matters relating to such programs and activities and local law issues which arise from such programs.

Hospitality and tourism

We advise clients on all aspects associated with the development and operation of hospitality and tourism projects in the Middle East, a growing industry segment in the region. We represent a wide range of clients, primarily developers and owners of lodging and timeshare developments and other tourism destinations.

Corporate, commercial and capital markets transactions

We have handled many corporate finance, acquisition, public offering, commercial credit, leasing and similar matters, as well as regulatory and enforcement matters involving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and others for clients based in the Middle East.  On the ground in the Middle East, we handle a variety of inbound investment, business, trade, commercial, compliance, regulatory and other matters associated with doing business in the region.

Intellectual property

We also have an internationally-prominent intellectual property team, which includes lawyers in our Middle East team. We handle a wide range of patent, trademark, copyright, licensing and other intellectual property matters.

For further information or questions about our Middle East team, please contact either John Lonsberg, Mark Bisch or John Boehm.

Awards

• Recognized by Chambers Global as a leading firm in Islamic Finance and Projects & Energy in the Middle East (2010)
• Recognized by Chambers Global as a leading firm in Corporate/Commercial in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (2010)
• Riyadh recognized by Chambers Global as one of the top 3 legal practices in the Middle East at the Chambers Global Awards event (2007)
• Recognized by Chambers Global as a leading firm in the category of Projects & Energy in the Middle East (2008)
• Recognized by Chambers Global as a leading firm in Corporate/Commercial in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2008)
• Recognized by Chambers Global as a leading firm in International Arbitration (2008)
• Listed by Legal 500 Middle East as a Recommended Firm in Dispute Resolution in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2008)
• Listed by Legal 500 Middle East as a Recommended Firm in Corporate and M&A in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (2008)
• Listed by Legal 500 Middle East as a Recommended Firm in Projects and Energy in the UAE (2008)
• Listed by Legal 500 Middle East as a Recommended Firm in Banking and Finance in the UAE (2008)