3 June 2008

Freshfields to open in Abu Dhabi

International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is to open an office in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening the firm’s well-established presence in the Middle East, with more than 40 lawyers based across the region in the firm’s offices in Dubai, Bahrain and shortly Abu Dhabi, as well as in Saudi Arabia through Freshfields’ association with Fares Al-Hejailan.

Partner Charles July will head the Abu Dhabi office and, with a team of lawyers, will provide a full service offering, with a focus on key areas such as corporate, dispute resolution, energy-related projects, financial products, infrastructure development and real estate.

Joint senior partner Guy Morton commented: 'Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates which together comprise the United Arab Emirates. Because of its political stability and rapidly diversifying economy, helped by the continuing high price of oil, it has experienced very rapid growth, with good levels of activity in both inbound and outbound investment. We have a number of clients in Abu Dhabi and our office there will complement our already strong presence in the region.'

Notes for editors

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a leading international law firm providing a comprehensive worldwide service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.

The firm opened an office in Dubai in 2005. With a team of more than 40 lawyers across the region, Freshfields is licensed to practice in Dubai, Bahrain (under an international licence) and shortly in Abu Dhabi. The firm is also able to advise on Saudi law through its association with Fares Al-Hejailan.

Freshfields was the number one legal adviser for 2007, based on announced deals, for the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) advising on 11 deals worth US$39,452m, according to Thomson Financial.

Recent headline deals include advising: 

  • The lenders to a subsidiary of Alyah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), the wholly-owned Mubadala subsidiary, in the US$ 1.2b non-recourse project financing by YahSat of two geostationary satellites and associated ground segment for the delivery of secure satellite communications capacity. 
  • A leading investment bank on the US$11.3bn merger of Emirates Bank and National Bank of Dubai, to create the largest bank in the GCC - the first on-shore UAE takeover. 
  • Saudi Telecom Company on its acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in Maxis and a 51 per cent stake in NTS for US$3.05bn - the largest outbound M&A transaction into Asia (2007). 
  • The Government of Bahrain on its acquisition of a 30 per cent stake in Formula 1's McLaren Group. 
  • MTN Group on its acquisition of Dubai-based Investcom for US$5.53bn - the first public takeover of a Dubai company. 
  • Credit Suisse on a US$1.2bn ijara-backed international securitisation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
  • Dubai Capital Group, a member of a consortium, on the acquisition of Egyptian Fertilizer Company for US$1.4bn - the largest private equity deal in MENA (2007).

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