Middle East

Qatar, Doha

DWF wins back unpaid fees as client’s “deficient” claims backfire

A judge has part-sided with DWF in Qatar after the firm brought a claim against a client over unpaid fees. DWF’s Qatar branch took consulting company Roland Berger to court in the Qatar Financial Centre, claiming it was owed QAR 766,380 (£158,947) by its client. The firm was employed to draft and define a mandate […]

Leave work

Pinsent Masons trials half-day Fridays

Pinsent Masons is giving all employees Friday afternoons off this August as part of a new flexible working trial. Subject to client demand, employees in offices across the UK, Europe and Middle East can work a compressed week and leave by lunchtime on Fridays without a pay cut. The compressed hours trial is nearing the […]

Nigeria

Freshfields and former ex-Court of Appeal judge tied up in case of apparent bias

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s “professional connections” with an arbitrator led to apparent bias in an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) case, a High Court judge has ruled. Aiteo, Africa’s largest private integrated energy company, brought a challenge before the English High Court alleging a “serious irregularity” after the ICC issued four arbitration awards against it between […]

Paul Jarvis, Dentons

Dentons’ revenue up 6 per cent after strong growth in Saudi

Revenue at Dentons is up 6 per cent across the UK, Ireland and Middle East (UKIME), bringing the firm’s total revenue for the region to £280.5m. Most of last year’s growth was generated outside of the UK in Ireland and the Middle East, with 18 per cent growth in the former and 22 per cent […]

Mercedes F1

Claim spotter: Mercedes F1, Farfetch and BP

Mercedes F1 team files for disclosure from phone companies Mercedes Grand Prix, the legal entity behind F1 team Mercedes AMG Petronas, has filed an application for a Norwich Pharmacal Order (NPO) to the King’s Bench division, according to the public filing system. The filing, which targets mobile network operators Vodafone and Lebara, was filed on […]

Tellman

Ex-Haleon GC moves to Saudi for Aramco role

The ex-general counsel of Haleon has announced that he has joined energy and chemicals business Aramco, which is based in Saudi Arabia. Bjarne Tellman was hired by GSK four years ago to prepare the company for the creation of Haleon, one of the UK’s largest corporate demergers in 20 years. The purpose of the demerger […]

Dentons

Dentons boosts London office with bumper promotions round

Dentons has promoted 12 lawyers to partner in the UK, Ireland and Middle East (UKIME) this year, including nine partners in London. Of the remaining three promotions, two were made in Glasgow and one was made in Abu Dhabi. Most of the promotions have been made in the projects team, with Claudia Thomas and Graham […]

Saudi Riyadh

A&O opens Riyadh office ahead of Shearman merger

A&O has established a new office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, over three years since ending its last co-operation deal in the nation. Joining A&O’s office are Hosam Ibn Ghaith and Haris Meyer Hanif, who will also be joined by Shearman & Sterling’s Riyadh-based team – led by Sultan Almasoud – once the firms’ […]

Saudi Riyadh

Latham becomes latest firm to make Riyadh its regional HQ

Latham & Watkins has reaffirmed its commitment to the burgeoning Saudi legal market with the award of a regional headquarters licence, officially making Riyadh the heart of its Middle East strategy. The firm issued an announcement this morning stating that MENA managing partner Salman Al-Sudairi would lead the office with Safaa Arthold taking up the […]