Newswatch · Middle East
The week's lateral moves, promotions, offices, mergers and pay across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, sourced and checked.
OfficesNishimura & Asahi plans Dubai office as Japanese firms expand overseasJapan's largest firm will upgrade its Dubai presence to a full office in January 2027, the third Japanese overseas expansion announced in a week.
PromotionsCovington promotes Marc Norman to Dubai partner in 15-lawyer classCovington's new partnership class adds a Dubai data center and project finance specialist as Gulf infrastructure capital draws rival firms.
OfficesSullivan & Cromwell joins the rush to Abu DhabiS&C's first Middle East office, led by alumnus Ahmed el-Gaili from Latham, follows Skadden and Kirkland into ADGM as sovereign capital drives demand.This week · 12–18 October 2026
Permalink to this week →Filter by firm
12 stories
Pinsent Masons has lost two more South African partners. Its Johannesburg office has lost more than 25% of its legal team in the past year. International firms are grappling with fee pressures and foreign exchange volatility in South Africa.
Baker Botts has relocated its Riyadh office to a larger space in Laysen Valley, 25 years after opening in Saudi Arabia in 2001. Since 2025 the office has grown to 22 lawyers and business professionals. Joza Al Rasheed is partner in charge; Danny David is managing partner.
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Paul Weiss and Clifford Chance are due to receive a total of up to £57.1m in legal fees for advising on Apollo Management's takeover of easyJet. The deal was announced in the summer. Apollo bid after easyJet had agreed a deal with Castlelake.
SourceLegal Business
Freshfields leaders are considering opening the firm's AI unit to external investment, discussing carve-out options into a separate legal entity they believe could be worth 'billions', according to a Financial Times report. The discussions were revealed by a leaked internal email exchange involving global managing partner Alan Mason.
SourceLegal Business
Freshfields is advising Tristar Group and its shareholders on Aegis Logistics' proposed acquisition of an 89.8% stake for US$809 million, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Agility Global and Gulf Investment Corporation exit fully. The team is led from Dubai by partner Pervez Akhtar.
SourceFreshfields — news
Law.com reports that regional conflict, including Houthi missiles per the headline, is threatening to unsettle Saudi Arabia. Texas-headquartered Baker Botts is counting on the kingdom's investment ambitions.
SourcesLaw.com — International EditionLaw.com International — Middle East & Africa
Antas da Cunha Ecija advised QUADRANTE – Engenharia e Consultoria, as buyer, on acquiring the engineering business unit of Geometric Talks. The acquisition includes a project portfolio valued at about 750,000 euros, with activity in Portugal, the Middle East and Africa. The team was Carolina Meireles (counsel), Tânia Nogueira and Tomás Moita (associates).
SourceLawyerpress
Scotland appointed Ronnie Graham, managing partner of Winston Taylor's Dubai office and head of its Middle East practice, as its Trade and Investment Envoy to the UAE. Cabinet secretary Stephen Flynn announced it ahead of a two-day visit to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Simmons & Simmons has launched an AI adoption framework called the Legal AI Maturity Mountain. The text invites readers to find their place on it and see where to go next with the firm.
Simmons, Cooley and Slaughter and May lead nominations in the Leadership in Law Awards shortlist. The awards ceremony takes place on December 3 and celebrates the best legal talent shaping the future of law.
IFC Oman plans full licensing by 2027 and to begin registering companies later this year. It is working on its legal framework, rule book and registry system. Laws on business registration, financial services regulation and independent dispute resolution are to be issued shortly.
SourceThe National (UAE)
A column by the Global Lawyer says pressure to make big, often risky hires, alongside pressure to invest, is more intense than ever. It says this leads firms to avoid significant questions over long-term health, and that PE investment is unlikely to resolve this.
Confirmed items are announced by the firm or reported as fact by the cited outlets. Unconfirmed items are reports the firms have not confirmed. Every item links to its sources; we add nothing the sources do not say.
Newsletter
Lateral moves, promotions, office openings, mergers and pay, sourced and checked. One short email a week per region you choose.
