Baker McKenzie hires two-person tax controversy team from KPMG in Mexico
Baker McKenzie has recruited a 2-person tax controversy team from KPMG in Mexico.
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Lateral moves2
Pinsent Masons loses two more South African partners amid wave of departures
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.
- Pinsent Masons
- Johannesburg
Promotions1
Kirkland promotes 196 to partnership, smallest cohort since 2022
Kirkland promotes 196 lawyers to partnership. The cohort entering the partnership is the smallest since 2022.
Offices1
Baker Botts relocates Riyadh office to larger space, marking 25 years in Saudi Arabia
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.
- Baker Botts
- James A. Baker, III
- Danny David
- Joza Al Rasheed
- Riyadh
- Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Disputes, Project Finance/Energy & Infra
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Practice trends1
Kirkland's Riyadh managing partner expects no major new work until Middle East tension eases
Kirkland's Riyadh managing partner Kamran Bajwa does not expect 'major new work' until tension in the Middle East eases.
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Kamran Bajwa
- Riyadh
Also notable12
Norton Rose Fulbright advises Aegis Logistics on USD809 million Tristar Holdings acquisition
Norton Rose Fulbright is advising Aegis Logistics on its proposed acquisition of an 89.8 per cent stake in Dubai-headquartered Tristar Holdings, with equity consideration of USD809 million and an enterprise value of USD1.5 billion. Dubai-based partner Anna Tipping led the team. Veritas Legal acted as Indian counsel to Aegis.
- Norton Rose Fulbright
- Veritas Legal
- Anna Tipping
- Shazi Askarpour
- Michael Stevens
- Ian Giles
- Violetta Bourt
- Zubair Mir
- Dubai, London, Brussels
- M&A, Regulatory
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Ashurst Perkins Coie advises Gulf Investment Corporation on Tristar stake sale to Aegis Logistics
Ashurst Perkins Coie is advising Gulf Investment Corporation on the sale of its entire shareholding in Tristar Holdings Limited to Aegis Logistics, which is acquiring an 89.8 per cent stake in aggregate. The deal values Tristar at USD1.5 billion enterprise value and is expected to close before the end of March 2027. Corporate partner Maha Osman led the team.
- Ashurst
- Maha Osman
- Dasith Vithanage
- M&A
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader to combine buy and build in new AI strategy
Law.com International Edition reports that Hogan Lovells Cadwalader will combine buy and build in a new AI strategy. The leader of the global firm anticipates the new technology will soon transform its approach to pricing.
Freshfields leaders reportedly discuss external investment in AI unit, per leaked email
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.
- Freshfields
- Alan Mason
SourceLegal Business
Freshfields advises Tristar Group on Aegis Logistics' US$809 million stake acquisition
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.
- Freshfields
- Pervez Akhtar
- Tuna Tanik
- Aaron Green
- Andrew Cline
- Dubai, Washington DC
- M&A
SourceFreshfields — news
Baker Botts doubles down on Saudi Arabia amid regional conflict
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 advises QUADRANTE on Geometric Talks engineering unit acquisition
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).
- Antas da Cunha Ecija
- Carolina Meireles
- Tânia Nogueira
- Tomás Moita
- M&A
SourceLawyerpress
Winston Taylor's Ronnie Graham appointed Scotland's trade envoy to the UAE
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.
- Winston Taylor
- Ronnie Graham
- Dubai, Abu Dhabi
SourceThe Oath (Middle East)
Simmons & Simmons launches Legal AI Maturity Mountain AI adoption framework
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 Leadership in Law Awards nominations
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.
Oman aims to launch full licensing at new international financial centre by 2027
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.
- Mahmood Al Aweini
- Muscat
- Regulatory
SourceThe National (UAE)
Global Lawyer column: PE investment unlikely to resolve Big Law short-termism
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.
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