Overview
‘Clients in the GCC are somewhat spoilt for choice as a number of major UK and US firms are represented here,’ as well as excellent Bahraini firms such as Hassan Radhi & Associates, Hatim S. Zu’bi & Partners, and Haya Rashed Al Khalifa Attorneys at Law & Legal Consultants. Local firms continue to dominate the dispute resolution sphere because rights of audience are limited to Bahraini citizens, although the opening of the Bahrain Arbitration Centre (a partnership between the American Arbitration Association and the government) has the potential to allow international firms a larger role.
Baker & McKenzie Limited, Norton Rose (Middle East) LLP, and Trowers & Hamlins are the leading international firms in the jurisdiction. Charles Russell LLP and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP opened up offices in 2007, and DLA Piper Middle East LLP entered the market in 2009.
The ‘very well respected’ Jalila Sayed, who is ‘pretty much involved in all major transactions in the region’, recently left Hassan Radhi & Associates to establish her own practice, and remains a favoured choice of international firms seeking local law advice.