The Legal 500

Al-Jadaan & Partners Law Firm in co-operation with Clifford Chance LLP often draws on expertise in financial transactions and oil and gas sector work in advising on heavyweight transactions such as acting for Total on a joint venture with Saudi Aramco to develop a refinery complex. Though the firm has lost a small handful of lawyers to Abdulaziz AlGasim Law Firm in association with Allen & Overy LLP, the firm’s reputation and core team of lawyers remain intact. Name partner Mohammed Al-Jadaan heads the team, and is ‘one of the country’s most respected practitioners’. In addition to the benefits to clients of the Clifford Chance international network, ‘the firm has a particularly good team of Saudi Arabian lawyers, which is rare in Saudi Arabia’, say clients.

‘Reliable and experienced’ Legal Advisors in association with Baker & McKenzie has an unusually longstanding reputation in the region, thanks primarily to the work of well-known partners John Xefos and George Sayen. The firm recently advised Saudi Arabian Mining (Ma’aden) on contracts for the $1.5bn development of process plants. Other clients include Mitsubishi and Almarai, the dairy company. Unusually, the firm does not have a Dubai office in the Middle East, but has ‘an extensive track record of work in the region’.

The Alliance of Abbas F. Ghazzawi & Co. and Hammad, Al-Mehdar & Co. is ‘one of the most successful independent firms in the market’, and regularly works alongside the major UK, US and other international firms which are active in Saudi Arabia, including Allen & Overy LLP, Linklaters LLP, Shearman & Sterling LLP, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. Not being tied to any one particular relationship, unlike many other firms in the country, enables the firm to work effectively on a non-exclusive basis, with any number of foreign law firms. The firm recently advised Fraport as preferred bidder in connection with the management of Riyadh Airport and Jeddah Airport. Ali Abedi and Asad Abedi, who ‘provides frank advice, and makes decisions which are in the best interests of a company’, are recommended.

Law Office of Mohammed A Al Sheikh (in assoc with White & Case LLP) advised on a range of corporate, finance and FDI transactions for clients from the real estate, food and beverage, health care and telecom sectors in 2008. The firm advised Carter Holt Harvey Limited and Evergreen Packaging in the acquisition of the beverage packaging division of International Paper Company in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco is also a key client. Mohammed Al-Sheikh offers ‘deep understanding of the subject matter while also providing excellent practical legal advice and counsel’. Sami Al-Louzi offers ‘attention to detail and close co-ordination with other lawyers in the firm’ on corporate transactions.

Despite having a justifiably strong reputation for being ‘well known internationally for its work in the oil and gas industry’, Law Office of Mohanned bin Saud Al-Rasheed in association with Baker Botts L.L.P. also advises on a wide spectrum of other work in the defence, transport, manufacturing, financial services and insurance sectors in Saudi Arabia. Clients include Arab National Bank and Marsh McClennan. Riyadh-based Special Counsel Babul Parikh ‘provides tremendous supervision on transactions’.

Abdulaziz AlGasim Law Firm in association with Allen & Overy LLP had a busy year in 2008, building upon its successful entrance into the Saudi Arabian legal market in mid-2007, and is perceived as ‘the most serious of the newer entrants, and really making an effort to build up strength’. In 2008, the team expanded to welcome Zeyad Khoshaim, who joined in October 2008 as partner from Legal Advisors in association with Baker & Mckenzie, where he had been a senior associate in the firm’s Riyadh office. Julian Johansen heads a team which advised GE Healthcare on a joint venture in the healthcare sector.

Al Tamimi & Company opened a Riyadh office in early 2008, and is the only Dubai-headquartered firm with an office in Saudi Arabia. Nicholas Diacos heads a team which ‘works closely with the firm’s Dubai office in advising in advising a wide range of UAE and Saudi Arabian clients’, in addition to several international clients from Europe and the US. The firm recently advised an international bank on a proposed joint venture to form a mortgage lending company.

Feras Al Shawaf Law Firm in Association with Trowers & Hamlins is best known for its expertise in projects work in Saudi Arabia, but also handles a range of commercial work. The firm recently advised MTC on corporate issues relating to its GSM licence.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer working in association with the Law Firm of Fares Al-Hejailan officially established a presence on the ground in Saudi Arabia in June 2008. Bob Charlton (previously head of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s London finance practice) relocated to Riyadh in 2008. He works closely with associate Fares Al-Hejailan, co-head of the firm’s Saudi practice, who is described as ‘a business-friendly lawyer for Saudia Arabian work’. Fares Al-Hejailan is the son of name partner Salah Al-Hejailan at The Law Firm of Salah Al-Hejailan, a respected local law firm in Saudi Arabia, which provides local support or particular expertise in certain areas to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s clients from time to time when necessary. Clients include Conoco Phillips, EMAAR, Morgan Stanley, Saudi Telecom Company and Arcapita. Regulatory work in the financial services sector is a particular focus.

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP In Association with Mohammed Al-Ghambi Law Firm has particular expertise in energy and defence industry work for an predominantly strong US client base. Other clients include banks, insurance companies, food and beverage companies and airlines. John Lonsberg divides his time between the US and Saudi Arabia, and is recommended for his ‘ability to conduct real time conversations involving issues in the Middle East and the US’. Senior Counsel Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, and Senior Counsel Richard Tyner, who is ‘one of the most experienced and respected foreign lawyers in Saudi Arabia’, are also recommended.

Khalid A Al-Thebity Law Firm in affiliation with Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP handles a range of commercial and regulatory work for clients such as Metlife, CIGNA and MedGulf. Khalid A Al-Thebity is recommended. The firm opened an office in Dubai in early 2008 which works closely with the Riyadh in relation to cross-border matters involving Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Law Office of Hassan Mahassni is ‘best known for expertise in litigation’, but also advises a number of Saudi Arabian companies on commercial and joint venture agreements. Basel Barakat leads the team. Saudi Binladin Group is a key client. The firm ‘often co-operates on a non-exclusive basis with international firms’ such as Lovells LLP, Ashurst LLP and Shearman & Sterling LLP in connection with cross-border work.

‘Respected independent firm’ Law Offices of Dr Mujahid M. Al-Sawwaf enjoys excellent non-exclusive relationships with a number of international firms such as Linklaters LLP, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Shearman & Sterling LLP. The firm advised Sumitomo in relation to its involvement in a joint venture between ARAMCO and Total. ‘Highly experienced’ partner David Wells ‘has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for many years’.

The Law Firm of Wael A. Alissa- In Association with Denton Wilde Sapte opened a new office in Riyadh in mid-2007. Amgad Husein ‘has lived in Saudi Arabia for many years and is very experienced’. The firm advised National Air Services, on several acquisitions of aircraft. Other clients include Sumitomo Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank and Al Rajhi Investment Group.

Abdulaziz Al-Assaf in association with Norton Rose (Middle East) LLP was formed in January 2008, and though the office lacks a dedicated full-time partner on the ground, Senior Associate Darran McGlinchey heads a team in Riyadh which works closely with the firm’s other offices, including Bahrain and Dubai. The firm recently advised the founding shareholders of Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance Company (GUCIC) on incorporation and listing on the Saudi Arabian Stock Exchange.

Al Sulaim & Al Awaji International Law Firm ‘advises a predominantly Saudi Arabian client base’, in addition to a number of foreign IT clients including Boston Scientific and Microsoft Arabia Company.

Gide Loyrette Nouel advises a number of French clients. Waleed N Al-Nuwaiser heads a team which advises on transactions involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq and Egypt.

Though not active in capital markets work, King & Spalding in association with the Law Office of Mohammad Al-Ammar has a focus on Islamic financing and private equity funds work. The firm recently acted for lenders on the $200m sharia’-compliant financing of a $1bn mixed-use real estate project. Michael Dunphy heads a team which acts for clients which include Arab Bank, Arab National Bank and Saudi Hollandi Bank.

The Law Firm of Mohammed Al-Sharif in association with Johnson & Pump advises clients from the banking, telecoms and construction sectors, working closely with the firm’s US offices.

Naji Law Firm in association with DLA Piper Middle East LLP works closely with DLA Piper’s international network of offices (especially Dubai). Dr Alaa Naji is the key contact.

The Law Firm of Salah Al-Hejailan is a highly respected family-based firm in Saudi Arabia. Name partner Salah Al-Hejailan heads a team which has relationships with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Hogan & Hartson LLP. Clients include Exxon, Shell, Goldman Sachs and EMAAR.