The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP enjoys ‘a very strong reputation for projects’, with Bimal Desai the leading figure in the practice. The group regularly advises on prominent projects, and is advising Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport on the Mafraq-Ghweifat Highway PPP and the Abu Dhabi Metro Project, and is also acting on the $1bn Zayed University PPP. The firm’s UAE offices serve as a regional hub, and so the team often acts on large projects throughout the region. Recent highlights include advising on the Jubail refinery and Marafiq IPP in Saudi Arabia, representing the sponsors on two IPPs in Libya, and advising on the expansion of the Al-Samra wastewater treatment plant in Jordan.

Ashurst LLP’s team ‘provides advice from personnel who have first-hand experience of projects around the globe and locally’. David Wadham heads the power and water practice, which has been advising a consortium of sponsors on financing for the Muharraq sewage treatment plant. Joss Dare – whose ‘strengths are approachability, openness, technical skills, and ability to ensure the team is always updated on the client’s objectives and aims’ – heads the transport and infrastructure team that is advising ADIC-UBS Infrastructure Investments and Mubadala Infrastructure on the Mafraq-Gwheifat Highway PPP. The group significantly enhanced its strength on the ground by bringing Nick Williamson to Abu Dhabi from London, and recruiting of counsel Judith Kim from Shell.

Clifford Chance’s ‘strong practice’ combines international standards with ‘local law capability’. Richard Parris led the Dubai team in advising Saudi Tabreed Cooling on construction and development financing for a district cooling plant, the Middle East’s first BOO/BOT in the cooling plant sector. Peter Avery acted for DP World Dakar as borrower of facilities provided by Standard Chartered Bank and African Development Bank to finance the development of a container terminal at Dakar in Senegal. The team handles a number of instructions in Saudi Arabia, where it works alongside Al-Jadaan & Partners Law Firm in co-operation with Clifford Chance LLP.

Shearman & Sterling LLP has ‘a very strong energy practice that goes a long way towards making the firm a prominent player’. Its London and Abu Dhabi offices do the bulk of the firm’s projects work in the MENA region, with Philip Dundas leading the team in Abu Dhabi. Recent highlights include advising Dolphin Energy and its sponsors on the $4.13bn refinancing of the Dolphin project, and acting for the Egyptian Refining Company on the $3bn Cairo hydrocracker refinery project. ‘Upstream and utilities expert’ Tim Pick relocated to London, but Iain Elder was elected to the partnership at the start of 2010.

Baker Botts L.L.P. is advising Mitsubishi on Iraq’s first midstream gas project, and represents new local clients such as Saudi Electricity Company, which the team is advising on all aspects of its IPP programme in Saudi Arabia. Robert Jordan has taken over as head of the UAE office following David Emmons’ return to Dallas. The practice recruited Vincent Mulvey from Denton Wilde Sapte.

Herbert Smith LLP acts for Gazprom Neft, operator of Iraq’s Badra field, on everything from contract discussions to day-to-day operation, and represented the Islamic Development Bank on the first IPP in Iran to be financed jointly by Islamic and conventional international means. The team is advising the Al Shoula consortium, which includes 11 Spanish companies, on its bid for phase 2 of the Haramain high-speed railway project. The practice recruited senior associate Joanna Addison from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP to deepen its expertise in Qatar. Addison brought with her instructions from Qatar Petroleum on the Pearl gas-to-liquids project. Neil Brimson heads the Middle East practice.

Latham & Watkins LLP has significantly invested in its Middle East practice, taking on ten new partners focusing on work in the region. The Abu Dhabi projects practice has benefited from the recruitment of Villiers Terblanche and Nick Collins from White & Case LLP plus the addition of a number of associates. The team advised the lenders on the $18bn Papua New Guinea LNG project, and is acting for the City of Jeddah and its wholly owned corporation, JDURC, on various infrastructure projects, including the urban regeneration of Jeddah Central District.

Linklaters’ Sarosh Mewawalla and consultant Jonathan Inman are highly recommended for project finance in the energy and utilities sector. The team is advising the lenders on the $12.8bn Jubail export refinery and petrochemicals project, and acting for the sponsors on the Shams 1 solar project in Abu Dhabi, which will be the Gulf’s first renewable energy transaction to be project financed. Other highlights included advising Oman Oil Company (OOC) on its $660m new equity investment in Bharat Oman Refineries, a joint venture between OOC and Bharat Petroleum.

Norton Rose (Middle East) LLP’s UAE and Bahrain-based teams recently advised Constructions Industrielles De La Mediterranee on the construction and operation of a $800m waste-to-energy plant and integrated waste management system in Bahrain, and acted for Bahrain’s Ministry of Finance regarding a wastewater treatment plant in Muharraq. The group was also active in advising the lenders to the IRTIBAAT consortium on its bid for the Mafraq-Ghweifat highway project. Dubai-based Oli Charlesworth, and Martin Preston and Jonathan Brufal in Abu Dhabi are recommended.

SNR Denton advises on all aspects of BP’s downstream petroleum activities in the Middle East, and is acting for the Supervision Committee for the Expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport on procurement and documentation for the new midfield terminal complex. The group is ‘well aware of practical issues – just as important as the technical skill is the ability to advise on how laws are enforced or implemented in practice, and to have access to the relevant governmental staff to be able to check matters’. James Dallas has ‘great depth of knowledge and experience in the oil and gas sector’.

Trowers & Hamlins is best known for its work in the power and water sector. Newly promoted partner Michael O’Reilly recently led the team acting as lenders’ counsel regarding a successful bid for the $1bn Salalah II IWPP in Oman, and the group continues to act for Shuaibah Water and Electricity as the project company for the Shuaibah 3 IWPP. Stewart Simpson and Peter Bowring recently joined, from Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP and King & Spalding International LLP, respectively.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s ‘knowledge of power plant development is extensive’, and the team is ‘very good for project finance work’. The practice has represented Lime Rock Partners’ UAE office in a number of energy-related matters since it opened in 2009, including advising on a $25m investment in Expert Petroleum. Other highlights included advising Emirate Aluminium on its smelter project in Abu Dhabi, and acting for a consortium on the development and financing of a hydrogen power and pre-combustion carbon capture plant. Christopher Strong and Lewis Jones are ‘very focused on getting the deal done, are always available and have strong customer service’.

Afridi & Angell focuses on local law advice and enjoys close relationships with regulators. The team acted for Laraib Energy on the New Bong Escape hydropower project – Pakistan’s first such project in the private sector – and represented a consortium of investors on its bid to develop and operate Syria’s first private power plant. Masood Afridi is recommended for his ‘vast knowledge and expertise in private power projects and BOO/BOT contracts’. Clients appreciate that Afridi ‘tries to find solutions rather than give narrow legal advice’.

Clyde & Co LLP’s David McElveney acted for Shahama as the contractor on the Shahama-Saadiyat Freeway project, and is advising Transfield Services International as the operations and maintenance provider in a concession team bidding for the Mafraq-Ghweifat Highway PPP. On the energy side, the firm was recently appointed to the panel of Abu Dhabi National Oil, and has already advised a subsidiary (ESNAAD) on preparing project documents. The team provides ‘fair and practical advice’, and has ‘good strength in depth, business acumen and industry knowledge’. George Booth joined from Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s UAE team has ‘very good depth of expertise and the added advantage of being able to leverage off its UK experience’. Joseph Huse (‘really good range of experience’) and associate Marc Fevre (‘very good technically’) are advising SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Services Company) on the Al Tawam hospital project. Other highlights included advising E.On Climate and Renewables on its international carbon joint venture with Masdar.

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP is a regular feature in the oil and energy sector, advising clients on a wide range of matters from corporate issues to projects. The team has also been involved in some interesting solar power projects for multinational and local clients. Mark Bisch and John Boehm have extensive experience and are highly recommended.

Hadef & Partners served as UAE counsel to the lenders on the $1bn financing of the Zayed University PPP in Abu Dhabi, and acted for the sponsors on the Shuweihat IWPP, and clients happily recommend the firm for its infrastructure work. Alan Rodgers recently led the team advising lenders on UAE aspects of the $6bn aluminium smelter project, while Mike Webb has been busy drafting documents for Emirates Nuclear Energy.

King & Spalding significantly enhanced its resources when it recruited of counsel Leroy Levy, former head of Feras Al Shawaf Law Firm in Association with Trowers & Hamlins’ Saudi practice, and counsel Timothy Burbury, former head of DLA Piper Middle East LLP’s Abu Dhabi construction and infrastructure practice. Burbury brought a number of clients to the firm, including TDIC, Mubadala Infrastructure Partners, and Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions, which the group advised on a district cooling concession project. Philip Weems led the team advising Dragon Oil on the sale of natural gas from its Turkmenistan acreage.

Pinsent Masons recently advised China Petroleum Engineering as the contractor on the EPC contract and associated agreements for the $1bn, 360km Habshan-Fujairah oil pipeline. Other clients include Degremont, Sumitomo, and Al Jomaih Power and Water. Team head Sachin Kerur provides ‘very good advice’ and is impressively responsive, while Melanie Grimmitt is recommended for her ability to ‘manage well the conflicts inside sponsor groups’.

Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLP acted for Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies on establishing a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for military aircraft in the Middle East. It is also advising National Water in Saudi Arabia on PPPs and management outsourcing for water and wastewater systems in Makkah/Al Taif, Dammam, and Madinah. Other clients include Mubadala and Qatar Petroleum. The team has undergone significant change with the departures of Paul Simpson and George Booth, the latter to Clyde & Co LLP, and the arrivals in Abu Dhabi of Nicholas Williams and recently promoted partner Adrian Nizzola.

White & Case LLP is another practice that underwent significant change following the departures of key projects partners Nick Collins and Villiers Treblanche – as well as the team’s affiliate office in Saudi Arabia – to Latham & Watkins LLP. However, the firm has since recruited Shibeer Ahmed and Margaret Cole from Baker Botts L.L.P. and Babcock, respectively, and relocated Doug Peel from Singapore. It also entered into collaboration with the former Riyadh arm of Gide Loyrette Nouel. The practice’s clients have included BNP Paribas and Saudi Aramco.

Chadbourne & Parke LLC’s Dubai team includes projects experts Daniel Greenwald, Richard Keenan and Sohail Barkatali. The team’s experience has included advising the state of Kuwait on its first IWPP, the Sultanate of Oman on the competitive procurement of a solar power IWPP, and International Power and Marubeni on the $2.8bn Fujairah F2 IWPP in the UAE.

DLA Piper Middle East LLP is ‘a good outfit’, but instituted a number of layoffs in 2009 and 2010. Recent hire Shehzaad Sacranie left to accept a post as general counsel at Mubadala GE Capital. Anthony Ellis and David Nancarrow continue to handle projects work from Dubai.

Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP has a strong reputation globally for projects and energy work. Its experience includes advising an upstream company regarding its participation in, and development of, four contract areas in Iraq. Dubai-based Gavin Watson is an expert in the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects.

Reed Smith acts on a number of prominent real estate and ports projects. Arash Amai recently acted for Abu Dhabi Planning Council on developing the Abu Dhabi Capital District and the relocation of Port Zayed, while Sean Angle advised Salalah Port Services on negotiations and agreements for the expansion of its container terminal in Oman.