Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP > Dubai, United Arab Emirates > Firm Profile

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

United Arab Emirates > Investment fund formation and management Tier 1

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP has a dominant position in the UAE market, acting for leading sponsors and investors on the formation of funds pertaining to venture capital, private credit, private equity, and real estate and infrastructure assets, demonstrating a broad coverage of activity across the GCC. The group also competently handles the inbound and outbound investments of large Shariah-compliant funds, often working with asset managers looking to raise debt or equity. Ayman Khaleq is a key contact for many of the firm's top clients, chiefly focusing on structuring complex cross-border investment transactions through offshore financial centres and free-zones. William Nash has recently overseen hedge fund formation matters in the ADGM and Alishia Sullivan has experience of acting for sovereign wealth funds and investors in the region. Other names to note include Amanjit K Fagura, who has a strong Islamic investment and financing practice, and Carolyn Abram, who brings regional and global fund formation experience from years working in London and New York. Associate Andrea Dougall is also noted.

United Arab Emirates > Oil, gas and natural resources Tier 3

Demonstrating cross-border capabilities and a depth of expertise across M&A, financing and development work, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is an established advisor to a range of clients active in the oil and gas space. Wider work for the team includes sanctions advice to energy companies reviewing their Russian assets, and investigations and litigation support. Practice head Jennifer Josefson has a ‘very commercial approach’; she stands out for her knowledge and experience in the sector and is highly active on petroleum and LNG mandates. Legal consultant Alexandra Rotar, who splits her time between London and Abu Dhabi, has considerable knowledge of environmental and regulatory matters and is noted for her work on carbon capture, storage and voluntary carbon offset endeavours.

United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Corporate finance (including Islamic lending) Tier 4

Noted for its aviation finance acumen, the team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP utilises ‘profound knowledge of the law combined with sound understanding of the commercial intentions’ to advise an impressive range clients on a broad spectrum of financing transactions, including project financing for large scale-energy developments and real estate builds, refinancing existing lease structures, and debt financing for acquisitions. The team also regularly advises leading regional banks on the creation of new Shariah-compliant master structures for future investments. Aviation specialist Sidanth Rajagopal and energy and infrastructure expert Alexey Chertov joined the practice in 2022 from K&L Gates and the firm’s Moscow office respectively, joining Ayman A Khaleq and Amanjit K Fagura as joint heads of the group. Khaleq is noted for his abilities structuring bespoke investment platforms and handling cross-border transactions, while Fagura is key to the team’s Islamic financing work. Yaroslav Smorodin has been an active supporting presence on a range of mandates.

United Arab Emirates > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

The 'practical and proactive' team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP has experience handling transactions, joint venture partnerships and contractual agreements. Project development and finance agreements are a key component of the group's work, alongside assistance with government contracts. Department lead Mark Gilligan is often instructed by sovereign wealth funds in connection with UAE-based investment opportunities, while also advising on corporate and commercial work. Richard Knott is chiefly noted for his counsel on capital deployment and facilitating capital formation. Of counsel Joanna Maria El Khoury is a proficient cross-border M&A adviser, and also has expertise in private equity and capital markets transactions.

United Arab Emirates > Employment