The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance has strong regional credentials, with the five partners in Abu Dhabi and Dubai regularly working with its Saudi Arabia and Qatar offices to provide broader GCC coverage. Recent highlights include advising Deutsche Bank and Bank Audi on a $400m leveraged financing for the buyout of a major regional insurance company; and acting as transaction counsel for Emirates NBD in its first ever securitisation of an auto loan portfolio. It also advised Nakheel on establishing an AED8.5bn sukuk al-ijara programme relating to its restructuring. Robin Abraham, Peter Avery and Mohamed Hamra-Krouha – the latter recently relocated from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi – are highly recommended.

Within Construction, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

At Clifford Chance, Sandy Hall is regularly called on to advise on construction aspects of major real estate finance and power projects. Highlights in 2011 included advising Lukoil on the ongoing development of an oil field near Basra, Iraq. It also handles contentious construction matters for its oil and gas and real estate clients.

Within Corporate and M&A, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s ‘informed and professional’ corporate practice maintained strong transactional flow in the TMT, financial services and energy sectors. It advised Mannai Corporation QSC on its acquisition of a 35% stake in Axiom Limited, the largest retailer and distributor of mobile handsets, accessories and telecom services in the Middle East. It also advised American Tower Corporation on its joint venture with African mobile phone company MTN Group, which involved the $420m acquisition of MTN’s communications towers in Ghana. Guy Norman heads the Middle East corporate practice, having relocated to Dubai from London in November 2010. Abu Dhabi based Rupert Harper is also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance has a powerhouse arbitration practice under Graham Lovett and James Abbott, whose experience at the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) is highly prized by international clients. The practice’s expertise extends to all arbitral bodies, both locally and internationally.

Within Investment funds, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance is renowned for its private equity expertise, and is accordingly an active player advising sovereign wealth and other investment funds in the region, including Dubai International Capital and Aabar Investments. It recently advised the latter on its proposed acquisition of a 16.32% stake in Banvit Bandirma Vitaminil Yem Sanayl, a company listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange.

Within Legal market overview,

While there were no major new entrants into the market in 2011, some did add new offices to existing resources: Wragge & Co LLP opened a Dubai office in September following its Abu Dhabi launch in 2010, and Linklaters opened an office in Abu Dhabi. Eversheds LLP also made a significant step by merging with a consortium of Middle East law firms, including Dubai-based Khasawneh & Associates Legal Consultants; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer appointed Dubai-based Pervez Akhtar as managing partner for the MENA region after he joined from Allen & Overy LLP; Al Tamimi & Company enhanced its regional capability with significant recruitment in Dubai and Qatar; and Habib Al Mulla & Company enhanced its international credentials by hiring Rob Morris, formerly global head of procurement at Clifford Chance.

Within Projects and energy , Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s sizeable projects team grew further in 2011, particularly at associate level, and now numbers 40 fee earners, including five partners. Richard Parris leads the firm’s new Qatar practice and still works closely with Peter Avery and Robin Abraham in Dubai, and with Richard Ernest and the newly relocated Mohamed Hamra-Krouha in Abu Dhabi. Highlights included acting for KEPCO in its consortium bid to design, build, finance and operate a greenfield 90MW wind power generation complex in Jordan; and advising Lukoil Mid-East on developing the West Qurna II oilfield near Basra in southern Iraq.

Within Real estate, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s real estate practice combines ‘excellent local and international knowledge’, and is ‘very well placed’ to advise on the region’s major construction projects. Practice head Steven Henderson and newly promoted partner Sandy Hall handle a range of matters, from real estate financing to construction disputes. Recent highlights include advising Standard Chartered on the financing of the Fairmont Palm Jumeirah complex, which was the first hotel financing in Dubai following the credit crisis in December 2010.