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

OFFICE NO C, 10TH FLOOR
EMIRATES OFFICE TOWERS, SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD
DUBAI
United Arab Emirates
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
United Arab Emirates > Investment fund formation and management Tier 1
Key areas of expertise at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP include funds of one, private equity and credit funds, UCITs and hedge funds. Ayman Khaleq advises on inward and outward Middle East investments and represents several of the leading sovereign wealth funds in the region. Managing partner William Nash has a broad practice and advises on both sponsor-side and investor-side fund formation. Alishia Sullivan is also noted and has particular expertise advising sovereign wealth funds and pension funds.Practice head(s):
Ayman Khaleq; William Nash
Other key lawyers:
Victoria Mesquita; Alishia Sullivan; Nabil Abou-Charaf
Testimonials
‘Morgan Lewis team is staffed with highly qualified associates and partners. Despite the short deadlines, they manage to address all our requests. And are available 24/7. Furthermore, at the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic they adjusted to the remote working environment quite fast without any interruption to the services provided, including launching a special tab on their website with everything related to COVID 19 for their clients.’
‘Alishia Sullivan, partner, is very responsive and effectively manages the team of associates and our engagements. There has been no single case when we need to send her “reminder” email. Proactive in communicating news that may be of interest/relevant to us. Nabil Abou-Charaf, associate – he is available 24/7 providing high quality services.’
Key clients
Frontier Investment Management Ltd
Greenstone Equity Partners
Invesense Asset Management Limited
KAMCO
Liwa Capital Advisors Ltd.
NBK Capital Partners
StonePine Capital Partners Limited
TVM Capital Healthcare Partners Limited
Warba Bank Wafra Capital
Warba Bank
Olive Rock Partners Ltd.
Work highlights
- Represented NBK Capital Partners, the Dubai-based private equity arm of the National Bank of Kuwait, on the structuring and formation of a Shari’ah-compliant private credit fund in the Cayman Islands.
United Arab Emirates > Dispute resolution: compliance and investigations Tier 2
Key areas of focus for the corporate investigations team at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP are financial services regulation, the UK Bribery Act, the US FCPA, competition law, and internal corporate investigations. Managing partner Rebecca Kelly heads the practice and is praised by clients for her 'strategic advice' and 'pragmatic' approach to investigations.Practice head(s):
Rebecca Kelly
Testimonials
‘Rebecca Kelly – very practical and pragmatic in her approach / advice and always available to us as a client, even at short notice.
‘The team have significant local experience in the investigations space – many lawyers and law firms hold themselves out as having the requisite international level of experience in this space, but the Morgan Lewis team do have these skills and are able, in my view, to successfully combine them with their knowledge of local laws and regulations better than any other law firm operating in this space currently in the market.’
‘Morgan Lewis is an amazing firm with practical advice for in house GCs. They are pragmatic and solution oriented. They are available and have exceptional turn around time.’
‘Rebecca Kelly is exceptionally collaborative, always available even in the most difficult of times.
‘Rebecca Kelly is a very intelligent lawyer with excellent strategic advice and approach to resolutions.’
‘Rebecca Kelly has exceptional technical knowledge and I rely on her expertise in any sensitive matters. Rebecca is also an excellent communicator and maintains a thoughtful close relationship with her clients.’
‘Not only is Rebecca Kelly an exceptional lawyer, she takes the time to invest in small gestures that gives us a sense of the care we are in. She is a super star!’
United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Corporate finance (including Islamic lending) Tier 4
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP has an experienced Shariah compliance practice that handles multi-sourced financings, Islamic finance, corporate finance and project finance. Ayman Khaleq heads the practice and has extensive experience advising on Islamic finance, particularly in relation to sustainable sukuk issuances. Changes to the team include the departure of Victoria Mesquita.Practice head(s):
Ayman Khaleq
Testimonials
‘The firm has a good understanding of what Shariah advisors look at in order to endorse a structure as Shariah compliant, close communication with the Shariah advisor to facilitate understanding.’
‘Ayman Khaleq is very hands on and has a strong understanding of what we, as Shariah advisors look at in undertaking the review and endorsement process of a particular structure/transaction. Ayman is also quick to suggest alternative ways and easy to discuss and brainstorm with in order to make a structure work.’
‘Ayman Abdel Khaleq impresses me with his technical depth, high level of knowledge regarding the region and excellent command over latest industry trends.’
Key clients
Al Ahli Holding Group
Al Futtaim Investment Management Limited
Dubai Islamic Bank
Emirates Islamic Bank PJSC (UAE) and Khaleeji Commercial Bank (Bahrain)
Fly Dubai
FWU AG
Gulf Capital
Humania North Africa
Islamic Corporation for the Development in the Private Sector (ICD)
Mashreqbank PSC
NBK Capital Partners
Noor Bank
SHUAA Capital
Work highlights
- Represented SHUAA Capital in a $50m sukuk issuance by Pure Harvest Smart Farms, one of the leading high-technology vertical farms operators in the region.
- Advised Humania North Africa Holding Limited and its majority owner, the Bait Al Batterjee Medical Company, on an equity investment from three development banks of up to $108.5m.
United Arab Emirates > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP advises on a wide variety of inbound and outbound M&A transactions driven by private equity, sovereign and government investment, particularly in key sectors including the oil and gas, healthcare and defence sectors. Abu Dhabi-based Mark Gilligan heads the practice and is supported by a Dubai team which includes Chadi Salloum and senior associate Joanna Maria El Khoury.Practice head(s):
Mark Gilligan
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is supportive and responsive, as well as knowledgeable and experienced in the market. They are also cost effective and flexible, in addition to having a US tax specialist in Abu Dhabi.’
‘Joanna El Khoury is an experienced associate on VC deals. She is quick and to the point.’
‘Mark Gilligan – very responsive and solution orientated. His team act as an extension of our internal legal team.‘
Key clients
Advanced Wellness
Al-Baddad International
Etihad Airways PJSC
J.S. Held Group
Konark Capital Partners
Michael Baker International, Inc.
Mizuho Gulf Capital Partners Ltd.
Sequoia Capital
STC Ventures
Stonepine Capital Partners
Tadano Ltd
TMS Global, Inc.
TVM Capital Healthcare Partners Limited
Warba Bank K.S.C.P. – Client name publishable but not deal
Wamda Capital
Work highlights
- Represented Mizuho Gulf Capital Partners Ltd. (MGCP), the investment manager of the Gulf Japan Food Fund (GJFF), on the structuring, acquisition, and financing of a majority stake in the Organic Foods and Café (OFC) group.
- Advised TVM Healthcare (CEIC) Ltd., TVM Healthcare MENA II (CEIC) Ltd., Olayan Investments Cyprus Ltd., MENA Healthcare Services Co. Ltd., and QFB LT Care LLC on the $232m sale of CMRC Ltd., a Cypriot holding company that owns long-term care and rehabilitation centres in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
United Arab Emirates > Employment Tier 4
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP‘s employment practice handles both contentious and non-contentious work. The team has particular expertise in employee investigations, terminations and regulatory advice. Rebecca Kelly heads the practice and has in-depth knowledge of the healthcare sector, and Mark Gilligan in Abu Dhabi is also notable.Practice head(s):
Rebecca Kelly
Other key lawyers:
Mark Gilligan; Laura Shortall
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP > Firm Profile
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Corporate and business transactions | Ayman Khaleq | ||
Banking and finance | Ayman Khaleq | ||
Banking and finance | Victoria Mesquita Wlazlo | ||
Arbitration and litigation | Rebecca Kelly | ||
Corporate and regulatory compliance | Rebecca Kelly | ||
Labour and employment | Rebecca Kelly | ||
Islamic finance | Ayman Khaleq | ||
Private investment funds | Ayman Khaleq | ||
Private equity | Ayman Khaleq | ||
Technology, media and telecommunications | Ayman Khaleq | ||
White-collar crime and investigations | Rebecca Kelly | ||
Energy transactions | Ayman Khaleq | ||
Occupational safety and health | Rebecca Kelly | ||
Islamic finance | Victoria Mesquita Wlazlo |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Ms Victoria Mesquita Wlazlo | Victoria is a partner in the firm’s Dubai office. With an educational… | View Profile |