Freshfields Launches Majority-Owned Saudi Office forms alliance with associate firm
The Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (Freshfields) has announced the next chapter in its long-standing alliance with the Law Firm of Salah Al-Hejailan LLC (LFSH), aimed at strengthening legal service offerings in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East.
Freshfields has maintained a collaborative alliance with the 27-lawyer firm LFSH since 2009 and confirmed that this relationship will continue, with LFSH remaining a key member of Freshfields’ extensive network comprising over 300 affiliated law firms worldwide.
The announcement follows a pivotal development last year when Freshfields secured a licence from the Saudi Ministry of Justice, allowing the global firm to establish a majority-owned legal practice in the Kingdom. This move aligns with recent legal reforms facilitating foreign law firm operations in Saudi Arabia.
The newly launched independent office in Saudi Arabia builds upon Freshfields’ ongoing client work in the Kingdom and is set to strengthen its broader regional operations across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain.
The Saudi team will be led by Fares Al-Hejailan (Corporate Partner) and Amani Khalifa (Head of Disputes – Saudi Arabia). They will be supported by Sami Tannous, a Dubai-based expert in commercial arbitration, who took on the role of MENA Managing Partner at Freshfields in September last year.
Sami Tannous (Regional Managing Partner, Freshfields) stated,
“We’re pleased to enter into an agreement to maintain our long-standing relationship with LFSH. Our Saudi Arabia and Middle East operations continue to be a core focus for the firm, with the Kingdom established as one of the most dynamic markets across the world, particularly in and around sustainable development projects – a growing priority for the region. We look forward to delivering ongoing market-leading service to our clients.”
Sultan Al-Hejailan (Partner, LFSH) said,
“LFSH is proud to continue our long-standing relationship with the global firm Freshfields in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — a relationship that has spanned nearly 16 years and is a true testament of cooperation and collaboration within the legal industry in the Kingdom, serving many regional and international clients legally and strategically.”
Freshfields brings over four decades of experience in the region with more than 50 lawyers operating on the ground. Its regional practice offers legal advisory in cross-border M&A, corporate restructuring, capital markets, and regulatory mandates, along with handling complex commercial arbitration, construction disputes, investor-state arbitration, and global investigations involving Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region.
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