Aramco sticks with White & Case

The firm, which saw its Saudi practice decimated earlier this year by the departure of a team that included local sponsor Mohammed Al-Sheikh to Latham & Watkins (The Lawyer, 1 February), is using a Riyadh-based consultant, who does not have a practising licence, to service local matters.

Turki Al-Thunayan is a Saudi-qualified lawyer, but his status as a government employee disqualifies him from obtaining a licence. He was the sole legal adviser to remain with the firm in Riyadh when the rest of his colleagues left for Latham and Vinson & Elkins.

Aramco is White & Case’s second-largest client worldwide. Before the launch of the firm’s Saudi office in 1991, the 50-year relationship was managed out of New York, which continues to perform a role on international matters.

However, when Al-Sheikh served as its local sponsor he dealt with the majority of Saudi matters, with a small number of other firms, including Allen & Overy, also taking roles.

Both Al-Sheikh and White & Case declined to comment.