Aramco sticks with White & Case
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Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is to continue using White & Case as its go-to adviser despite the fact that the US firm has neither an office, a sponsor nor any permanent lawyers in Aramco’s home jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia.
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.
Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 5-May-2010 1:19 pm
Looks like Lathams were spun a yarn!
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Anonymous | 6-May-2010 4:33 am
"Aramco sticks with White & Case" - for now! . . . However, when Saudi Aramco realizes over time that the real talent went to Latham, they will slowly shift their work and new deals to Latham and other international firms operating in the region . . . how about we revisit this story in a year or so? . . . that will tell the real story of what happens to White & Case and Saudi Aramco relations (assuming W&C still exists in a year)
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