Fulbright launches in Dubai and Riyadh

Houston-based Fulbright & Jaworski has become the latest firm to launch in the Middle East, making the move through affiliated offices in Dubai and Riyadh.

The US firm has hired a group of six lawyers, including five from Bryan Cave’s Middle East practice, and established affiliations with Khalid Kadfoor Al-Mehairi of Al-Mehairi Legal Consultants in Dubai and Nassir Kadasa of the Kadasa Law Firm in Riyadh.

However, it is understood that the firm hopes to launch an independent presence in Dubai in future, and has lodged its own application for a licence to operate in Dubai.

John Lonsberg will head up Fulbright’s Middle Eastern practice, dividing his time between Dubai and Washington DC. He joins from Bryan Cave where he led the international client service group.

Also joining from Bryan Cave are Mark Bisch as a partner, Hassan Mostafa Kamel Elsayed as senior counsel and Stanley Rice as senior associate, all in the Dubai office. Amgad Husein joins the Riyadh office as senior associate from Bryan Cave.

Sam Eversman, a sole practitioner who previously worked at Bryan Cave, also joins as senior counsel. He will divide his time between the Middle East and Washington, while Fulbright partner John Boehm will relocate from Austin to the firm’s new Dubai office.

The practice will focus primarily on international transactions, energy, project finance, defense procurement, hospitality, tourism and international dispute resolution, including arbitration.