HSF to reopen in Saudi Arabia with Riyadh tie-up

HSF will partner with a local firm in the region in accordance with Saudi Arabian law, which prevents international firms opening without a local partner. The firm is hoping to gain local approval for the new association by March next year.

The news has emerged two years after HSF ended its six-year exclusive alliance with local firm Al-Ghazzawi Professional Association.

This year it also closed its Abu Dhabi office with its five lawyers relocated to Dubai.

The firm still has an office in the Qatari capital of Doha, which it opened in 2012 and is home to two partners.

The identity of its local partner firm has not yet surfaced, though just a small number of firms remain independent in Saudi Arabia.

A spokesperson for HSF said: “The Middle East is a key strategic market for our firm, and we are strongly committed to growing our leading practice there. We will continue to consider how best to develop our ability to support the needs of our clients in the region.”

HSF is the third firm this year to announce a Saudi launch.

Dechert tied up with Jeddah practice Hassan Mahassni in September. Earlier this year Shearman & Sterling partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz Alassaf & Partners, allowing the firm to do business in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar.

DLA Piper also announced it is planning to open two additional offices in the country by the end of 2015. The first of these offices will be run by legal director Rakesh Bassi and be based in Jeddah. Middle East firm Al Tamimi & Company also said it was expanding its presence in the jurisdiction to Jeddah.

However this year has also seen a series of closures in the Middle East. Latham & Watkins closed in Doha and consolidated its Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices in March and Baker Botts closed its Abu Dhabi office, though it boosted its Dubai offering.

For more on the Saudi Arabian market and international relationships there, see last year’s analysis, Keys to the Kingdom.