Eversheds is opening in Saudi Arabia through an alliance with Saudi practice Hani Al Qurashi Law Firm
Eversheds is opening in Saudi Arabia through an alliance with Saudi practice Hani Al Qurashi Law Firm after discussions with four potential sponsors over the last 18 months.
Eversheds Islamic banking head Amjad Hussain will become managing partner of the Riyadh office, dividing his time between there and Doha. The firm will also second a mid-ranking associate there.
“The Middle East is a key market for us,” Hussain said. “We have offices in Abu Dhabi and Doha and the third strand was always going to be Saudi as we had clients asking for Saudi advice.”
Twenty-lawyer Hani Al Qurashi’s core practice area is litigation, but in recent years it has sought to move into corporate and commercial work. International clients include American Express.
The firm has already worked with Eversheds on banking, commercial, corporate and real estate matters in Saudi Arabia.
Client relation officer at Hani Al Qurashi, Yaser Abu Shemala, said: “On M&A and IPO Eversheds is huge steps ahead of us. This opens new horizons for us to work with multinational corporations. We also have local clients that have an interest in global work.”
Other firms that have opened in Saudi over the past year include Clyde & Co, which teamed up with local firm Abdulaziz Al Bosaily, DLA Piper with Alaa Naji, and Herbert Smith with Al Ghazzawi Professional Association.
The Saudi regime is brutal, misogynist and repellant. Eversheds’ decision to open an office in this market shows just how hollow and pathetic are their claims to “diversity.” Clearly for Eversheds, the “committment” to diversity, justice and human rights stops where the chance to make an extra buck starts.
Anonymous | 27-Apr-2009 1:15 pm – jealous? maybe! Keep your racist views to yourself.
To Anonymous 4.20pm, Why the hell is it racist to call the Saudi regime misogynist? Don’t bandy words like that about.
I agree with Anonymous 1.15, though Eversheds is hardly alone opening in Saudi. Freshfileds, DLA, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith and Baker Macs are all there too.
OK, so let me get this straight Anon 1:15 and Anonymous 11:03….
The [fill in whatever name you like] regime is brutal and “repellant” (whatever that means), therefore, international law firms should not open offices there.
Please do the legal world a favour and open up a political map of the world and start putting a big cross against the name of every country you think in your personal opinion is brutal and repellant. And lets pass the map around to all other lawyers.
Then let’s have all the lawyers in the world move to utopia.
Saudi Arabia is a beautiful country; I hope you are enjoying life in utopia – send me a postcard.
I agree with Anon 1.15 – i wouldn’t expect firms serious about CSR like Simmons and Lovells to open in Saudi.
I would have thought that Saudi Arabia and Eversheds made a perfect fit together. Eversheds can be even more intolerant and keep their rather large chip on their shoulder.
I can’t imagine any real law firms are worried about this news.
Quite Right Anon 1:49. Real law firms worry about much more mundane things like how to remain creditable and creditworthy. I’d say someone who has the time to get into such a fearful bate about this issue is underemployed.
Anon 5.23pm – Yeah, those of us who are concerned about human rights are underemployed.
The most brutal, intolerant, racist country on earth is Israel. Yet it seems we all love doing business with a country that loves to kill inocent children.
I agree with 4.51pm. Congratulations Amjad Hussain for the promotion! All the best in doing business with your fellow colleagues and ‘brothers’ in the Middle East.
It demonstrates a sense of unity to develop business opportunities and the world economy. If Eversheds did not believe in diversity we would have a ‘Mr Harry’ something there and not a ‘Mr Hussain’, it surely bridges the cultural and religious differences and means better understanding and association hence business!
Saudi sets its own rules and laws, if its citizens want to live under such regime as it is in their faith then who are we to judge?!! Respect….
I am quite happy for recent business activities in the last especially five years in the Middle East I think countries like Iran will soon become the target and I hope this happens soon. Eversheds have done alot of business through their Paris office with Iran.
Re 1 May, 11.31. I used to work with Amjad. As far as I know he comes from Leeds.