Omani link at Richards Butler gets approval

City firm Richards Butler has formed an association with Oman firm Said Al-Shahry as part of its increasing involvement in the Middle East.

The association will formally begin this month, but the two firms are already involved in a number of joint projects in Oman.

Richards Butler has been involved in the Middle East since the first oil concession agreements and it opened an office in Abu Dhabi in 1978.

This latest association coincides with a major infrastructure and privatisation project in Oman.

Peter Micelmore, a partner at Richards Butler, said the combination of Omani and City legal knowledge and experience would create a "formidable force".

He said: "This will not only enable us to add value to the local service we already provide, but will also allow us to become actively involved in a number of very substantial projects in sectors in which we already have some considerable experience."

Said Al-Shahry, principal at Said Al-Shahry, said his firm had been looking to link up with a foreign law firm connected with the Middle East.