Trowers & Hamlin form first Western association in Jordan

Trowers & Hamlin has announced an association with Jordanian firm Ziad Khalifeh & Associates, the first for a Western firm in the country and the fifth in the region for Trowers.

The move comes after Trowers and the Amman-based firm worked on a legislative review, paid for by the British Embassy, of the feasibility of Buy-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects for the Jordanian ministry of finance.

Martin Amison, head of the international projects department at Trowers, said: "[The Jordanian government] is very interested in BOT and is seeking advice on how to get the projects started."

He said the review concluded that there was no reason why BOT projects should not go ahead in Jordan.

He added that it may act as a further encouragement to international investors, who are interested in the region in the wake of the Asian downturn.

Trowers' expansion is the latest example of a growing UK presence in the area. Last week Richards Butler announced the opening of an associated office in Qatar with Dr Najeeb, a former minister of justice.

London partner Hugh Thompson, who is travelling out to Qatar later this month with an associate, said of the new office: "It is definitely the most interesting region in the world for project finance work at the moment."

To date, Richards Butler is the only Western law firm to base lawyers in the country on a permanent basis.

According to Thompson, the move is client driven and his work will focus on project finance and banking advice.