Clyde & Co named International Law Firm of the Year in the Middle East - 2020

Global law firm Clyde & Co was named 'International Law Firm of the Year' at the prestigious Legal Week Middle East Legal Awards 2020.

The recognition highlights the firm's continued growth in the Middle East and reinforces its leading position as the largest international law firm in the region. Last year, the firm celebrated its 30^th anniversary in the Middle East, having established its first office in Dubai with just four people in 1989. Located in the major commercial hubs of the region, Clyde & Co now has the largest presence and is one of the most experienced international law firms in the Middle East with over 40 partners and 400 staff.

In the past 18 months, the firm also grew its practice by adding seven new partners and acted on a series of high profile matters, including advising major international contractors on the construction of the $3 billion Midfield Terminal Building at Abu Dhabi International Airport and advising a large financial institution on a $1 billion syndicated facility to refinance the development of a landmark shopping mall project in the Middle East.

Peter Hirst, Clyde & Co Global Senior Partner, says: "This recognition is testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams across the Middle East,  not just this past year but since we first opened in Dubai over 30 years ago. We are proud to be a firm with established roots in the region, which gives us the opportunity to offer our clients a unique blend of global and local-level legal and commercial understanding that underpins the advice we give them. Congratulations to everyone in the region." 

Mark Blanksby, Chairman of the MEA Board of Clyde & Co, comments: "We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised by the Middle East's business and legal community for this award. It is certainly a testament to the hard work and quality of our people, the continued growth of our business across sectors and geographies, and how much value we've been able to add to the UAE and the wider region. This past year, COVID-19 generated unprecedented uncertainty for businesses in the region and around the world, and we have been very proud to help  our international and local clients throughout and are focused on their evolving needs going forward."

The Legal Week awards highlighted the international legal industry’s commitment to the Middle East, with a number of large firms recognised for their exceptional achievement and best practice in the region. The awards were judged by an independent panel comprising the most senior and innovative individuals in the Middle East.

Clyde & Co has the largest presence and is one of most experienced international law firms in the Middle East with over 40 partners and 400 staff, based full time in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE, Doha in Qatar, Muscat in Oman and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The firm supports international investors and local organisations throughout the wider region with a full-service offering of local specialists across most business sectors and areas of law, including commercial, corporate, dispute resolution, employment, intellectual property, international arbitration, finance & banking, insurance, projects & construction, real estate, regulatory & investigations, and technology.
 

Watch the acceptance speech from Mark Blanksby, Chairman of the MEA Board of Clyde & Co: