Clyde & Co continues to expand global aviation practice with partner hire of Nick Humphrey in Dubai

Partner hire further bolsters firm’s aviation offering across the Middle East and Africa, and follows aviation partner hire in Dubai of Bushra Abu Tayeh in April 2026

Global law firm Clyde & Co today announces the further expansion of its global aviation practice with the partner hire of Nick Humphrey. Nick will be based in Dubai with a practice spanning the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Asia Pacific. 
 
Nick represents international airlines, aircraft operators and owners, airports, ports, aviation service providers, maintenance and repair organisations and trade credit providers, their brokers and insurers. His practice covers regulatory, commercial, project, and contentious matters, including complex cross-border arbitrations under LCIA, DIAC and ICC rules. 
 
He has a strong understanding of regional aviation policy and investment frameworks, advising clients on regulatory structuring, concession agreements, and cross-border aviation transactions. He regularly handles matters across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Asia Pacific including some of the most austere and challenging jurisdictions in the world.
 
Nick previously led the aviation practice in the Middle East at another international firm, and held senior in-house roles at Emirates Group and at multimodal logistics provider Supreme Group. Nick returns to the firm, having worked at Clyde & Co from 2014-2016.  
 
He has been consistently recognised by legal directories including Lexology Client Choice Award – Aviation (UAE), Best of the Best Global Expert Guide – Top 30 Aviation Practitioners, as well as in Chambers Asia-Pacific, Legal500, Doyles Guide, and Who’s Who Legal.
 

Significant market growth and opportunities

Nick’s hire is a strategic investment in the firm’s global aviation practice, strongly positioning it to support clients through a period of significant industry transformation, with the sector responding to challenges around aircraft availability and supply‑chain pressure, and increasingly fragmented regulatory and airspace frameworks.

The Middle East and Asia Pacific remain critical aviation corridors for global connectivity. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing aviation market globally, driven by rising passenger demand, fleet expansion and increasing cross-border investment. At the same time, Middle Eastern carriers continue to expand, supported by major government-backed aviation strategies, airport developments and substantial aircraft orders.

Nick says:

 Kevin Sutherland, Partner and Chair of the Global Aviation Practice Group, comments:

 Peter Hodgins, Partner and Chair of Clyde & Co's Middle East and Africa Board, said:

Strong global and regional offering

The firm’s global aviation practice brings together over 120 specialist lawyers across over 70 offices worldwide, including lawyers with experience working for government regulators, in-house for airlines, as aeronautical engineers, aircraft and powerplant mechanics, pilots, flight attendants and inflight safety instructors. 
 
Regionally, the aviation practice has most recently been strengthened with the partner hire of aviation liability specialist Bushra Abu Tayeh in April 2026, and the relocation from London to Singapore of aviation finance partner Jahnavi Ramachandran.
 
Clyde & Co is one of few firms able to provide an end-to-end aviation legal service, covering all sectors of the aviation industry with specialist knowledge, and operating through a single global practice group. 
 
The firm recently marked 100 years of advising clients on aviation law, through its earlier merger with Beaumont & Son. 
 
With over 35 years of experience across the Middle East and Africa, Clyde & Co’s on-the-ground team comprises 94 partners and more than 270 legal professionals. The addition of 14 new partners since the start of 2025 reflects the firm's continued investment in the region, further enhancing its ability to deliver market-leading advice to clients as they pursue growth opportunities and navigate an evolving business and regulatory environment.