Ranking for 2016 shows two clear leaders in almost all categories
Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance dominate the 2016 list of the leading law firms operating in the Middle East.
Compiled annually by London-based legal research firm Chambers & Partners, the latest edition of the Chambers Global directory lists law firms and lawyers in the region and ranks them based on market feedback and analysis of their strengths.
The independent rankings are used by clients looking to appoint lawyers. They are awaited also by lawyers anxious to see how they and their peers have done. The Chambers list grades both law firms and individual lawyers themselves.
Companies are ranked on a country-by-country basis, and also Middle-East wide, which comprise firms able to service clients across the region, either by themselves or by using local partners. MEEDs tables show Middle East-wide rankings.
Companies ranked as band 1 in individual categories
Projects & energy
- Allen & Overy LLP
- Clifford Chance LLP
- Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
- White & Case LLP
Islamic finance
- Allen & Overy LLP
- Clifford Chance LLP
Corporate/M&A
- Allen & Overy LLP
- Clifford Chance LLP
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
- Linklaters
Investment funds
- Allen & Overy LLP
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Herbert Smith Freehills
- King & Spalding LLP
Capital markets
- Allen & Overy LLP
- Clifford Chance LLP
- Linklaters
Dispute resolution
- Clifford Chance LLP
- Clyde & Co LLP
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Source: Chambers & Partners
Chambers Globals editor, Edward Shum, says, The Middle East legal market has a tremendous story to tell in the last 10 years, but the conclusions of that story are not complete. One thing is clear, though: compared with 10 years ago, the market has far more firms, and competition and the demands of clients are in a different league.
The market has traditionally been a mix of local and international firms primarily from Europe and the US. In the last 10 years, the international share of the market has been growing.
Shum says: The Chambers Global rankings cover only the best, so these are actually just the tip of an iceberg of international firms present in the Middle East.
Traditionally, English firms were prominent, but US firms also have a long history in the region, starting from big players in the energy sector, but then diversifying into practices excelling in corporate and finance law.
The report says the regions indigenous firms have found a place in the market in the face of stiff competition. That place is sometimes competing directly with international firms and at other times, taking the local role.
The archetypal example is Al-Tamimi & Company, a firm that has spread from the UAE to cover much of the Gulf. Other firms take a hybrid approach, such as Baker & McKenzie, an international firm that partners with Habib al-Mula in the UAE to provide both local and international services, Chambers writes.
Large international firms dominate the market, from cross-border mergers to international arbitration.
Key areas have fluctuated in importance in recent years, but corporate acquisitions, capital markets products and infrastructure projects continue to be major fields, all benefiting from an international presence.
In this respect, the region is similar to major markets in Europe and Asia, but with fewer local firms.
It will be interesting to see what developments occur throughout the next year which international firms rise and which withdraw, as well as whether indigenous firms will break through, says Shurm.
Islamic finance | |
---|---|
Source: Chambers & Partners | |
Band 1 | |
Allen & Overy LLP | |
Clifford Chance LLP | |
Band 2 | |
Hugan Lovells (Middle East) LLP | |
King & Spalding LLP | |
Latham & Watkins LLP | |
Linklaters | |
Norton Rose Fulbright | |
White & Case LLP | |
Band 3 | |
Baker & McKenzie | |
Dentons | |
Herbert Smith Freehills | |
Morgan, Lewis & Bocklus LLP | |
Simmons & Simmons |
Corporate/M&A | |
---|---|
Source: Chambers & Partners | |
Band 1 | |
Allen & Overy LLP | |
Clifford Chance LLP | |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP | |
Linklaters | |
Band 2 | |
Shearman & Sterling LLP | |
Band 3 | |
Baker & McKenzie | |
Clyde & Co LLP | |
Dentons | |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP | |
Herbert Smith Freehills | |
King & Spalding LLP | |
White & Case LLP | |
Band 4 | |
Al-Tamimi & Company | |
Ashurst | |
Baker Botts LLP | |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP | |
Hogan Lovells (Middle East) LLP | |
Latham & Watkins LLP | |
Norton Rose Fulbright | |
Simmons & Simmons |
Investment funds | |
---|---|
Source: Chambers & Partners | |
Band 1 | |
Allen & Overy LLP | |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP | |
Herbert Smith Freehills | |
King & Spalding LLP | |
Band 2 | |
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP | |
Norton Rose Fulbright | |
Band 3 | |
Clifford Chance LLP | |
Hogan Lovells (Middle East) LLP | |
King & Wood Mallesons | |
Simmons & Simmons |
Capital markets | |
---|---|
Source: Chambers & Partners | |
Band 1 | |
Allen & Overy LLP | |
Clifford Chance LLP | |
Linklaters | |
Band 2 | |
Baker & McKenzie Limited | |
Dentons | |
Herbert Smith Freehills | |
Hogan Lovells (Middle East) LLP | |
King & Spalding LLP | |
Band 3 | |
Dechert LLP | |
Latham & Watkins LLP | |
Norton Rose Fulbright | |
White & Case LLP |
Dispute resolution | |
---|---|
Source: Chambers & Partners | |
Band 1 | |
Clifford Chance LLP | |
Clyde & Co LLP | |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP | |
Band 2 | |
Allen & Overy LLP | |
Al-Tamimi & Company | |
Band 3 | |
Baker Botts LLP | |
Herbert Smith Freehills | |
Norton Rose Fulbright | |
Band 4 | |
Dentons | |
DLA Piper LLP | |
Pinsent Masons LLP | |
Shearman & Sterling LLP | |
White & Case LLP |
Projects & energy | |
---|---|
Source: Chambers & Partners | |
Band 1 | |
Allen & Overy LLP | |
Clifford Chance LLP | |
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP | |
White & Case LLP | |
Band 2 | |
Ashurst | |
Chadbourne & Parke LLP | |
Linklaters | |
Shearman & Sterling LLP | |
Band 3 | |
Baker Botts LLP | |
Dentons | |
King & Spalding LLP | |
Latham & Watkins LLP | |
Norton Rose Fulbright | |
Band 4 | |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP | |
Eversheds | |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP | |
Simmons & Simmons | |
Band 5 | |
DLA Piper LLP | |
Herbert Smith Freehills | |
Hogan Lovells (Middle East) LLP | |
Trowers & Hamlins |
Methodology
The Chambers Global rankings are based on the result of thousands of interviews with clients and lawyers and are based entirely on research, as firms do not pay to be assessed or listed.
Researchers invite firms to submit information about their practices, including their work highlights of the last year. Chambers also speaks to clients suggested by the firms and found through researchers own investigations.
The data and opinions Chambers accumulates are used to rank lawyers and firms in bands 1 for the best, 2 for the second best, and so on within specific practice areas.
Each ranked lawyer and firm is analysed with editorial copy, often including quotes from other market commentators. Access to the rankings, analysis and more can be found at www.chambersandpartners.com.
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