Two firms dominate Middle East legal ranking

17 March 2016

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. MEED’s 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 Global’s 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 region’s 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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