Morgan Lewis has established a presence in Riyadh by assembling a six-attorney group that includes recent hires from A&O Shearman and Al Tamimi & Company. Partner Sultan Almasoud leads the launch after serving more than ten years as managing partner at legacy Shearman & Sterling's Saudi location before the merger that created A&O Shearman. M&A specialist Sanjarbek Abdukhalilov and dispute resolution attorney Saeed Algahtani complete the recruits alongside existing firm personnel.
The expansion marks the third Middle Eastern location for Morgan Lewis following earlier openings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia modified its legal practice regulations in 2023 to permit international firms to operate independently without requiring local partnerships, though regulations mandate that 70 percent of attorneys hold Saudi nationality. The government's economic diversification initiative has generated more than one trillion dollars in construction and infrastructure activity during the past eight years.
Numerous American and British legal practices have recently opened Saudi offices or submitted applications following the regulatory changes, with several firms announcing Riyadh launches during recent months.
The expansion marks the third Middle Eastern location for Morgan Lewis following earlier openings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia modified its legal practice regulations in 2023 to permit international firms to operate independently without requiring local partnerships, though regulations mandate that 70 percent of attorneys hold Saudi nationality. The government's economic diversification initiative has generated more than one trillion dollars in construction and infrastructure activity during the past eight years.
Numerous American and British legal practices have recently opened Saudi offices or submitted applications following the regulatory changes, with several firms announcing Riyadh launches during recent months.
