29 September 2015
International law firm Simmons & Simmons has hired James Coleman as corporate partner in the Dubai office.

James has been in the Gulf region for over five years, working for other leading international law firms advising on public and private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, reorganisations, the establishment of investment funds and financial services regulation.  His clients include private equity funds, investment managers, sovereign wealth funds, corporates, financial institutions and state-owned enterprises.  James has been recognised as a leading lawyer for Qatar in IFLR 1000 2015 and ranked by Chambers Global 2015 for both Corporate and Investment Funds.

Andrew Wingfield, Regional Head for Simmons & Simmons in the Middle East commented "This is a very exciting time for the firm in the Middle East with the M&A market picking up and the opening up of markets such as Saudi Arabia with the new qualified foreign investor rules and Iran with the potential lifting of sanctions.  We are very pleased that James is joining the firm and he will enhance our sector approach with his expertise in asset management and investment funds and will add a new dimension to the team in Dubai."

Simmons & Simmons has expanded its Corporate & Commercial team in the Middle East, with four partner hires in the last two years.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:
1.     We are a leading international law firm with fully integrated teams working through offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and bring experienced professionals to some of the most active growth markets today. Our focus on a small number of sectors means we are able to understand and respond to our clients' needs. Our industry sectors are: Asset Management & Investment Funds, Energy & Infrastructure, Financial Institutions, Life Sciences and Telecoms, Media & Technology (TMT). We have a track record for innovation and delivering value to clients through new ways of working. 

2.     Simmons & Simmons is an international legal practice carried on by Simmons & Simmons LLP and its affiliated practices.  Accordingly, references to Simmons & Simmons mean Simmons & Simmons LLP and the other partnerships and other entities or practices authorised to use the name "Simmons & Simmons" or one or more of those practices as the context requires.  The word "partner" refers to a member of Simmons & Simmons LLP or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications or to an individual with equivalent status in one of Simmons & Simmons LLP's affiliated practices.  For further information on the international entities and practices, refer to simmons-simmons.com/legalresp

3.     Visit our website at simmons-simmons.com or our award-winning online legal service at elexica.com.

4.     Simmons & Simmons has worked in the Middle East for more than 30 years.  The firm has two offices in the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai) which opened in 1994 and 2005 respectively.  The Doha office opened in 2003 and we were the first international law firm to be granted a licence to operate independently in Qatar with permission to advise on both Qatar and international law matters.  In Saudi Arabia, Simmons & Simmons is in alliance with Hammad & Al-Mehdar, the leading Saudi Arabian law firm which has offices in Riyadh and Jeddah.

5.     For further information, please contact Heather McMaster, Senior PR Executive on +44 207 825 3962 or at heather.mcmaster@simmons-simmons.com or Nicky Lloyd, Regional Business Development Manager (Middle East), on +971 4 709 6647 or on nicky.lloyd@simmons-simmons.com

© Press Release 2015