Clifford Chance (CC), Dentons, DLA Piper and Hogan Lovells are among the firms competing to be named International Law Firm of the Year at the Middle East Legal Awards. Completing the line-up in this flagship category at the awards – which are jointly hosted by Legal Week and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Middle East chapter – are Baker McKenzie, DWF, Eversheds Sutherland and Holman Fenwick Willan.
The shortlist showcases the region’s top lawyers and legal departments. Among the in-house companies represented are Commercial Bank of Dubai, PepsiCo and regional retail, building and construction conglomerate Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group.
The awards – formerly known as the Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards – will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Residence on 11 May.
Among the Middle East firms to be shortlisted for Regional Law Firm of the Year (Large Practice) category are Al Tamimi & Company, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates and Hadef & Partners whilst while the small regional firms category includes Afridi & Angell, Al Jallaf Advocates & Legal Consultants and Davidson & Co.
The awards are divided into in-house and private practice sections. Law firm team awards cover a range of practice areas including corporate, banking and finance, construction, and arbitration – a new category for 2017.
The winners will be chosen by an independent judging panel chaired by Dubai World Central general counsel Dean Stelfox, and including several leading regional GCs, including Afshan Akhtar of Arab Banking Corporation, Bruce McAlister of GE, and Ziad Zarka of Qatar Chemical and Petrochemical Marketing and Distribution Company.
This year’s awards will be hosted by TV presenter Shadia Bseiso.
For sponsorship enquires, contact Natalie Hill on NHill@alm.com or +44 20 3868 7531. For table sales contact Peter Doolan on PDoolan@alm.com or +44 20 3868 7555.
The Middle East Legal Awards 2017 Finalists
In-house awards
Legal Department of the Year - Large Team
ABB Industries
Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group
OSN
Pepsi-Cola International
SEDCO Holding
Legal Department of the Year - Small Team
Al Ghurair Investment
Sidra Medical and Research Center
Total Marketing Middle East
Legal Department of the Year – Government Department, Agency or Public Body
DIFC DRA Academy of Law
Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department Government Contracts and Agreements Directorate
Qatar Financial Centre Authority
General Counsel of the Year - Sponsored by Eversheds Sutherland
Nasser Al-Taweel, Qatar Financial Centre Authority
Clint Hermes, Sidra Medical and Research Center
Khalid Khan, The Zubair Corporation
Dr. Zaid Mahayni, SEDCO Holding
Firas Oggar, Al Ghurair Investment
Souhayel Tayeb, Commercial Bank of Dubai
Senior Corporate Counsel of the Year
Shafiq Jamoos, Deyaar Development
David Johnson, National Bank of Abu Dhabi
Lylia Mezhoud, Total Marketing Middle East
Hani Abo Samra, Shelf Drilling
Rahul Sharda, Al Ghurair Investment
Junior Corporate Counsel of the Year
To be announced on the night
Joint Awards
Innovation Award
Al-Ansari & Associates
Bird & Bird
DIFC Wills & Probate Registry
Shelf Drilling
The Bench
Total Marketing Middle East
CSR Initiative of the Year
Al-Ansari & Associates
Al Tamimi & Company
Clifford Chance
Clyde & Co
Dentons
Eversheds Sutherland
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Squire Patton Boggs
Diversity Initiative of the Year
Clifford Chance
Clyde & Co
Dentons
Law Firm Awards
International Law Firm of the Year - Sponsored by Fox Rodney Search
Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Dentons
DLA Piper
DWF
Eversheds Sutherland
Hogan Lovells
Holman Fenwick Willan
Regional Law Firm of the Year - Large Practice
Al Tamimi & Company
BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates
Hadef & Partners
Regional Law Firm of the Year - Small Practice
Afridi & Angell
Al Jallaf Advocates & Legal Consultants
Davidson & Co
Global Advocacy and Legal Counsel
Tribonian Law Advisors (In Association with Rindala Beydoun Legal Consultancy)
Assistant/Associate Solicitor of the Year
Christina Sochacki, Al Tamimi & Company
Fareya Azfar, Gateley
Natasja Pollemans, KBH Kaanuun
Richard Dupay, Berwin Leighton Paisner
Samir Safar-Aly, Simmons & Simmons
Banking and Finance Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Dechert
Dentons
Hadef & Partners
Hogan Lovells
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Infrastructure and Energy Projects Team of the Year
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Al Tamimi & Company
Bracewell
Dentons
DLA Piper
Hadef & Partners
Hogan Lovells
Shearman & Sterling
Simmons & Simmons
Construction Team of the Year - Sponsored by Arcadis
Al Tamimi & Company
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Charles Russell Speechlys
Dentons
Hogan Lovells
Holman Fenwick Willan
Real Estate Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Baker McKenzie
Berwin Leighton Paisner
Hadef & Partners
Corporate Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Eversheds Sutherland
Fichte & Co
Hadef & Partners
Hogan Lovells
Shearman & Sterling
Stephenson Harwood
Arbitration Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Baker McKenzie
BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates
Charles Russell Speechlys
Clyde & Co
Dentons
DLA Piper
Reed Smith
Trowers & Hamlins
Litigation Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Baker McKenzie
BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates
Charles Russell Speechlys
Clyde & Co
KBH Kaanuun
Stephenson Harwood
Regulatory and Investigations Team of the Year
Baker McKenzie
Clyde & Co
Simmons & Simmons
Squire Patton Boggs
TMT Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Baker McKenzie
Dentons
DLA Piper
Eversheds Sutherland
Hadef & Partners
Simmons & Simmons
The Bench FZE
Employment Team of the Year
Al Tamimi & Company
Clyde & Co
Squire Patton Boggs
Stephenson Harwood
-Ends-
Contacts:
John Malpas
Publishing director, Legal Week
Email JMalpas@alm.com
Duncan RJ Campbell
Senior marketing manager
Tel +44 20 3868 7525
Email DCampbell@alm.com
About Legal Week
Legal Week is essential reading for business lawyers, offering clear reporting and hard-hitting analysis of the biggest and most up-to-date news in the legal profession, as well as investigating the issues behind the stories from the UK and around the world. Legal Week Events manages high-profile events, creating unrivalled programmes and networking opportunities while legalweek.com provides an indispensable online resource with daily news bulletins and an archive of over 27,000 news stories.
www.legalweek.com
About ACC Middle East
The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) serves more than 42,000 members in 85 countries, including in-house lawyers working throughout the Middle East.
ACC Middle East promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other private-sector organisations in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. ACC Middle East provides a local network in the region and serves the in-house community through information, education, networking opportunities and advocacy initiatives.
For more information on ACC activities in the Middle East, contact manager@acc-middleeast.com
www.acc.com/chapters/middleeast
© Press Release 2017
