November 14, 2023
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that it is opening an office in Riyadh.
The firm’s Riyadh team includes seven partners—each of whom has extensive experience working with clients in Saudi Arabia: Megren Al-Shaalan, Mohammed Bashir, Mahmoud Abdel-Baky, Jonathan Langley, Mohamed AlHasan, Lars Petersen and Ibrahim Soumrany.
Gibson Dunn has significantly expanded in the Gulf in the last 12 months, adding 14 new partners and 19 new associates, the largest investment made in the region by any international firm during this time.
Commenting on the office launch and team hires, Gibson Dunn’s Chair and Managing Partner, Barbara Becker, said: “Between the firm’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai— the former of which we opened earlier this year— we have successfully built a market-leading presence in the Gulf with world-class practitioners. Our new Riyadh office, and the stellar talent joining it, is the next phase of Gibson Dunn’s growth strategy in the region.”
“With our leading international practices in energy, project finance, M&A, capital markets, regulatory and international arbitration—expansion in Saudi Arabia is a natural step.”
Megren Al-Shaalan, Partner-in-Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Riyadh office, said: “I am excited to help build the firm’s newest office, particularly in light of the immense growth happening in the Kingdom as a result of Vision 2030. Our team, which covers all main practices and has long-standing expertise in the Kingdom, possesses the collective experience to ensure clients are best served when conducting business both locally and internationally.”
Marwan Elaraby, Partner-in-Charge of Gibson Dunn’s Dubai office, added: “Having worked with lawyers from around the firm as we continue to grow our footprint in the Gulf, I look forward to furthering synergies across this new office and team. Megren’s leadership in Riyadh will be instrumental in growing our market share and scaling the firm’s success.”
The new Riyadh office will provide a deep bench of talent for clients to draw upon, advising on domestic and international matters relating to administrative law and regulatory, public policy, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, project development and finance, and arbitration.
Gibson Dunn has long been committed to the Middle East, representing the region’s largest companies and financial institutions for more than 40 years, including prominent government-affiliated entities. The firm’s lawyers have the experience to handle the most complex and innovative deals and disputes across different sectors, disciplines and jurisdictions throughout the Middle East and Africa (MENA).
About Megren M. Al-Shaalan
Megren is the founder and managing partner of The Law Office of Megren M. Al-Shaalan. He previously held the position of Senior Legal Advisor and the Secretary General of the National Committee for Regulatory Development at the Royal Court in Saudi Arabia, and currently serves as Chairman of the Regulations Committee at the Royal Commission for Al-Ula. He practices in a range of areas including public law, and regulatory and legislative matters, and he regularly advises on matters relating to Vision 2030 and related government initiatives. He has led in drafting a host of recent legislation and has led on structuring multi-billion projects, as well as restructuring sectors in Saudi Arabia. Megren also advises on corporate matters and M&A transactions.
He obtained his Master of Law at Michigan State University College of Law in 2011.
About Mohammed M. Bashir
Mohammed’s practice focuses on government advisory, public policy and international law. He has participated in drafting a host of legislation and developing the legal framework of several special economic zones. Additionally, he represents and advises clients on public international law and investment treaty arbitration. He also has considerable experience in negotiating and drafting international instruments.
Mohammed obtained his LLB from the University of Jordan in 2006, his LLM from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2008 and LLM from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute in International Dispute Settlement.
About Mahmoud Abdel-Baky
Mahmoud’s practice focuses on advising major financial institutions and corporations on corporate finance, project development and finance, Islamic finance including both international and local sukuk issuances, financial restructuring and general local corporate matters.
He obtained his LLB from the University of Cairo Law School and his LLM from the University of Houston.
About Jonathan Langley
Jonathan advises corporate, private equity and sovereign wealth fund clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and general corporate matters, across a broad range of industries and sectors. Jonathan also has extensive experience in emerging markets, and has previously worked in Riyadh, London, Dubai and Moscow.
He obtained his LLB from Victoria University, New Zealand, in 2003.
About Mohamed AlHasan
Mohamed advises regional sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, large corporations and multinational companies, family offices and investment houses on complex private and public mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate restructurings in the Middle East.
Mohamed obtained his LLB (Hons) from the University of Nottingham in 2008.
About Lars Petersen
Lars’ practice focuses on public and regulatory law, and he has extensive experience in representing clients before a variety of regulatory authorities in Germany and the European Union. In Saudi Arabia, Lars is involved in a variety of matters relating to Saudi Vision 2030 and related government initiatives. Lars will work across both the Frankfurt and Riyadh offices.
Lars passed his First State Exam after studies at Bucerius Law School in 2007 and his Second State Exam at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court of Hamburg in 2011. He received his Dr. jur. degree from the Walther Schücking Institute for International Law at Kiel University in 2010 and his LL.M. (European Law) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2019.
About Ibrahim Soumrany
Ibrahim is a capital markets partner who advises public and private issuers and investment banks on capital markets transactions, including equity offerings (IPOs and secondary offerings) and debt offerings (conventional and Islamic). He also regularly advises companies and their boards on listing requirements, securities and corporate governance matters and reporting obligations. He has extensive experience advising on transactions across the Middle East, the U.S. and Europe, with over 15 years of experience in the Saudi market. Ibrahim will work across both the Dubai and Riyadh offices.
Ibrahim is admitted to the New York State Bar and Beirut Bar. He obtained his LLM in Securities & Financial Regulation from Georgetown University Law Center in 2011, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.