Rand Shahin is an associate in the Riyadh office of Gibson Dunn, where she practices in the firm’s Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Group.
Rand completed her law degree at the University of Leeds in 2019 before achieving her Master of Laws in 2020 from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She also completed her Legal Practice Course at BPP University in London. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Rand was an associate in the Corporate (M&A and Regulatory) team of an international law firm in Dubai where she previously completed her two-year training contract.
Rand is admitted to the Solicitors Regulation Authority to practice as a solicitor in England and Wales as of 2023.
Huw Thomas is an English qualified associate at Gibson Dunn, based in the Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices. He is part of the firm’s Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Private Equity Practice Groups.
Huw advises on a wide range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity offerings, restructurings, and corporate governance. His experience spans work with listed companies, financial institutions, and private equity firms on complex international transactions.
Huw also completed a secondment to a UAE-government body, where he supported the legal function on various mandates, further broadening his experience in high-level advisory roles.
Before joining Gibson Dunn, Huw worked as an associate in the Dubai office of a Magic Circle law firm, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and general corporate advisory matters.
Huw holds an undergraduate law degree (LLB) and a Master of Laws (LLM) from Cardiff University, and completed the Legal Practice Course (LLM) at BPP Law School, London. He is admitted to practice in England and Wales.
Caitlin Moss is an associate based in Dubai office of Gibson Dunn, where she currently practices in the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Projects and Infrastructure Practice Groups. Caitlin has a variety of transactional experience, which also includes M&A and capital markets.
Caitlin has undertaken two secondments. The first was with ADNOC supporting the finance and investments function. The second was as Acting General Counsel of Zayed University where she was responsible for all legal matters, including commercial contracts, research grants, governance, accreditation, employment, intellectual property, and litigation.
Caitlin has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with honours and a Bachelor of Business Management from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law. Caitlin is admitted to practice in Australia.
Mona Kalantar is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups. Mona has a broad-based practice encompassing global public and private mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, restructuring transactions, and general corporate matters.
She earned her Juris Doctor cum laude in 2020 from Northwestern University School of Law. Mona received her undergraduate degree in 2017 from University of California – Davis, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics. She is admitted to practice law in both California and Illinois.
Luke Higgins is an associate in the Abu Dhabi office of Gibson Dunn, and a member of the Energy, Projects & Infrastructure practice group.
Luke’s practice focuses on large scale energy and infrastructure projects; advising sponsors, governments, and financial institutions on the development, construction, and acquisition of greenfield projects, with particular experience in the renewable and low-carbon energy sector. He is experienced in providing advice, drafting and negotiation in relation to engineering and design contracts, construction contracts and EPC contracts, and is well versed with a variety of procurement strategies such as multi-contract procurement to collaborative contracting.
Sherif Hashem is an associate in the Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group.
Sherif has a variety of transactional experience advising clients on M&A and capital markets. Sherif completed a secondment with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) where he supported the downstream function. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Sherif was a corporate associate based in the UAE offices of a leading US law firm and, prior to that, was a corporate associate at leading law firms in Egypt. Sherif also has experience outside of law, having managed a VC-backed tech company in Egypt where he successfully implemented a business turnaround strategy.
Helen Elmer is an English-qualified associate in the Dubai office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of the firm’s International Arbitration and Litigation practice groups. She has practiced in London, Dubai and Hong Kong.
Helen specialises in international arbitration and complex commercial litigation. She represents clients in relation to M&A disputes, investment disputes, infrastructure and energy disputes, and matters involving fraud and white-collar crime. Helen acts in arbitrations under all of the major institutional rules. She has broad experience, including litigation at the interlocutory, trial and appellate levels, before the High Court of England & Wales, the Privy Council, and defending proceedings brought in the UAE. She has also acted on multiple high-value arbitrations across jurisdictions, both for and against sovereign and private entities. She has acted for a broad range of clients including multinational corporations, construction firms, investment firms and sovereign governments.
Helen trained at Gibson Dunn. She was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2018 and received rights of audience before the Civil Higher Courts in 2023. She has spent seven years working in the firm’s London office and one year working in the Hong Kong office.
Charles Case is an associate in the Abu Dhabi office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and a member of the Finance, and Projects and Infrastructure Practice Groups.
Charles has a broad practice advising major financial institutions, investment funds, private equity sponsors and corporates on a range of finance transactions, including leveraged finance, infrastructure finance, project finance and private credit.
Charles received his undergraduate Russian degree from the University of Bristol with first class honours. He received his graduate diploma in law with distinction and his master of science in law, business and management with distinction from the University of Law.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Charles trained and practised in the London and Dubai offices of a major international law firm.
Charles is admitted to practice in England and Wales.
Elizabeth Wood is of counsel in the Dubai office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is a member of the Finance Practice Group. She has significant experience advising Sponsors, Borrowers, ECAs/DFIs and Lenders on the financing of power, renewable, petrochemical and infrastructure projects in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Elizabeth is very familiar with ECA financings and at a previous firm she undertook a two year secondment to JBIC in Tokyo.
Laleh Shahabi is a partner in the Abu Dhabi office of Gibson Dunn and Crutcher, where she is a member of the Projects & Infrastructure and Finance practice groups.
Laleh’s practice focuses on advising corporate sponsors, governments, government related entities and financial institutions on a wide range of banking and financial transactions – including project financing and refinancing, leveraged and acquisition financing, direct lending and general corporate financing. She has experience in a wide variety of project finance and development transactions in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with a focus on the transitional energy, renewables, and oil & gas sectors.
Laleh received her M.A. in law from the University of Cambridge, where she served as a founder and managing editor of the Cambridge Student Law Review (CSLR), and was a Cambridge Overseas Trust Scholar. Laleh also earned her M.A. from Columbia University as well as her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Laleh is admitted to practice in England and Wales.
Samuel Ogunlaja is a partner in the Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices of Gibson Dunn*, and a member of the firm’s Energy and Projects & Infrastructure Practice Groups. His practice focuses on advising sponsors, governments, government-owned entities, and financial institutions on a range of energy and infrastructure-related transactions, including greenfield and brownfield project development, M&A, carve-outs, restructurings, capital markets transactions, and other corporate and commercial matters. Samuel has worked with a wide variety of clients across a range of matters in the energy sector including award winning deals in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, and South Africa.
In addition to his practice in the Middle East, Samuel is very active on Africa-related matters and has experience acting on a range of transactions across the Continent. He also co-led the Africa group at his previous firm.
Samuel is a thought leader in the energy sector, having published articles, spoken at international conferences, and lectured at universities on energy-related matters, particularly concerning Africa and the energy transition. In recognition of his accomplishments and leadership within the sector, he was named as Law360’s 2022 Global Rising Star for Energy.
Samuel is also a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion and is a leader in this space. He pioneered the Black Lawyers Matter and Black Undergraduate Internship and Lawyer Development (BUILD) Programs at his previous firm, and he works with a number of organizations to help create opportunities for access and advancement for Black lawyers and those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
Samuel received his undergraduate law degree (LLB) with Honors from King’s College London, University of London. He is admitted to practice in England and Wales.
Hanna Chalhoub is a partner in the Dubai office of Gibson Dunn. He is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.
Hanna advises institutional investors, asset managers, and corporations on a wide range of complex cross-border transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and co-investment deals and structures, and general corporate matters.
Hanna is recommended for United Arab Emirates: Commercial, Corporate and M&A by Legal 500 EMEA, which noted the team is “commercial, responsive/available, deploy diverse teams. Pleasant to work with”. In previous years, clients have noted the team is: “extremely commercial and able to leverage global insight quickly and efficiently”.
Hanna received his law degree, with honors, from Saint-Joseph University in Beirut. Additionally, he received a professional Masters in Litigation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution, with honors, from the French section of the Lebanese University. He was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2008 and received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law, where he won the Munger Prize for Scholars in International and Business Law.
Hanna was seconded to the legal division and the private equity department of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in 2019. He interned at the Court of Appeal of Paris in the summer of 2005.
Hanna is a member of the Beirut Bar Association and is admitted to practice in the State of New York. He is fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
Shaima is a Saudi-qualified associate based in Gibson Dunn’s Riyadh office and a member of the International Arbitration and Administrative Law and Regulatory groups, with a focus on international treaties and dispute resolution, primarily centered on investment treaties. Her expertise encompasses active assistance and advising on negotiation rounds for Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) agreements with more than 20 countries. Her contributions include assisting in drafting and updating a BIT Model to ensure it aligns perfectly with the policies and objectives of the state. Shaima is widely recognized for her role in preparing negotiator guidelines for BIT negotiations and providing valuable insights into the positions taken by different countries.
Before joining Gibson Dunn, Shaima worked at a leading international law firm in Riyadh, specializing in litigation. Her litigation experience includes representing clients before courts and arbitration tribunals.
Faisal Al-Ashaikh is an associate in the Riyadh office of Gibson Dunn, where he is part of the firm’s Regulatory and Administrative Law Practice Group. He focuses on providing strategic advice to government entities on legislative frameworks, public policy development, administrative law, and regulatory compliance.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Faisal held roles in Saudi Arabia’s public sector at the Public Investment Fund, the Decision Support Center at the Royal Court, and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. Throughout his experience, he provided counsel on administrative law and regulatory matters, and led legislative analysis and drafting projects across various sectors including corporate law, commercial transactions, investment, real estate, media, intellectual property, human rights, and healthcare.
Faisal earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of California, Davis in 2017, and graduated with distinction from King Saud University with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.).
Jonathan Langley is a partner in the firm’s global Mergers & Acquisitions Group.
He has over two decades of experience advising 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.
Jonathan previously worked in the Riyadh, London, Dubai, and Moscow offices of another leading international firm.
Megren Al-Shaalan previously held the position of Senior Legal Advisor at the Royal Court in Saudi Arabia as well as the Secretary General of the National Legal Reform Committee at the Royal Court. He currently serves as Chairman of the Regulations Committee at the Royal Commission for Al-Ula.
Megren’s practice focuses on public law, regulatory and legislative matters where he regularly provides advice on various matters relating to Vision 2030 and the related government initiatives. He has recently led the efforts in drafting a number of legislations and structuring various multi-billion projects as well as restructuring sectors in the Kingdom. In addition, Megren regularly advises on corporate and capital markets matters, M&A transactions and commercial disputes.
Mohammed Bashir’s practice focuses on transnational public policy & regulatory affairs, international arbitration, and public international law. He regularly provides advice on treaty law, state responsibility, and sovereign immunity. Mohammed has substantive experience in negotiating and drafting international instruments, including hosting agreements, investment treaties, and investment chapters in Free Trade Agreements. Mohammed also serves as counsel in treaty and commercial arbitration, leveraging his deep expertise in Middle Eastern civil law systems and public international law.
Mohammed is named in Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators guide in 2024 and is ranked in Chambers Global in 2025. Chambers Global notes that he “is a strong, knowledgeable partner “, “hard-working” and “consistently provides clear, strategic advice and handles intricate international legal issues with great skill”.
Mahmoud Abdel-Baky’s work focuses primarily on representing major financial and corporate institutions in connection with project financings, Islamic financings (including sukuk issuances), financial restructurings and insolvency and structured financings. Mahmoud has been based in Saudi Arabia for the past 15 years during which he advised key market players on key transactions in the market.
Mahmoud is admitted to practice law in Egypt and the State of New York and has practiced in Cairo and New York prior to moving to Riyadh in 2009.
Marwan Elaraby is the Partner in Charge of the Dubai office where he is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets Practice Groups.
Marwan advises clients on M&A and private equity transactions, as well as governments on strategic and regulatory matters. He also advises both issuers and underwriters on equity and debt securities offerings.
Marwan represents sovereign-owned, corporate and private equity clients including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), ADQ, Investment Corporation of Dubai, EFG-Hermes, Marriott International and Investcorp.
Marwan is ranked by Chambers Global as a leading individual for Corporate/M&A (Band 1) and Capital Markets: Equity in the UAE and as a leading individual in Egypt for Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets, and Projects & Energy. Chambers Global also ranks him in the Middle East-wide tables for both Corporate/M&A and Capital Markets. He is highly regarded by IFLR1000 for M&A and Private Equity.
Chambers Global states that Marwan is “a phenomenal lawyer,” someone who is “super-commercial, very sharp and reads situations well” and “widely respected for his capital markets skills, with particularly notable experience in the UAE and Egypt.” Clients note that Marwan is “flexible and able to adapt to market conditions that can change very quickly” and someone who can “come up with innovative solutions to resolve any issues that arise.”
Marwan received his Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the American University in Cairo, majoring in Economics. He is fluent in English, Arabic, and French.
He is admitted to practice in the State of New York.
Renad Younes is Partner in Charge of the Abu Dhabi office of Gibson Dunn. She is a member of the Projects and Infrastructure and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups.
Renad advises corporations, financial institutions and governments on local and international M&A transactions and projects that cover energy, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, defense, space, and strategic government matters and policy. She leads her clients through complex M&A processes, as well as greenfield project development in such sectors. From Gibson Dunn’s office in Abu Dhabi, Renad routinely advises her clients on outbound investments into Europe and the USA.
Renad’s deep sector and industry knowledge and combination of M&A and project development experience enables her to also frequently advise on complex large scale agenda setting projects that are followed by IPOs, equity offerings and debt offerings where her industry knowledge is applied to structure the relevant assets to achieve successful and strategic capital raisings. Known for her innovation and solution-oriented approach in the infrastructure and energy sector, she also has an extensive track record assisting clients in setting up innovative projects and legal structures, including market facing energy trading companies, artificial intelligence, energy and infrastructure projects.
Renad is listed and top ranked by Chambers and The Legal 500 in both M&A and energy categories, and is listed in the “Hall of Fame” for UAE Oil, Gas and Natural Resources by The Legal 500 EMEA. She was named on IFLR 1000’s Women Leaders list of “highly regarded” lawyers worldwide.
Renad is admitted to practice in England and Wales, and is a Solicitor for the Supreme Court of England and Wales.