Watson, Farley & Williams (WFW), an international law firm, has opened its 14th office, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The opening is in response to increasing demand from WFW clients in the firm’s key sectors for advice in relation to their business dealings in Dubai and the UAE, and also across the Middle East generally.
The UAE is the 11th jurisdiction in which the firm has established a presence and reflects a natural progression, with the firm having an established track record of servicing clients in the region for the last 20 years.
The office will serve as a hub to advise Middle Eastern clients in the maritime, natural resources, energy, transport and infrastructure sectors, and will also serve as a nexus for the firm’s Islamic Finance practice.
Finance partner Andrew Baird has relocated from London to head up the new office, along with two associates. They will advise clients on English law transactions in the Middle East region.
Chris Lowe, WFW Managing Partner, said: “Dubai, the UAE and the Middle East more generally, act as a leading financial center in the modern global economy and represent a key hub of activity for our specialist sectors. With the lingering lack of liquidity in some of the more traditional banking markets around the world, the Middle East is an even more vital source of funding. This is something our clients recognize, and we have responded by ensuring we have an on-the-ground presence.”
Andrew Baird, Head of WFW’s Dubai office, said, “I am delighted to head this new office. It is an exciting new chapter in WFW’s ongoing development. We have been advising clients in the UAE and the broader Middle East region for more than 20 years and this office opening is both a response to their desire to work with us even more closely and an opportunity to build on our existing practice in the region.”