Biglaw

Top Biglaw Firm Opens Its Own Office In Saudi Arabia Ahead Of Major Merger

Allen & Overy is among a handful of other Biglaw firms operating independently in the region.

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Traffic in Riyadh at sunset in Saudi Arabia capital cityAllen & Overy’s merger with Shearman & Sterling will be official in May, but before that time, the top firm is taking care of some expansion in the Middle East.

On Monday, the firm received its license to operate in Saudi Arabia, and promptly opened a new office there in Riyadh. As noted by Bloomberg Law, in May, lawyers from a Shearman team in the area will join the office.

Allen & Overy previously conducted business in the area through an association Khoshaim & Associates, a firm in the area, but that relationship concluded in 2020. A&O now joins the likes of Clifford Chance, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, and Linklaters with independent practices within the region.

Khalid Garousha, who was recently elected as senior partner for A&O Shearman and currently serves as A&O’s interim global managing partner and regional managing partner for the Middle East and Turkey, had this to say about the firm’s move: “A&O has had a strong presence in the Middle East since 1978, including a long history of advising clients in the Kingdom.”

Congratulations to Allen & Overy  — and to A&O Shearman come May — on the new office.

Allen & Overy Opens Riyadh Office Ahead of Merger With Shearman [Bloomberg]

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Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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