Middle East - Corporate & Commercial

Our Middle East corporate and commercial practice is a multifaceted transactional practice that is focused on legal matters directed towards and emanating from the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Gulf Cooperation Council countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In this regard, we work across a variety of issues and industries to provide effective and efficient advice to our clients within the region and beyond.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Represented MAG Group in the divestiture of a large real estate development in Dubai to a private equity firm.
• Represented Donaldson Company (US publicly traded) on a large acquisition of an Abu Dhabi based filter manufacturing company.
• Represented BR Foods (Brazilian publicly traded) on an acquisition of a significant interest in Federal Foods LLC, the largest food distribution company in the UAE.
• Represented Abraaj Capital (largest private equity firm in the Middle East) in its acquisition of the 30% stock of the National Flight Services Company (Saudi Arabian publicly traded).
• Represented NBK Capital (a Middle Eastern private equity firm) in its acquisition of a controlling stake in Nayifat Installment Company (a Saudi Arabian wholesaler and retail trader of vehicles, home and office furniture and building materials).
• Represented Masdar Capital, a Mubadala company, in a venture capital investment into a US-based early stage specialty chemicals company.
• Represented EQT in a large private equity acquisition of a UAE target.

Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances

• Advised Abercrombie & Fitch on significant joint ventures in the UAE and Kuwait.
• Represented Saudi Binladen Group, Porr and HBK in a large consortium and joint venture in Qatar in connection with the more than US$2.2 billion Qatar Integrated Railway Project.
• Represented Rockwell Collins (US publicly traded) on an offset related joint venture with an affiliated entity of Mubadala.
• Represented Louis Vuitton and Fendi on two separate GCC-wide joint ventures with the Chalhoub Group.
• Represented Chemtura Corporation in its joint venture arrangements with Zamil Group Holding Company (a publicly traded Saudi Arabian corporation) and a European petrochemical company.
• Represented John Buck Company in an international Abu Dhabi-based joint venture with a Mubadala government-owned real estate development organization for the cooperative pursuit of real estate opportunities related to a US$100 billion urban development project.
• Represented Tristar, Dutco and the Omani Investment Fund in a large joint venture for the manufacture of antimony ores in Oman.
• Represented National Holding in a strategic joint venture with a leading Spanish eye care company for the creation of a leading eye care hospital in Abu Dhabi

Foreign Direct Investment

• Advised AT Kearney on entry into the Saudi Arabian market as well as corporate and dispute matters.
• Advised Apple Inc. on the set up of their Apple entities and stores across the UAE and advised on all local law/regulatory matters in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• Advised Edelman on the formation of operating entities throughout the Middle East and on a joint venture with a Dubai-based PR practice.
• Represented Hilti AG on the restructuring of its business across the UAE.
• Represented Lockheed Martin on a procurement project for Qatar, on an offset project for Saudi Arabia and on entity establishment across the UAE.
• Represented Middle East Broadcast Networks on the establishment of operations in the Middle East, including corporate, regulatory, employment and tax matters pertaining to starting, acquiring and/or partnering with broadcast companies in Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem and Dubai, as well as restructuring its operations in Morocco.

Commercial

• Advised AAR Corp onasignificantcommercial agreement with a publicly traded Saudi Arabian corporation.
• Represented California Garden, a California- based consumer food productscompany, on the negotiation and implementation of adistribution arrangement in the Middle East.
• Represented General Mills on accessing its agency and distributorship arrangements across 15 jurisdictions in the Middle East and on the termination of certain registered agencies.
• Represented a large pharmaceutical company on the termination of its registered agent in the UAE before the Ministry of Economy and before UAE courts.
• Represented a Chinese auto manufacturer with respecttothetermination of a registered agent in the UAE and the negotiation of a replacement agent.
• Represented a large US electronics manufac- turer on a variety of corporate and commercial matters and agreements relating to the Middle East, including the termination of several regis- tered and non-registered agents and distributors across the GCC.