Lovells has opened a second office in Saudi Arabia through its associated law firm Al-Yaqtoub Attorneys and Legal Advisers. The new office is located in Jeddah and joins its sister office in Riyadh.
Lovells is one of a few international law firms to have offices in both Saudi cities. Crispin Rapinet, regional managing partner for Asia and the Middle East, said its presence in both cities gives the firm “a very competitive position in the Saudi market.
“Jeddah has historically been the commercial center – many of Saudi’s largest corporations are headquartered there – and Riyadh capital and banking hub. As one of the few international firms to have offices in both, we are significantly well-placed to take advantage of the key economic activity in both eastern and western Saudi Arabia.”
Lovells also has an office in Dubai, which opened in May 2007. Lovells operates in Saudi Arabia in association with the local law firm AYALA, according to a press release. It is led by Montasir Al-Mohammed, a Saudi-qualified lawyer who previously worked for Andersen Legal and Ernst & Young in Saudi Arabia.
There are also two Lovell lawyers based in the Saudi offices – Mustafa Kamal in Jeddah and Imran Mufti in Riyadh.