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International law firm Squire Patton Boggs has signed a cooperation agreement with The Law Offices of Looaye M. Al-Akkas, a 10-lawyer practice in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As part of the agreement, Al-Akkas will become a partner at Squire Patton Boggs. The move comes as Squire Patton Boggs prepares to take advantage of new regulations for foreign law firms in Saudi Arabia, which are set to go into effect later this year.
Under the new laws, non-Saudi firms will no longer be able to form affiliations with local practices but will instead be allowed to operate directly in the country. However, foreign firms must have two representative partners who live in the country for 180 days out of the year.
Squire Patton Boggs’ chair and global CEO Mark Ruehlmann expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, noting Al-Akkas’ membership on the board of the Saudi Bar Association and calling him a “highly respected member of the legal community.” Ruehlmann also stated that the firm is “committed to being a premiere firm for companies doing business in the Kingdom and across the region.”
Squire Patton Boggs had previously been affiliated with another Riyadh law practice, the Khalid Al-Thebity Law Firm. However, the firm terminated that affiliation as it prepared to comply with the new regulations. Shortly after, Greenberg Traurig announced its agreement to work with the Khalid Al-Thebity firm.
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Other global law firms, including Dentons, Latham & Watkins, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Clifford Chance, have also been granted licenses to practice in Saudi Arabia.
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Vinson & Elkins, previously affiliated with Al-Akkas, no longer lists a Saudi Arabia office on its website. A Vinson spokesperson said the firm conducted a strategic review of the association last year and agreed with Al-Akkas that he would exit the partnership at the end of 2022.
Squire Patton Boggs declined to comment further on its presence in the region, pending the completion of its application for a Saudi law license.
The cooperation agreement with The Law Offices of Looaye M. Al-Akkas positions Squire Patton Boggs to expand its presence in the Middle East and provide legal services to clients in the region. As the new regulations take effect, the firm will be able to operate directly in Saudi Arabia, further solidifying its commitment to being a top firm for businesses operating in the Kingdom and across the region.
