Shearman & Sterling is one of the first global law firms to establish a presence in the Middle East. The firm’s presence in the UAE traces back to 1975 when it launched in Abu Dhabi. In 2015, the firm opened an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has a strong offering across all types of financial and corporate work in the UAE, with distinct market-leading capabilities in project work.

Its banking team’s experience encompasses the wide range of finance capabilities in both Shari’ah and conventional lending.

In capital markets, the firm is especially strong and active in equity, where it often handles cross-border transactions.

M&A is an area of relative strength for the firm. The team handles most transaction types in the corporate space on behalf of both buy-side and sell-side clients.

In projects, it is often a firm of choice for clients undertaking the largest and most sophisticated projects in power, oil and gas, petrochemicals, metals and mining and infrastructure.

Key clients

Key recent clients include Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Dow Chemical Company, Guinea Alumina Corporation, Emirates Global Aluminium and The Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company.