Skip to main content

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
Middle East<br />

Middle East

We are an outstanding international law firm in the Middle East, with more Tier One directory rankings achieved in the region in 2023, and more award winning first-of-a-kind deals than any other firm. We work with clients throughout the Middle East and North Africa and have offices in Abu Dhabi, Casablanca, Dubai and Istanbul.

A market-leading international law firm

We opened our first Middle East office in 1975. Today we have offices in Abu Dhabi, Casablanca, Dubai and Istanbul. In Saudi Arabia, we have a joint venture - AS&H Clifford Chance*.

Our teams' outstanding work and our close working relationships with clients has earned us the most Tier One rankings across the Chambers Global (Chambers and Partners), The Legal 500 (Legalease Ltd) and IFLR (Delinian Limited) directories than any other law firm in the Middle East.

We advise regional and international clients on their business interests across the Middle East and North Africa. When we advise clients who want to build or expand their international business we work closely with colleagues from our international network.

An in-region team with an impressive track record

We base our lawyers – over 140 of them – in the region. We've found that clients get better results when their team is familiar with the region's languages, cultures, laws and business processes. So we've built an on-the-ground team with sophisticated capabilities and a wide range of expertise. We have a strong team that works on intra-region and outbound transactions.

*In Saudi Arabia, we have a joint venture - AS&H Clifford Chance (licence number 1010463703). AS&H Clifford Chance is a separate law firm from Clifford Chance LLP, with different partners. Clifford Chance does not control or consolidate AS&H Clifford Chance. AS&H Clifford Chance is independently managed and its Managing Partner is Dr Fahad Abuhimed.

Recent highlights

Recent assignments (deals and other client work)

Awards and milestones

  • Banking and Finance Law Firm of the Year
    The Legal 500 Middle East and North Africa Awards 2024
  • International Law Firm of the Year
    IFLR Middle East Awards 2023
  • International Law Firm of the Year
    LegalWeek's Middle East Legal Awards 2022
  • Middle East International Law Firm of the Year
    Chambers Middle East Awards 2023
  • Law Firm of the Year
    IFN Law Firm Awards 2023

Directory and client comments

Directory Highlights

  • Clifford Chance has again garnered the most Tier 1 rankings of any firm across the Middle East in 2023, as well as the most global-wide Tier 1 rankings of any other firm.
  • 1st place for M&A in the Middle East and Africa (Mergermarket 2022 Global M&A League Tables, by value)
  • Named Banking and Finance Law Firm of the Year at The Legal 500 Middle East and North Africa Awards 2024 
  • Named Banking & Finance Law Firm of the Year 2023 at IFN Deal of the Year Awards for 2023

Client Comments

  • Very knowledgeable team with deep experience of dealing with the Central Bank. Responsive and commercial. Excellent partners to work with in the region."
    Chambers, 2024
  • One of the strongest law firms in the region, with the benefit of reach or support from around the world when required."
    Legal 500: UAE, 2024 (Construction)

Resources

Careers

Start your career with Clifford Chance, where the brightest minds work as one team for our clients.

Apply now

News

Read about our latest work for clients, news and awards.

Read our news

Briefings

Our guides, briefings and insights keep our clients up to date with the latest legal developments.

Find briefings

Meet our people in the Middle East

Search our people

Search