Leading global law firm Linklaters joins Dubai International Financial Centre

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)  announces that Linklaters has been registered by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate as an Ancillary Service Provider from the DIFC. Following receipt of the necessary licences, Linklaters' Dubai office formally opened at the end of February in The Gate Building in the DIFC.

Linklaters is a law firm which specializes in advising the world's leading companies, financial institutions and governments on their most challenging transactions and assignments. With the opening of Linklaters' Dubai office, the firm now has 30 offices in 23 of the world's major business and financial centres.

Linklaters' Dubai office has been established in response to clients’ increased strategic focus on the Middle East and the increasing levels of investment into and out of the region, leading to a growing demand for premium legal advice.

The new office builds on Linklaters’ successful thirty-year track-record of advising governments, banks, corporates and project sponsors in the Middle East. The firm has amassed considerable experience working on securities issues, project finance transactions, corporate finance transactions, aircraft financings and Shari‘a compliant financings. Linklaters has also been involved in the creation and growth of local currency-denominated international securities issues for international borrowers and syndicated loans to borrowers in the region.

Linklaters' Dubai office will provide advice on a broad range of corporate and finance work, including capital markets, project finance, banking, asset finance and Islamic finance, as well as corporate/M&A and TMT advice to clients operating in, and moving into, the Middle East.

The office will be led by three partners: Ewan Cameron, previously head of corporate and securities at Clifford Chance’s Dubai office; Scott Campbell, who has also joined Linklaters as a partner from Clifford Chance; and Jonathan Inman, a projects partner who is transferring from Linklaters' London office where he focused on the Middle East.

Commenting on the registration of Linklaters, Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Director General of the DIFC Authority commented: “I am delighted to welcome Linklaters to the DIFC as an Ancillary Service Provider. With reputed organizations such as Linklaters joining the DIFC, we can provide added value and professional assistance to all our clients. The DIFC aims to set a new benchmark in terms of quality of service offered in the region.”

Ewan Cameron, managing partner of Linklaters' Dubai office, said:

"Opening an office in the DIFC in Dubai reflects Linklaters' commitment to be where our clients need us and strengthens our existing capability of advising clients in the region on all issues relating to structuring, documenting and closing a wide range of transactions in the Middle East. We have been working closely with the DIFC over the last few years and are delighted to be establishing our own presence in this dynamic financial centre which is home to some of the world's leading institutions."