Our MENA Practice
Macfarlanes has considerable experience in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our clients range from private individuals based in the region to international and domestic companies, across a range of industry sectors.
Our MENA practice, head by Nicholas Barclay, advises clients across a wide range of matters. We are recognised for our ability to deliver seamless cross-border solutions that reflect local laws, local procedures and local markets.
We have close working relationships with many leading independent law firms in the region and currently have lawyers seconded to firms in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Examples of our client base and cross-border activities in MENA include:
Large construction company
Advising a large construction company based in the UAE in relation to a large environmental multi-party dispute in the Seychelles.
GE Oil & Gas
Advising GE Oil & Gas, Italy on its strategic partnership with Al Shaheen Energy Services, Qatar. The team’s experience in advising on pensions risk sharing assisted the parties in reaching agreement despite their respective commercial imperatives.
Egyptian national resident
Advising an Egyptian national resident in the UK regarding tax and estate planning matters concerning her inheritance from her late father who at all times lived in Egypt. The estate includes land and a family group of companies in Egypt and liquid assets in Switzerland. We have established an offshore trust structure to hold the assets going forward.
Indian family based in Dubai
Advising an Indian family based in Dubai on their worldwide succession planning, including the preparation of wills dealing with assets in India, the UAE and the rest of the world.
Kingdom of Morocco
Acting for the Kingdom of Morocco in relation to their planning permission application to change their buildings from residential to Embassy use. Bought in a high end London borough, the change of building use will enable the expansion of its diplomatic mission to the UK.
36 – 38 QAG limited
Acting for Access Industries Inc group shareholders across the UAE, US and the UK to dispose of freehold property at 36 – 38 Queen Anne’s Gate.
Saudi Arabian family
Advising a Saudi Arabian family on one of the largest private client property deals of the year. It involved the acquisition of a number of apartments in the same Central London development that is nearing completion for a sum in excess of £100m.
