CMS is launching its second Middle Eastern office in Oman following its September 2012 launch in Dubai.
The Oman office continues the firm’s international expansion strategy, which also saw it launch in Istanbul last year (7 November 2013) as well as Dubai (17 September 2012).
Like Dubai, Oman will have an energy, projects and financial institutions focus. Both offices will work closely together, with the team led by energy, projects and construction practice group manager Stephen Millar, Dubai managing partner Matthew Culver, and consultants Ben Ewing and Amur Al Rashdi.
Ewing trained at CMS before moving to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he was a lawyer, while Al Rashdi joins CMS from local firm Khalifa Al Hinai.
Millar said the practice areas were growing across the Middle East and were strategically important areas for both the firm and its clients.
“Our strategy is to be where our clients need us to be, and a presence in Oman complements our global offering,” he added.
A number of firms have launched in Oman in the last year. Addleshaw Goddard took a team from Trowers & Hamlins to launch in early 2013 (15 January 2013), US firm Duane Morris entered via a joint venture (27 March 2013) and Middle Eastern firm Al Tamimi & Company turned to Dentons for its Oman launch (29 October 2013).
For more on the Middle Eastern legal market, read this week’s cover story on Saudi Arabia, Keys to the kingdom.