Baker Botts has announced the hire of Trowers & Hamlins’ United Arab Emirates (UAE) head Abdullah Mutawai and head of international disputes Lucas Pitts in a boost to its Dubai offering.
Mutawi joins the US firm’s corporate team, while Pitts will be a member of the firm’s international litigation practice, both in Dubai.
The hires bring the number of partners at Baker Botts in Dubai to 10.
Mutawi was named UAE managing partner at Trowers in 2011 (6 September 2011) in an effort to strengthen the firm’s Middle East offering following a number of departures and the closure of its Jeddah office (23 May 2011).
Trowers continued to see departures in the Middle East after Mutawi’s appointment, with the move of partner Adrian Creed to Clyde & Co (11 January 2012), while it was forced to terminate its Saudi Arabian alliance after its last associate left for its ally (23 February 2012). Several partners also quit for Addleshaw Goddard in Dubai (11 July 2012) and Oman (15 January 2013).
However the past couple of years have been more stable with no major departures. Mutawi and Pitts’ departures leave the firm with six partners based in Dubai, as well as three in Abu Dhabi, four in Bahrain and four in Oman.
In a statement Trowers said Dominic O’Neil, who is based in Bahrain, remained international managing partner – a role which also covers the UAE.
The firm added that projects partner and former international head Martin Amison has relocated back to Dubai, where he was previously based for eight years, and will become resident managing partner of the office.
“The bulk of his work has always been in the Middle East market, which he knows inside and out,” said Trowers’ statement.
Meanwhile London-based litigation partner Alex Burton will take over from Pitts as head of litigation.
”While Alex is based in London, he works closely with Middle East offices and leads on a number of cases,” the firm’s spokesperson said.
Baker Botts launched in Dubai in 2005. The firm also has an association in Riyadh and an alliance with Kuwait firm the International Legal Group.
The firm recently announced record financial results of $653m (£440.7m), up 11 per cent from 2013 (4 February 2015).