DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES--(Marketwire - September 10, 2008) - In a move that bolsters its
Islamic finance and investment funds, private equity, energy and
infrastructure transactions capabilities, King & Spalding, a leading
international law firm, is adding three counsel and three associates in the
firm's Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh offices, bringing the total number of
King & Spalding lawyers and paralegals in the Middle East to 24 and
solidifying King & Spalding's position as one of the largest U.S. firms in
the region.
"As the only U.S. firm with offices in Dubai, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, we are
well-positioned to serve our clients in the Middle East. Our offices are
also excellent gateways to Europe, Africa and other parts of Asia. Adding
these senior lawyers and exceptional associates significantly enhances and
complements our already strong practices," said Philip R. Weems, managing
partner of the firm's Middle East offices and head of King & Spalding's
global energy practice. "Our growth in the Middle East through the addition
of senior lawyers will continue, reflecting the demands of our client base
and the strategic importance of this region for the firm."
According to Jawad Ali, the recruiting partner of King & Spalding's Middle
East offices and a partner in the Islamic finance and investment practice,
"Our Middle East Islamic finance, real estate, private equity, M&A and
investment funds practices have grown substantially since we opened our
Middle East offices two years ago. Adding Dallimore, Parrot, Mostafa and
D'Aoust was a direct response to our clients' demands to increase our team
on the ground in the Middle East. We are thrilled that these talented
lawyers have decided to join us, as each of them adds a special skill to
our already strong and talented Middle East team."
The three counsel joining the Dubai office are:
Matthew Dallimore, in the Islamic finance and investment practice group,
who focuses on all types of funds as well as private equity and corporate
matters. He has represented clients in relation to fund formation,
acquisition and exit strategies and advised on both asset and share
acquisition and divestiture in the United States, Europe, Asia and the
Middle East. Dallimore also has significant experience in cross-border
private mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures. Prior to joining King
& Spalding, he worked in the corporate and commercial group of a leading
offshore law firm in the Cayman Islands focusing on funds, private equity,
venture capital and corporate transactions. He earned a B.A. degree and a
LL.B from the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
Marc E. Parrott, in the Islamic finance and investment practice group, who
concentrates on a broad range of corporate, finance and investment funds
matters. His practice includes advising domestic and international clients
on the corporate and regulatory aspects of structuring, establishment,
reorganization and liquidation of various fund structures. Parrott also
advises in the undertaking of investments of all types, including private
equity, infrastructure, debt and equity securities, real estate,
derivatives and other financial instruments. Prior to joining King &
Spalding, Parrott worked for the corporate department of a major
international firm in the Cayman Islands. He earned a B.Com and LL.B from
Adelaide University in Australia.
Amelia Jalleh, in the global transactions practice, who focuses on a broad
range of energy and resources matters, primarily upstream oil and gas
transactions. Prior to joining King & Spalding, Jalleh was based in
Bahrain, working in the global energy, chemicals, mining and infrastructure
group of a major international firm. From 2003 to 2007, she was a corporate
lawyer in-house with Santos Limited, a major Australian oil and gas
exploration and production company with interests and operations in
Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh,
Kyrgyzstan and Egypt. She earned a B.A. degree and a LL.B, honors, from
Flinders University of South Australia. Jalleh will join King & Spalding on
September 29.
The three associates are:
-- Roderick Mackenzie, an English qualified lawyer and former engineer
resident in Abu Dhabi, whose practice focuses on representing developers in
all aspects of their projects, including construction, and who has worked
extensively in the water industry;
-- Salah Mostafa, an Egyptian lawyer duly qualified in Egypt and England,
resident in Riyadh, whose practice focuses on private equity, real estate
and M&A matters in the Gulf region; and
-- Lee-Anne D'Aoust, an English qualified real estate finance lawyer
resident in Dubai, whose practice focuses on real estate finance and the
representation of real estate funds and other types of clients in financing
their real estate acquisitions and developments. D'Aoust joins the firm on
October 12.
For more than 20 years, King & Spalding lawyers have been handling client
matters in the Arabian Gulf region. The firm was named a top-tier Islamic
finance legal advisor by Chambers Global 2008 and has been a pioneer in
developing finance and investment structures that comply with Islamic
Shari'ah principles. The firm is also recognized worldwide for its energy
work -- especially in the area of liquefied natural gas -- and has a strong
practice base in power, petrochemicals and renewable energy.
About King & Spalding
King & Spalding is an international law firm with more than 800 lawyers in
Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dubai, Frankfurt, Houston, London,
New York, Riyadh (affiliated office), San Francisco, Silicon Valley and
Washington, D.C. The firm represents half of the Fortune 100 and in a
Corporate Counsel survey in September 2007 was among the top firms
representing Fortune 250 companies. For additional information, visit
www.kslaw.com.
Contact Information: Contact:
Matt Hyams
King & Spalding
Ph. 212-827-4057