Global law firm Clyde & Co has on Wednesday announced the opening of an associated office in Cairo, Egypt.
The new firm, Barakat, Maher & Partners Advocates & Legal Consultants, will operate in association with Clyde & Co.
The new associated office will be led by managing partner Mohamed Barakat, who joined Clyde & Co in December 2022.
Barakat is a U.S. qualified lawyer with more than 17 years of experience working in the United States (Chicago and Washington, DC) and the Middle East (Egypt and Saudi Arabia). He is joined by Sherif Ali Maher, partner at Barakat, Maher & Partners Advocates & Legal Consultants. Maher joined Clyde & Co in 2013 and advises local and international clients on contentious commercial matters. He is a highly regarded disputes lawyer with extensive international experience.
There are two other partners at the associated firm: Mostafa Elsakaaand Sameh Dahroug are Egyptian-qualified and have more than 15 years of experience assisting local, regional and global companies in achieving their corporate objectives in Egypt.
The team in Cairo will advise and represent clients on capital markets, corporate and M&A, commercial, commercial disputes and international arbitration, employment, finance, regulatory, and restructuring matters. The team has experience advising clients operating in the education, energy and natural resources, healthcare, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance and reinsurance, marine, professional practices, retail and consumer, and trade and commodities sectors.
Matthew Kelsall, CEO, Clyde & Co, said: "Egypt has always been a significant gateway between the Middle East and Africa and a centre of trade and commercial activity in the region."
"The new association gives us an opportunity to provide clients with access to and support within this market and the North Africa region more broadly. We look forward to working with Mohamed and the team to maximise the potential this opening provides."
Sara Khoja, chair of Clyde & Co's MEA Board, said: "The new Cairo office strengthens Clyde & Co's offering for domestic, regional and international businesses operating in Egypt and beyond. Our growth is closely aligned with our clients to ensure we can meet their needs as they navigate their own expansion across the region."
Mohamed Barakat, partner at Clyde & Co and Managing Partner, Barakat, Maher & Partners Advocates & Legal Consultants, adds: "Egypt is the second largest Arab economy and has one of the most developed and diversified economies. This represents a huge opportunity for us, as part of Clyde & Co's global network, to represent an increasing number of clients who are doing business across the Middle East and Africa."
Clyde & Co has been operating in the Middle East for over 30 years and more than 20 years on the African continent. The firm has over 75 partners and 490 staff operating in nine offices across the region.
The Cairo associated office opening is the latest move in Clyde & Co's continued global expansion. Recent office openings include those in Milan, Italy; Bangkok, Thailand; and Santiago, Chile. Earlier in 2022 the firm opened in Calgary, Canada, while in 2021 it opened in Vancouver, Canada, and Phoenix, Las Vegas and Denver in the United States.