Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has secured a license to practice law in Saudi Arabia. The firm has become one of the 30 global law firms seeking to establish a presence in the region, looking to tap into a burgeoning corporate sector marked by economic diversification initiatives driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a $700 billion sovereign wealth fund. As reported on Bloomberg, Quinn Emanuel will operate through a Saudi professional company, in accordance with Saudi regulations that stipulate 70% of staff must be local lawyers.
Leading the team in Saudi Arabia is Quinn Emanuel’s Middle East and North Africa co-chair, Nasser Alrubayyi. The law firm had previously been present in Riyadh since 2022, in partnership with local law firm Alrubayyi & Attorneys, but will now operate independently through the license it has secured. This extension marks the firm’s fourth Middle East office, adding to its existing branches in the United Arab Emirates cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and in Doha, Qatar.
Law firms’ interest in expanding into Saudi Arabia’s legal market mirrors the country’s larger socio-economic shifts, which have seen a relaxation of social norms and an emphasis on economic diversification. Other global law firms that have similarly obtained licenses to operate in Saudi Arabia, independent of partnerships with local firms, include Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Clifford Chance, and Linklaters.