Dewey & LeBoeuf's last remaining international office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has joined Patton Boggs, giving the U.S. firm its first presence in the Kingdom.
The five-lawyer group is led by Khalid Al-Thebity, a long-serving legacy LeBoeuf partner who previously managed the defunct firm's Middle East practice.
He will manage the base as an affiliate office for Patton Boggs, working alongside associates Jihad Turkistani, Stefan Guttensohn, Siraj Al Islam and Judeh Bahnan.
Al-Thebity practices corporate, commercial and financial law, as well as advising on real estate and Saudi-specific litigation and arbitration. Alongside the four associates in his team, he has a particular focus on the energy and real estate industries, particularly project finance and development.
One of the team's major clients includes the Government of Saudi Arabia, which it has advised on several major initiatives and transactions.
Patton Boggs managing partner Edward Newberry commented: "[The team's] focus on energy, financial services, M&A, Islamic finance, dispute resolution and regulatory and government affairs aligns with the firm's strategic practices, and a well-established Riyadh office builds on our strong presence in the MENA region."
Al-Thebity added: "There is no better firm for navigating the intersection of government, policy and business, and our practice areas are complementary."
Three other U.S.-based lawyers, also former Dewey employees, form part of the Riyadh team, and will join Patton Boggs in Washington, D.C., and New York. Of counsel David Colson and Brian Vohrer will join the firm in Washington, D.C., while energy lawyer Tess Serranti will join in New York.
The U.S. team adds expertise in the areas of capital markets, Islamic finance, M&A, international arbitration, dispute resolution, and project finance and infrastructure.
Riyadh was the last of Dewey's four Middle East bases to remain with the firm after its Dubai partners jumped ship to Dechert and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and its Abu Dhabi partners joined Reed Smith.
