The U.S.-Saudi Business Council recently interviewed Dr. Ehab Elsonbaty, DLA Piper Partner and Chair, U.S.-Middle East Initiative, about DLA Piper’s long history and deep expertise in the Middle East region that allows it to seamlessly facilitate complex cross-border business between the Middle East and the U.S. Dr. Elsonbaty explains how the firm helps Saudi companies navigate complex cultural, legal, and regulatory landscape when entering the U.S. market across sectors like healthcare, renewable energy, and real estate, emphasizing DLA Piper’s agile, personalized approach to addressing clients’ evolving needs locally and globally.
In addition to supporting U.S. companies in Saudi Arabia, what services and guidance does DLA Piper provide Saudi customers who are interested in expanding their operations in the United States and the rest of the Americas?
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have a long history of trade, financial, and investment relationships.
With multi-practice, multi-lingual capabilities in the Americas and a strong presence in the Middle East, DLA Piper delivers cross-border solutions for our clients from the Middle East doing business in the Americas, including corporate enterprises, private equity investors, family offices, government entities, and sovereign wealth funds, as well as for our clients seeking to do business in the Middle East.
We are uniquely positioned to provide our Saudi clients with seamlessly coordinated legal services across multiple jurisdictions, geographies, sectors, and industries. To help clients maximize inbound and outbound opportunities of this dynamic region, we provide comprehensive bilingual legal services which we optimize according to the needs of each matter and/or relevant geography. We have advised major sovereign wealth funds, royal families, and private family offices on investments in the corporates across a range of sectors including technology, healthcare, real estate, and renewable energy. We also work with the U.S. affiliates of Saudi-owned firms on a variety of legal matters.
What is the DLA Piper U.S.-Middle East Initiative?
The DLA Piper U.S.-Middle East Initiative is built upon a set of strategic goals aimed at leveraging our firm’s exceptional position and capabilities in order to:
- Reinforce our already strong bridge between the Middle East and the U.S., as well as other global jurisdictions.
- Facilitate inbound and outbound business between the Middle East and the U.S./Americas.
- Build meaningful relationships with the diplomatic, regulatory, and business communities in the U.S. and the Middle East.
- Effectively connect our global clients to resources on the ground in the Middle East.
Because we understand the specific legal, business, and cultural landscape of the Middle East region, we are able to effectively provide legal services to our regional and global clients.
I am proud to say that, in addition to our regional capabilities in the Middle East, we have the strongest and largest Middle East focused team in the Americas, ready to serve our clients’ toughest legal challenges. Our legal team in the U.S. includes several multilingual lawyers who are well familiar with the business and cultural environment across the Middle East.
Summarizing our team’s capabilities:
- We make global easy: Our broad global platform and mindset produce exceptional results for clients doing business across the Middle East, the Americas, and other global regions.
- A single firm for all your needs: Our deep capabilities deliver full-service solutions through a single firm across all regions.
- Global solutions, local know-how: We are culturally attuned to the nuances of the region. Our lawyers help clients navigate complex local business and legal climate.
- Strong relationships: We have strong relationships with government entities, sovereign wealth funds, investment banks, leading commercial enterprises, and family offices. This helps us facilitate deals and ensures additional regional knowledge and efficiency.
What brought DLA Piper to the Saudi market and what are the firm’s plans and strategies for expanding their services and client base in the country?
Dr. Ehab Elsonbaty, Partner and Chair, U.S.-Middle East Initiative, DLA Piper U.S. LLC
DLA Piper, through our affiliate office, has maintained an on-the-ground presence in Saudi Arabia for many years, operating in offices in key commercial centers. Our operations in the region have been notably successful and are key components of our market-leading Middle East practice.
Our integrated team is comprised of accomplished legal professionals, including Saudi nationals and international multilingual lawyers whose practice range includes: corporate, banking and finance, debt and equity capital markets, antitrust, regulatory, public policy, litigation and dispute resolution, real estate, construction, and public-private partnerships. The team has worked on some of the Saudi Arabia’s most challenging legal matters across a broad range of sectors.
In March 2023, the Council of Ministers approved for the first time the licensing of foreign law firms. With this rule change, the Council of Ministers aims to further develop the legal profession, raise the efficiency of its practitioners, and improve the business and investment environment in Saudi Arabia. These changes create additional opportunities for us in serving our clients’ needs as we continue to expand our relationships with clients.
How does DLA Piper navigate Saudi Arabia’s unique cultural, legal, and regulatory landscape to ensure effective representation for their clients?
We’ve found that clients get better results when their legal team is familiar with the region’s languages, cultures, laws and business processes, and able to efficiently connect with other regions globally. We’ve built an on-the-ground team with sophisticated capabilities. This team has extensive experience working together to provide our local, regional, and global clients with the highest quality advice and support. The team regularly advises key Saudi ministries and government-owned entities as well as a wide range of government owned, privately and publicly held Saudi and international businesses, listed companies, and financial institutions. We understand and regularly navigate the unique cultural, legal, and regulatory landscape in this exceptionally dynamic and fast-growing market. We routinely work together with other teams within the DLA Piper global network supporting our clients’ business needs.
How does DLA Piper stay updated with the latest developments, regulations, and opportunities in the Saudi market to provide accurate and timely advice to their clients?
We have a positive working relationship with key Saudi ministries, including the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Ministry of Commerce and are therefore familiar with the new regulations that are likely to come into force in most business transactions. We have also used the experience we have gained on complex, fast-paced transactions to make sure that clients get the highest standards of service from a team that fits their needs.
How does DLA Piper differentiate itself from other law firms operating in the Saudi market, particularly in terms of supporting U.S. companies?
With a presence in most major commercial centers in the Middle East, DLA Piper is uniquely positioned to advise on a variety of market-leading mandates across the region, with key areas of strength including Islamic and project finance, multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, and disputes.
Saudi Arabia attracts a wide range of businesses, including U.S.-domiciled private and public companies looking to start or expand business. The country presents an array of expansion opportunities due to its strategic location and trade policies. If you want to leverage this market, you need a thorough understanding of Saudi policies and business standards. We have deep experience advising companies on laws applicable to foreign entities, tax norms, HR ethics, regulations, business licensing, and partnerships.
Focusing on our clients’ business needs, we serve as a flexible and up-to-date strategic partner to our clients, providing support for all their current and emerging legal needs and challenges locally and globally. In an ever-changing world, we are always committed to developing resilient, forward-looking, and innovative solutions that help our clients achieve their business goals and navigate confidently, even in uncharted legal territory.
Do you specialize in any particular industries or sectors, and how do you approach working with clients in those areas?
We leverage sector knowledge and experience from across our global law firm to support clients in key areas including renewable energy, transport and logistics, healthcare, industrials (manufacturing), retail, and real estate, which continue to be key growth sectors in the region.
Within any sector, we do not solely focus on premium transactional mandates. Instead, we have cultivated a diverse range of practice areas to comprehensively address all of our clients’ legal requirements, no matter where they emerge.
