Vinson & Elkins opens office in Dubai
Posted: 15 January 2004
The international law firm Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opened
an office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The new office is the fifth international office for Vinson &
Elkins and will provide an opportunity for the firm to capitalize
on its reputation as one of the world's leading energy law firms
in a region where two-thirds of the world's proven reserves of oil
and gas are located.
"The opening of the Dubai office is in response to our clients'
growing activities in the Middle East and the Gulf region in particular.
Many have been active there for decades and now more are taking
advantage of the opportunities offered by the continuing liberalization
of the region's economies," says Jeff Eldredge, the partner
in charge of Vinson & Elkins' Dubai office, who will divide
his time between London and Dubai.
"Building personal relationships is vital to our firm's success
throughout the world, but in the Middle East personal contact is
especially crucial. Our clients, particularly those with offices
in the Gulf, view our having a permanent presence in the region
as a sign of commitment on which long-term relationships can be
built. Moreover, an on-the-ground presence will enable V&E lawyers
to be on real-time communication with our clients to best service
them."
Vinson & Elkins' office in Dubai will initially be staffed
by U.S. and U.K. trained and licensed lawyers, including Arabic
speakers, with extensive experience in energy, general corporate
and project development and finance transactions.
The firm will focus on the energy, water, telecommunications, transportation,
infrastructure and project finance sectors and tap into opportunities
as the Middle East economy continues to expand and diversify its
industrial bases.
Dubai, one of the seven independent Arab states in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) located on the Persian Gulf, is one of the Gulf region's
principal centers of business and commercial activities. In addition
to oil, which is being replaced by tourism as the largest sector
of the economy, Dubai houses a huge dry dock complex, one of the
Middle East's busiest airports, and a large free-trade zone.
"Dubai has a very pro-business environment, as well as a highly
developed infrastructure, good quality accommodation and office
space, and a well educated population. These factors, together with
significant new activity by firm clients in the region, were critical
to the firm's decision to open the office in Dubai," says Vinson
& Elkins Partner and International Practice Coordinator Jay
Cuclis. "In addition, recent investment in Dubai's airport
infrastructure together with the success of Emirates Airlines, have
turned Dubai into a major international hub for air travel, which
will allow our lawyers to easily travel throughout the region in
support of our clients' activities."
Vinson & Elkins' new office will be located in one of the principal
business districts in Dubai located along the Sheikh Zayed Road
in the flagship office development of the Emirates Towers. The Emirates
Towers contains the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe,
and the third tallest in the world.
"The established reputation of Vinson & Elkins in the
U.S. and worldwide in energy, project finance and infrastructure
projects makes our expansion into the Middle East a logical step,"
says Vinson & Elkins Managing Partner Joe Dilg. "The opening
of the Dubai office is an extremely exciting opportunity for the
firm and represents the culmination of our many years of activity
in the region."
Vinson & Elkins was established in 1917 and is one of the world's
largest international law firms. The firm has more than 780 lawyers
practicing in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, London, Moscow,
New York, Singapore, and Washington, D.C. The firm offers a wide
range of legal services. Clients include public and private companies,
financial institutions, municipalities, governments of sovereign
nations, entrepreneurs, families, and individuals.
For more information see http://www.velaw.com
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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