Vinson & Elkins’ Dubai office provides a geographically centralized position to serve clients with interests in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Asian subcontinent. Our attorneys in Dubai are integrated with V&E's worldwide network of offices resulting in efficient delivery of corporate, finance, projects, and litigation advice across nearly every business sector, regardless of client location. Our law firm advises on mergers and acquisitions; private equity and fund formation; conventional and Islamic finance; restructuring and reorganization; capital markets, and litigation matters with particular strength in the energy, financial services, construction/infrastructure, shipping, and telecommunications and media sectors.

The Dubai office includes U.S., English, and civilly qualified lawyers, half of whom are native Arabic speakers. The majority of V&E’s lawyers in the UAE are bi-lingual or multi-lingual with Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, and Urdu translation capabilities. These language skills allow us to more effectively and efficiently represent the interests of our clients and maintain a robust catalog of precedent documents that provide cost savings.

Corporate/M&A
V&E’s acclaimed local, regional, and international corporate and M&A practice is regularly recognized among the best by Chambers Global, Bloomberg, Legal 500, and other prominent publications. In 2010, V&E was named UAE “M&A Law Firm of the Year” and “Cross-Border Law Firm of the Year.”  Our lawyers in Dubai have significant experience advising sellers, purchasers, targets, dealer-managers, and financial advisors in connection with all manner of transactions throughout the MENA region, including those with Shari’a-compliant structures. We also provide advice and customized training on general corporate, incorporation, and governance matters.

Private Equity and Fund Formation
V&E lawyers bring deep understanding of the entire life cycle of funds and sophisticated knowledge of key regulatory considerations, including placement rules applied by various banks and authorities. Clients benefit from our understanding of all sides of the deal, as we regularly advise fund sponsors and principals, placement agents, portfolio companies, and potential investors. Our UAE private equity clients include Lime Rock Partners, TVM Capital, Unicorn Global Private Equity Fund, and Saudi Telecom Company.

Islamic Finance and Investment
Vinson & Elkins prides itself on being one of only a very small number of international law firms with the ability to advise clients on structuring and documenting complex Islamic finance and investment transactions. Our lawyers have worked with clients across more than 30 jurisdictions on a wide variety of Shari’a-compliant investments and financial products. We have excellent working relationships with prominent Shari’a advisers worldwide and are at the forefront of legal, regulatory, and policy developments affecting Islamic finance transactions and opportunities globally. Our award-winning practice includes five UAE attorneys recognized by Islamic Finance News’  2011 Leading Lawyers Poll, which also named V&E the best overall law firm in the categories of Islamic Insolvency and Restructuring and Takaful and Re-Takaful.

Banking and Finance
Dubai has become an important financial center for companies doing business in the MENA region, and V&E is regularly recognized by Chambers Global, International Financial Law Review (IFLR 1000), and Legal 500 as among the best banking and finance firms in the UAE. We represent arrangers, agent banks, borrowers, financial sponsors, investors, and other participants in a broad range of complex and innovative finance transactions, including leveraged acquisitions, project finance, structured products, private placements, mezzanine debt, asset-based lending, workouts, and restructuring matters.

Capital Markets and Securities
V&E’s award-winning Capital Markets and Securities law practice consistently ranks among the best, including 29 top 10 rankings in Thomson Financial’s first half 2010 league tables. V&E lawyers in Dubai and around the word provide disclosure, governance, and general corporate advice to our public company clients, as well as advising on a broad range of debt and equity transactions, such as high-yield and investment-grade debt issuances, 144A/Reg S matters, and bonds (including Sukuk). Additionally, V&E is one of the only law firms with dedicated conventional and Shari’a-compliant derivatives lawyers on the ground in Dubai.

Restructuring and Reorganization
Our Restructuring and Reorganization practice has been active for more than 25 years with leaders in workout and restructuring law worldwide, including a market-leading practice in the Middle East. The firm’s UAE lawyers have advised on the largest and most complex restructuring matters to date in the GCC and regularly provide clients with legal, business, and regulatory guidance in connection with corporate reorganization and debt restructuring, including various Islamic financing components of restructuring and reorganization matters.

Arbitration and Litigation
Dispute resolution is one of the great strengths of our firm. V&E is ranked among the world’s top 15 trial law firms by Commercial Litigation magazine. We have significant experience with UAE dispute resolution, including appearing before the Dubai International Arbitration Centre and the Dubai International Financial Centre Court, where two of our lawyers have full rights of audience. Our MENA team has particular experience with multi-jurisdictional disputes and those involving sovereign entities, as well as matters in the energy, construction, and infrastructure sectors.