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Middle East

Jenner & Block has a strong heritage of working with clients throughout the Middle East. Our dispute resolution team provides top-tier legal services to a broad range of clients with interests inside and outside the region, including sovereigns, governments, funds, asset managers, investors, financial institutions, and multinationals.

We have well-established, active professional relationships with the leading local lawyers and other professional services providers throughout the region, which allows us to tailor a team of regional and international experts for each engagement, ensuring clients receive a truly bespoke service. Our lawyers are qualified in multiple jurisdictions and have expertise in all key industry sectors, including aerospace, aviation, and defense; banking and financial services; government contracts; energy and renewables; telecommunications; infrastructure; media and entertainment; pharmaceuticals and healthcare; and manufacturing.

Litigation

For the past 110 years, clients have trusted Jenner & Block to skillfully defend and pursue their interests in the most contentious commercial litigation. Our deep bench of nearly 400 distinguished trial lawyers includes 11 fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and our London team includes both solicitors and barristers.

Our firm leads the market in undertaking our clients’ most complex and consequential disputes and investigations work around the world. Our litigation teams have obtained numerous high-profile victories from the trial courts and at all appellate levels through to the US Supreme Court and the UK Supreme Court. In the Middle East, our lawyers are experienced in working alongside local counsel to handle matters before the regional onshore and offshore courts, including the DIFC.

International Arbitration

In a globalized world of business, international arbitration has become an ever more popular method of resolving commercial and investment disputes. Through every stage of the arbitral process, we deliver bespoke strategies and exceptional client service to multinational companies, investors, government entities, and states in key arbitral seats across Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. We also provide pre- and post-transaction counseling to structure investments in a manner that maximizes the enforceability of our clients’ rights and mitigates the risks of potential disputes. With an integrated team of dedicated lawyers across our London and US offices, and a global network of co-counsel, we combine top-tier legal analysis, skillful advocacy, and decades of experience representing clients in complex and demanding arbitrations worldwide.

Investigations

For decades, Jenner & Block’s recognized authority in investigations and compliance matters has provided companies and their leaders with guidance, confidence, and clarity during some of their most sensitive and challenging moments, including with respect to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act, and corruption; culture risk and sensitive investigations; data privacy and cybersecurity incidents; fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes; antitrust violations; sanctions and export controls; national security issues; and much more.

Our team regularly counsels C-suite executives and senior management on the most sensitive investigations involving criminal, financial, ethical, and reputational risk. We regularly represent clients before the US Department of Justice and the UK Serious Fraud Office, among other major regulatory entities in the United States and United Kingdom. We are also experienced in assisting clients in their interactions with key regional regulators such as the Dubai Financial Services Authority and the Central Bank of Bahrain. 

Our team includes the former Associate Attorney General of the United States, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the US Department of Justice, nearly 20 former Assistant United States Attorneys and US Department of Justice prosecutors, as well as former members of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the White House Counsel’s Office, and other government entities.

Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation

Our Government Controversies team manages existential, bet-the-company crises for global corporations that require us to organize and lead the legal strategy, government relations, and communications efforts relating to investigations involving US state attorneys general, the US Congress, UK Parliamentary Select Committees, UK Public Inquiries, and legislatures around the world. We have teams dedicated to state attorneys general investigations, congressional investigations, and other state and federal enforcement actions.

Businesses often face simultaneous legal threats, including from civil litigation and regulatory actions, on the same subject that Congress, state attorneys general, and other legislatures around the world are examining. It is imperative that businesses and institutions approach these different forums with a consistent voice and a 360-degree worldview: any daylight or disparities can quickly undermine critical strategic objectives. Against this backdrop, Jenner & Block frequently provides clients with a comprehensive strategy to address the issues across proceedings. In the last year alone, we have prepared clients so they could successfully navigate public hearings and forums in the US Congress, in UK Parliamentary Select Committees and UK Public Inquiries, and across North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, South Korea, and Australia.

  • Advising directors and stakeholders of a US$2 billion fund in connection with the collapse of the Abraaj Group.
  • Acting for GCC parties in relation to a US$3.5 billion conspiracy claim, including advising in connection with ancillary actions in London, Jersey, Guernsey, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands.
  • Pursuing successful enforcement actions for various GCC institutions worldwide, including in the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and several offshore jurisdictions.
  • Advising various regional funds, banks, and family offices in connection with investigations and the resolution of disputes arising from real estate investments in the United Kingdom, United States, and elsewhere.
  • Advising in connection with the collapse of the Saad Group.
  • Advising a Jordanian renewables company in relation to a JV arbitration dispute with an overseas conglomerate.
  • Representing a sovereign petrochemical company in a US$30 million ICC London-seated arbitration concerning the supply of petrochemicals to third countries, and related trade insurer disputes.
  • Advising numerous companies on the impact of US, UK, and EU sanctions on their operations in the Middle East.  
  • Advising a Jordanian high net worth individual in connection with a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom and related confiscation proceedings.
  • Negotiating with senior government officials from across the MENA region on matters implicating US national security, foreign policy, and private sector interests, including on information sharing, emerging technologies, and the movement of people and goods across international boundaries in the context of challenging geopolitical considerations.
  • Advising a regional public fund in connection with irregularities within its US investment portfolio.
  • Advising a GCC-based bank in a dispute with another financial institution over a shareholders’ agreement in relation to their holding in another Middle East-based bank.
  • Interfacing with numerous MENA governments on issues including mutual legal assistance agreements, intelligence sharing, logistics coordination, and supply chain management across disputed borders.
  • Conducting investigations into private companies’ conduct in the Middle East including in Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
  • Advising on civil claims and coordinated responses to regulators and prosecutors in numerous European and Middle East jurisdictions on behalf of a Bahrain-based bank in connection with exposure to claims for hundreds of millions of dollars arising out of an alleged bribery and corruption scheme.

Experience

  • Advising directors and stakeholders of a US$2 billion fund in connection with the collapse of the Abraaj Group.
  • Acting for GCC parties in relation to a US$3.5 billion conspiracy claim, including advising in connection with ancillary actions in London, Jersey, Guernsey, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands.
  • Pursuing successful enforcement actions for various GCC institutions worldwide, including in the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and several offshore jurisdictions.
  • Advising various regional funds, banks, and family offices in connection with investigations and the resolution of disputes arising from real estate investments in the United Kingdom, United States, and elsewhere.
  • Advising in connection with the collapse of the Saad Group.
  • Advising a Jordanian renewables company in relation to a JV arbitration dispute with an overseas conglomerate.
  • Representing a sovereign petrochemical company in a US$30 million ICC London-seated arbitration concerning the supply of petrochemicals to third countries, and related trade insurer disputes.
  • Advising numerous companies on the impact of US, UK, and EU sanctions on their operations in the Middle East.  
  • Advising a Jordanian high net worth individual in connection with a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom and related confiscation proceedings.
  • Negotiating with senior government officials from across the MENA region on matters implicating US national security, foreign policy, and private sector interests, including on information sharing, emerging technologies, and the movement of people and goods across international boundaries in the context of challenging geopolitical considerations.
  • Advising a regional public fund in connection with irregularities within its US investment portfolio.
  • Advising a GCC-based bank in a dispute with another financial institution over a shareholders’ agreement in relation to their holding in another Middle East-based bank.
  • Interfacing with numerous MENA governments on issues including mutual legal assistance agreements, intelligence sharing, logistics coordination, and supply chain management across disputed borders.
  • Conducting investigations into private companies’ conduct in the Middle East including in Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
  • Advising on civil claims and coordinated responses to regulators and prosecutors in numerous European and Middle East jurisdictions on behalf of a Bahrain-based bank in connection with exposure to claims for hundreds of millions of dollars arising out of an alleged bribery and corruption scheme.
Middle East

Jenner & Block has a strong heritage of working with clients throughout the Middle East. Our dispute resolution team provides top-tier legal services to a broad range of clients with interests inside and outside the region, including sovereigns, governments, funds, asset managers, investors, financial institutions, and multinationals.

We have well-established, active professional relationships with the leading local lawyers and other professional services providers throughout the region, which allows us to tailor a team of regional and international experts for each engagement, ensuring clients receive a truly bespoke service. Our lawyers are qualified in multiple jurisdictions and have expertise in all key industry sectors, including aerospace, aviation, and defense; banking and financial services; government contracts; energy and renewables; telecommunications; infrastructure; media and entertainment; pharmaceuticals and healthcare; and manufacturing.

Litigation

For the past 110 years, clients have trusted Jenner & Block to skillfully defend and pursue their interests in the most contentious commercial litigation. Our deep bench of nearly 400 distinguished trial lawyers includes 11 fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and our London team includes both solicitors and barristers.

Our firm leads the market in undertaking our clients’ most complex and consequential disputes and investigations work around the world. Our litigation teams have obtained numerous high-profile victories from the trial courts and at all appellate levels through to the US Supreme Court and the UK Supreme Court. In the Middle East, our lawyers are experienced in working alongside local counsel to handle matters before the regional onshore and offshore courts, including the DIFC.

International Arbitration

In a globalized world of business, international arbitration has become an ever more popular method of resolving commercial and investment disputes. Through every stage of the arbitral process, we deliver bespoke strategies and exceptional client service to multinational companies, investors, government entities, and states in key arbitral seats across Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. We also provide pre- and post-transaction counseling to structure investments in a manner that maximizes the enforceability of our clients’ rights and mitigates the risks of potential disputes. With an integrated team of dedicated lawyers across our London and US offices, and a global network of co-counsel, we combine top-tier legal analysis, skillful advocacy, and decades of experience representing clients in complex and demanding arbitrations worldwide.

Investigations

For decades, Jenner & Block’s recognized authority in investigations and compliance matters has provided companies and their leaders with guidance, confidence, and clarity during some of their most sensitive and challenging moments, including with respect to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act, and corruption; culture risk and sensitive investigations; data privacy and cybersecurity incidents; fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes; antitrust violations; sanctions and export controls; national security issues; and much more.

Our team regularly counsels C-suite executives and senior management on the most sensitive investigations involving criminal, financial, ethical, and reputational risk. We regularly represent clients before the US Department of Justice and the UK Serious Fraud Office, among other major regulatory entities in the United States and United Kingdom. We are also experienced in assisting clients in their interactions with key regional regulators such as the Dubai Financial Services Authority and the Central Bank of Bahrain. 

Our team includes the former Associate Attorney General of the United States, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the US Department of Justice, nearly 20 former Assistant United States Attorneys and US Department of Justice prosecutors, as well as former members of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the White House Counsel’s Office, and other government entities.

Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation

Our Government Controversies team manages existential, bet-the-company crises for global corporations that require us to organize and lead the legal strategy, government relations, and communications efforts relating to investigations involving US state attorneys general, the US Congress, UK Parliamentary Select Committees, UK Public Inquiries, and legislatures around the world. We have teams dedicated to state attorneys general investigations, congressional investigations, and other state and federal enforcement actions.

Businesses often face simultaneous legal threats, including from civil litigation and regulatory actions, on the same subject that Congress, state attorneys general, and other legislatures around the world are examining. It is imperative that businesses and institutions approach these different forums with a consistent voice and a 360-degree worldview: any daylight or disparities can quickly undermine critical strategic objectives. Against this backdrop, Jenner & Block frequently provides clients with a comprehensive strategy to address the issues across proceedings. In the last year alone, we have prepared clients so they could successfully navigate public hearings and forums in the US Congress, in UK Parliamentary Select Committees and UK Public Inquiries, and across North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, South Korea, and Australia.

  • Advising directors and stakeholders of a US$2 billion fund in connection with the collapse of the Abraaj Group.
  • Acting for GCC parties in relation to a US$3.5 billion conspiracy claim, including advising in connection with ancillary actions in London, Jersey, Guernsey, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands.
  • Pursuing successful enforcement actions for various GCC institutions worldwide, including in the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and several offshore jurisdictions.
  • Advising various regional funds, banks, and family offices in connection with investigations and the resolution of disputes arising from real estate investments in the United Kingdom, United States, and elsewhere.
  • Advising in connection with the collapse of the Saad Group.
  • Advising a Jordanian renewables company in relation to a JV arbitration dispute with an overseas conglomerate.
  • Representing a sovereign petrochemical company in a US$30 million ICC London-seated arbitration concerning the supply of petrochemicals to third countries, and related trade insurer disputes.
  • Advising numerous companies on the impact of US, UK, and EU sanctions on their operations in the Middle East.  
  • Advising a Jordanian high net worth individual in connection with a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom and related confiscation proceedings.
  • Negotiating with senior government officials from across the MENA region on matters implicating US national security, foreign policy, and private sector interests, including on information sharing, emerging technologies, and the movement of people and goods across international boundaries in the context of challenging geopolitical considerations.
  • Advising a regional public fund in connection with irregularities within its US investment portfolio.
  • Advising a GCC-based bank in a dispute with another financial institution over a shareholders’ agreement in relation to their holding in another Middle East-based bank.
  • Interfacing with numerous MENA governments on issues including mutual legal assistance agreements, intelligence sharing, logistics coordination, and supply chain management across disputed borders.
  • Conducting investigations into private companies’ conduct in the Middle East including in Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
  • Advising on civil claims and coordinated responses to regulators and prosecutors in numerous European and Middle East jurisdictions on behalf of a Bahrain-based bank in connection with exposure to claims for hundreds of millions of dollars arising out of an alleged bribery and corruption scheme.

Experience

  • Advising directors and stakeholders of a US$2 billion fund in connection with the collapse of the Abraaj Group.
  • Acting for GCC parties in relation to a US$3.5 billion conspiracy claim, including advising in connection with ancillary actions in London, Jersey, Guernsey, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands.
  • Pursuing successful enforcement actions for various GCC institutions worldwide, including in the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and several offshore jurisdictions.
  • Advising various regional funds, banks, and family offices in connection with investigations and the resolution of disputes arising from real estate investments in the United Kingdom, United States, and elsewhere.
  • Advising in connection with the collapse of the Saad Group.
  • Advising a Jordanian renewables company in relation to a JV arbitration dispute with an overseas conglomerate.
  • Representing a sovereign petrochemical company in a US$30 million ICC London-seated arbitration concerning the supply of petrochemicals to third countries, and related trade insurer disputes.
  • Advising numerous companies on the impact of US, UK, and EU sanctions on their operations in the Middle East.  
  • Advising a Jordanian high net worth individual in connection with a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom and related confiscation proceedings.
  • Negotiating with senior government officials from across the MENA region on matters implicating US national security, foreign policy, and private sector interests, including on information sharing, emerging technologies, and the movement of people and goods across international boundaries in the context of challenging geopolitical considerations.
  • Advising a regional public fund in connection with irregularities within its US investment portfolio.
  • Advising a GCC-based bank in a dispute with another financial institution over a shareholders’ agreement in relation to their holding in another Middle East-based bank.
  • Interfacing with numerous MENA governments on issues including mutual legal assistance agreements, intelligence sharing, logistics coordination, and supply chain management across disputed borders.
  • Conducting investigations into private companies’ conduct in the Middle East including in Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
  • Advising on civil claims and coordinated responses to regulators and prosecutors in numerous European and Middle East jurisdictions on behalf of a Bahrain-based bank in connection with exposure to claims for hundreds of millions of dollars arising out of an alleged bribery and corruption scheme.

Key Contacts

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Related Capabilities

Aerospace and Defense
Anti-Corruption and FCPA
Antitrust and Competition Law
Business Litigation
Content, Media, and Entertainment
Culture Risk and Sensitive Investigations
Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
Energy
Financial Litigation
Government Contractor Litigation and Compliance
Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation
Government Strategy
Human Rights and Global Strategy
International Arbitration
Investigations
Investigations, Compliance, and Defense
Life Sciences
Litigation
National Security and Crisis
Technology

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