Herbert Smith Freehills has closed its Abu Dhabi office, according to reports, and will move its five-lawyer team there to Dubai. It currently has two partners in Doha and eight in Dubai.
It joins a growing band of law firms that are closing their offices in the emirate. Last year, Holland & Knight closed its sole Gulf office in Abu Dhabi, and in March this year, Latham & Watkins closed its outposts in both Doha and Abu Dhabi. In May, Baker Botts also closed its office in Abu Dhabi.
Indonesia’s rapidly proliferating legal market has a new entrant as tax and trade attorney Riza Buditomo leaves the partnership at Armand Yapsunto Muharamsyah & Partners (AYMP) to launch Anagata Law Firm, which will focus on corporate, commercial, trade and tax work.
Three partners of Singapore’s Oon & Bazul, led by former commercial arbitration head Suresh Divyanathan, have left the firm to set up a new disputes-focused law firm called Dauntless Law Chambers.
Singapore-based law firm Helmsman has launched new intellectual property (IP) and technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) practice groups with the appointment of Basil Lee as associate director.