International law firm Jones Day has nabbed former Simmons & Simmons real estate head Duane Keighran and senior associate David Weir, as it looks to expand its Dubai office and bolster its real estate and projects practice.
Keighran, who joined Jones Day as partner in December last year, will focus on the development of complex infrastructure and real estate projects, in addition to the sale and acquisition of high value real estate assets. He has previously been involved in real estate projects across the Middle East and North Africa, and has represented government-related entities, developers, contractors, and investors.
Weir, likewise, brings experience in real estate and infrastructure transactions to the firm, which has been looking to build its construction and real estate practice.
“With Duane's arrival, and the corresponding extension of our practice into the areas of construction and real estate projects, this completes our objective of providing comprehensive service to our clients in all of the dominant practice areas in the Middle East,” said Arman Galledari, partner-in-charge of Jones Day's Dubai office.
Keighran’s departure late last year preceded a number of job cuts at Simmons & Simmon’s UAE offices last month. The UK-based firm confirmed that it was paring some staff and lawyers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, citing a shift in strategy amid difficult market conditions in the region as reasons. The firm had been under pressure after the global financial crisis dried up deal flow, and the real estate market crashed.
Simmons & Simmons has, in recent months, suffered a number of setbacks to its real estate practice with the departure of David Nunn, who joined Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) as real estate head for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Keighran was promoted as the head of Simmons & Simmons’ real estate practice following Nunn’s resignation. ALB
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