King & Spalding Expands Footprint in Saudi Arabia
In a groundbreaking move, international law firm King & Spalding has secured a foreign law license, paving the way for an official expansion of its presence in Saudi Arabia. This development comes on the heels of recent regulatory changes by the Saudi Arabian government, opening the doors for foreign law firms to establish a formal presence in the Kingdom.
King & Spalding had been operating in Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Law Offices of Mohammed AlAmmar and will continue to maintain this collaboration as a separate entity.
Chairman of King & Spalding, Robert D. Hays, expressed the firm’s strong commitment to growing its presence in the Kingdom. “The new license is an exciting and significant step for the firm,” Hays stated. “We have been active in advising on outbound and inbound Middle East work for decades. The new Saudi license is a natural evolution that further aligns and integrates our practice.”
Through this new entity, King & Spalding’s legal experts in Riyadh will continue to work closely with colleagues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the firm’s other 20 global offices. They will offer a comprehensive range of legal services, covering corporate and M&A matters, funds, financings, restructurings, real estate, energy, infrastructure projects, and various disputes within Saudi Arabia.
Recent notable projects undertaken by King & Spalding include their involvement with NEOM in a US$8.4 billion green hydrogen and green ammonia megaproject, as well as their role in Azmeel Contracting’s landmark US$2 billion Saudi restructuring.
Moreover, the firm has been investing in local talent by recruiting Saudi national lawyers and establishing a local trainee program to nurture the next generation of legal professionals in the Kingdom.
Martin Hunt, a current partner at King & Spalding’s London office, will also be relocating to Riyadh to focus on M&A matters in Saudi Arabia and to represent regional clients in their global investments.
Zaid Al-Farisi, a partner based in Riyadh, noted that this license aligns perfectly with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program of investments, and the firm intends to further expand its involvement in both inbound and outbound work related to the Kingdom.
King & Spalding, with over 130 years of service, is renowned as an international law firm serving a diverse clientele, including half of the Fortune Global 100. With 1,200 lawyers spread across 23 offices worldwide, the firm has a strong track record of delivering successful results in legal matters across more than 160 countries on six continents.
