White & Case adds new local partners to MENA offices

White & Case has promoted four new local partners and two counsel in its MENA offices. The freshly minted local partners are Marie-Sophie Bandeira Vieira (pictured- upper left), Yannick Whorms (pictured-upper right), and Marcin Zawadzki (pictured-bottom left), who will join the firm’s efforts in Dubai. Meanwhile, Aleksandra Stadnik (pictured-bottom right), will based in Abu Dhabi. In addition, two counsel were hired, Asli Gulum and Olga Klyzhenko located, respectively, in Istanbul and Abu Dhabi. This string of promotions is furthermore compounded by the new local partners who joined White & Case in 2024.

The local partners, Dubai

Marie-Sophie Bandeira Vieira has been named local partner in the investment funds practice, based in Dubai. Her practice specializes in advising fund sponsors on the setup and management of private investment funds across various asset classes. Her expertise includes structuring warehousing arrangements, separate account arrangements and executive carried interest and co-investment deals. She also provides guidance to institutional investors on deploying capital through a range of investment structures, including open- and closed-ended private funds, co-investments, and bespoke managed accounts.

Yannick Whorms (pictured-upper right) has been appointed local partner in the investment funds practice, Based in Dubai. His practice serves institutional fund managers by guiding them through the formation and ongoing life cycle of private investment funds across multiple asset classes. In addition to advising on fund structure and regulatory compliance, Yannick’s expertise also encompasses private open- and closed-ended funds, with a focus on navigating cross-border and domestic requirements. He also supports their managers in addressing key corporate and regulatory matters related to underlying investments.

Marcin Zawadzki (pictured-bottom left) has been nominated local partner in the capital markets practice. Based in Dubai, he advises international and regional investment banks and corporates on public and private conventional and Shari’ah-compliant capital markets transactions. With expertise in both public and private structured finance transactions, Marcin helps clients navigate complex capital markets deals.

The local partners, Abu Dhabi

Aleksandra Stadnik (pictured-bottom right) has become local partner in the M&A practice, based in Abu Dhabi. She advises clients on cross-border transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, leveraged buyouts, and reorganizations. Her expertise spans sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms, and corporates, helping them navigate complex portfolio matters and disposals.

The counsels

Asli Gulum has been named counsel in the M&A practice, based in Istanbul. Her focus is advising clients in a range of industries including online gaming, energy, technology, financial services, e-commerce, insurance, infrastructure, transportation, and manufacturing on cross-border mergers and acquisitions and general corporate and commercial law matters.

Olga Klyzhenko has been appointed as counsel in the project development and finance practice, based in Abu Dhabi. Her practice focuses on projects and transactions in the energy and natural resources sector, advising clients on supply and service agreements, concessions, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and project delivery, as well as on complex public-private partnerships in the power, resources and infrastructure sectors and general corporate and commercial issues.

The hires

In 2024 White & Case has also hired three new local partners in the MENA region. These are:

Omar Anwar, local partner, M&A, Dubai & London. David Berman, local partner, white collar, Dubai. Kate Chapman, local partner, debt finance, Doha.

With these moves White & Case has reaffirmed its profound interest in the region, investing in the human capital needed to foster growth. In the backdrop, the globe-spanning series of promotions touches every corner of the firm’s presence. In total, the law firm has appointed 22 lawyers to local partner positions and 27 lawyers to counsel roles worldwide. The promotions are effective January 1, 2025. In addition to the internal promotions, White & Case has hired 13 local partners and 19 counsel in 2024.

At White & Case, the position of local partner is offered in select regions and locations where it is common market practice including Mexico in the Americas; Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Middle East, Poland, South Africa and Spain in EMEA; and China, Japan and Korea in Asia-Pacific. It is a recognized career step toward admission into Stipartnership.

The role of counsel is for senior lawyers with significant experience in a particular practice area. The title is used across White & Case, in all offices, usually as an alternative career path to partnership.