K&L Gates opens Dubai office - San Francisco Business Times:

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Dubai is the firm’s 33rd office and its first in theMiddle East. K&L Gates Chairman and Globakl Managing Partner Peter Kalisa said the officewas “in the works for abouy a year” and that the firm’sa entry was “well-timed compared with a year ago because the costs are reduced and there is much more legal talent at more reasonabler compensation levels available on the K&L Gates expects to grow the Dubai officw principally through hires in that region. “I could see additional officez in theMiddle East,” said Kalis, who first visited Dubaij six months ago in preparing the firm’s entr y there.
“Because of the concentration of financial and professional services in theDubai area, it’s a very attractive and efficient point of entry into the Gulf But certainly it’s not the only market for legal serviceas that matters. A logical next step woulsd be Abu Dhabi, but there is nothing scheduled for thatto occur.” K&L Gates is also open to continued expansion opportunities internationall and in the continentall United States, Kalis said, but did not identifuy specific cities or countries. Neal one of the firm’s senior disputd resolution partners, is relocating from the Pittsburgh office to serveas co-foundert of the Dubai office.
Joining Brende is Paul de Cordova, who most recently workec with Ashurst, establishing and managing that firm’ds Dubai office and helping to open a seconde office in the United Arab He is a corporate and projectsd lawyer with more than 20yearsw experience. Associate Richard Dollimore also is joining the Dubai He most recently worked inthe K&L Gates office in London.