The practice is currently in talks with the Abu Dhabi office’s five partners, three associates and counsel to determine where they will be based after the closure, but it is likely that some will transfer over to Dubai, reports London-based newspaper Legal Week.
In addition to its Dubai practice, Hogan Lovell also has two offices in Saudi Arabia with a strong focus on corporate and commercial practice.
A spokesman for the firm explained that it had ‘opted for Dubai as it has a slightly larger footprint, with more partners and associates in that office. By and large you are starting to see Dubai as the stronger regional hub.’

Conventional wisdom

Hogan Lovells decision flies in the face of considerable conventional wisdom in the region, which has seen the UAE capital as the heart of government and oil and gas-related work in the part of the Persian Gulf.
The development comes after reports of Sidley Austin’s appointment of Matthew Cahill to its London branch. Mr Cahill is moving from Clifford Chance’s Abu Dhabi office, where he has worked since 2011.