Fenwick Elliott Predicts 20% Company Growth for Q3 and Q4 After MENA Expansion, Digital Developments and New Appointments in First Month of 2021

Leading global construction and energy law specialists, Fenwick Elliott, has emerged stronger than ever from a challenging 2020 and predicts a 20% company revenue growth for 2021 due to pursuing expansion opportunities across the MENA region into Qatar, pivoting to an online business model, and appointing integral new promotions.

Already servicing many Middle Eastern territories that include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman, Fenwick Elliott’s planned MENA expansion into Qatar this year will provide the new market with access to a high level of construction, infrastructure, engineering, and energy law expertise from one of the most renowned firms globally in the sector. Fenwick Elliott predicts the planned expansion across the MENA region will see the company revenue grow by 20%, which is also accelerated by the firm’s continued expansion and success in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, having been awarded work from the country’s top tier contractors and clients over the last 12 months.

“The Middle East’s forward-thinking vision and rapid action of getting operations under control and re-open after 2020’s lockdown and tight restrictions, as well as opening the borders with Qatar, has allowed us to harness a huge opportunity and expand our services in the Middle East in this first quarter, which we believe will allow us to grow the company significantly in 2021.” Said Senior Partner, Simon Tolson.

After the COVID-19 pandemic drove the majority of business operations online in 2020, Fenwick Elliott harnessed the opportunity to update its business model and technical capabilities to become a leading firm for digital operations, and for the facilitation of digital hearings. Embedding technology and online ways of working into its culture, Fenwick Elliott’s team now encompasses a dedicated partner and personnel that are focused on the implementation of digital technologies and resources such as text analytics and technology providers. This has allowed the specialist law firm to develop tailored solutions in respect of contract analysis, contract automation, matter analytics, and matter management that enhance its services and minimise costs to clients.

“We see technology and law as an essential partnership for our business moving forward. 2020 brought an instant need for us to pivot the way the business was operating, which saw the majority of our meetings and hearings migrating to online, which in turn meant that we were able to continue servicing our clients whilst harnessing the growing technology services in the sector”. Said Patrick Stone, the newly appointed Managing Partner at Fenwick Elliott, United Arab Emirates.

To support the company’s planned expansion into Qatar and its continued growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with alliance partners Hammad & Al-Mehdar, Fenwick Elliott has also already made numerous structural changes and promotions in 2021. After joining the Dubai office as Partner in 2019, Patrick Stone will lead the law firm’s operations as Managing Partner for the United Arab Emirates, operating out of Fenwick Elliott’s international office in Dubai.

Ahmed Ibrahim, departing Managing Partner of the Dubai office is moving on to become an independent arbitrator after his success in establishing Fenwick Elliott’s Dubai office in 2015. “I am honored and grateful to have worked with such a wonderful firm since we started our cooperation in 2013. I thank all my partners and colleagues and I am confident that Fenwick Elliott will continue its impressive growth in the region.” Ahmed said.

Simon Tolson, Senior Partner also added ”We thank Ahmed for his valuable contribution and wish him well on the international arbitration circuit.”

Fenwick Elliott has a rich history of servicing top-tier clients and projects for over 33 years, whilst consistently being named in Tier 1 for construction law in the coveted ‘Legal 500’. The firm has also been included in the prestigious ‘The Times Best Law Firms 2021’, and in the ‘Chambers and Partners UK 2021’ directory and was ranked ‘Band 1’ for Construction – Contentious. Fenwick Elliott is recognised for having an “acclaimed contentious offering, tackling high-profile disputes” and is renowned for outstanding practice and specialist expertise in the construction and energy sectors around the world.