Law firms Ashurst and Clyde & Co have each raised new partners in the Middle East as part of their annual global promotion cycles, strengthening their regional footprint in high-priority sectors.
Ashurst named Raquel Tarancon Plata as a partner in its projects and energy transitions team, stationed in Abu Dhabi. This appointment joins 18 other new partners across the firm, effective May 1, distributed among 11 practice areas and nine offices in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the United States, and Asia-Pacific. The majority of the promoted group, 61%, focus on energy transition, dispute resolution, and global loans. Ashurst also matched its five-year average by ensuring women made up 50% of the newly promoted partners.
The firm’s leadership described the promotions as a reflection of its collaborative approach and alignment with its planned merger with Perkins Coie. Global CEO Paul Jenkins emphasized that the appointments reflect Ashurst’s strategic priorities as the firm moves toward its exciting combination with Perkins Coie, while global chair Karen Davies showed the new partners’ contributions to client service and global operations.
Read Also: Eversheds Sutherland Hires Zaid Al-Farisi as Saudi Banking Head
Clyde & Co simultaneously promoted Maha Lawson and Julia Ofer to partner roles in its corporate advisory practice, based in Abu Dhabi/Doha and Dubai, respectively. These moves form part of a larger round of 28 new partners, effective May 1, following 13 earlier promotions this year. North America led the promotions with 10, while the UK contributed 11, primarily in London. Smaller groups were promoted in Rio de Janeiro, Düsseldorf, Paris, and Singapore. Women comprised 61% of the newly promoted partners, spanning aviation, construction, energy, insurance, and technology sectors.
Since May 2024, Clyde & Co has added nine new partners in the Middle East alone, covering aviation, energy, tax, and technology. Senior partner Carolena Gordon stated that the promotions reflect the firm’s commitment to investing in talent, ensuring deeper sector expertise and global reach to meet clients’ changing needs.