International law firms Greenberg Traurig and Simmons & Simmons have hired key partners in Saudi Arabia.
Greenberg Traurig has hired Dr Yazid AlMasoud, a specialist in public policy and regulatory matters, as a partner in Riyadh. He is expected to be joined by a broader team at the firm.
AlMasoud was previously a partner at Z&Co, a national law firm in Saudi Arabia with offices in Riyadh and Jeddah. He led the public policy and regulatory practice at Z&Co, which previously operated in association with Linklaters. In this role, he advised multinational clients and sovereign entities on regulatory, legislative, and institutional reform initiatives.
Prior to this, he served as a senior advisor at the Ministry of Energy for eight years. In this role, he advised government entities and ministerial and supreme committees, and represented agencies in the Royal Court and the Center of Government.
AlMasoud will join Greenberg Traurig’s government law & policy and regulatory and compliance groups to advise on a range of government law, public policy, and regulatory matters.
Greenberg Traurig’s executive chairman, Richard A. Rosenbaum, said: “Dr Yazid’s strong credibility with government leaders, particularly his history of providing advice and support to several supreme and ministerial committees in various legal matters related to regulating and organising the energy sector in the KSA, will be especially helpful as we continue to grow in the region.”
Greenberg Traurig’s Middle East regional chair and Saudi Arabia managing partner, Khalid A. Al-Thebity, said: “The addition of Dr Yazid firmly supports our growth in the region and aligns with our ambition of recruiting top legal talent to support our clients for the long-term.”
AlMasoud added: “Public policy and regulatory mandates require international expertise benchmarked against best-in-class industry standards across the world; there are several synergies across these industry groups which will complement our offering and allow us to offer our clients access to a cohesive platform across primary markets both regionally and internationally. A key component of my decision was also the opportunity to collaborate with Khalid, a pioneering leader in the legal market with an exceptional reputation, I am excited for the future.”
Greenberg Traurig has also hired senior corporate and commercial lawyer Greta Habib as a partner from Al Tamimi & Company.
Based in the UAE, she previously founded and led two cross-border corporate law firms in Beirut and Dubai.
Her practice focuses on cross-border structuring and restructuring transactions, involving the formation of companies, trusts, foundations as well as private equity and funds in the UAE and broader region.
“As we experience tremendous growth across the region, adding exceptional legal talent like Greta is key to our ability to serve clients at the highest level,” said Al-Thebity. “Her depth of knowledge of commercial law throughout the Middle East fits perfectly with the expertise of our corporate team and client needs.”
“Greta has long been recognised in the region for her ability to deliver commercially sound, multi-jurisdictional legal solutions tailored to complex and evolving business landscapes and we welcome her to the firm,” added Steven Bainbridge and Sarah Mahood, co-managing partners of Greenberg Traurig’s UAE office.
Greenberg Traurig launched in the Middle East in 2023 with offices in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Since then, the firm has been growing steadily in the region, planting roots in the key industries and business sectors most active in the Middle East.
Simmons & Simmons, meanwhile, has hired Umera Ali as a partner in a significant boost to its banking capabilities in the Middle East.
With a career spanning two decades, Ali joins from Dentons, where she led the firm’s banking practice in Saudi Arabia.
She advises on both conventional and Islamic finance matters, with a focus on complex financial instruments and structures.
In her new role, she will split her time between the firm’s Dubai office and its new Riyadh office, which is set to open by summer 2025. From these two bases, she will support a range of national and international clients operating in these countries and across the wider GCC region.
Simmons & Simmons Middle East head Muneer Khan said: “Umera is a first-rate banking lawyer and we’re very pleased to have secured her as a partner. Her track record, client relationships and deep understanding of regulatory environments across the Middle East—especially in the KSA—are a huge asset. Umera will play an integral role leading our banking offering in the wider region, supporting our growth ambitions.”
