Global law firms CMS and Pinsent Masons have added to their partnership ranks in Dubai.
Nicholas Robinson has been named a partner in the banking and finance practice at CMS, while William (Bill) Reichert has been appointed as a partner in the corporate team at Pinsent Masons.
Robinson has joined CMS from Norton Rose Fulbright, bringing with him over 15 years of regional experience.
He advises regional and international banks as well as multinational corporates on financing deals. His experience covers a range of products and sectors including general corporate lending, acquisition finance, secured domestic and cross-border financings, and real estate and development finance, on both a conventional and Islamic finance basis.
“The Middle East market remains strong and the UAE, which has long been seen as a safe haven for investment, continues to see growth,” said CMS partner and joint managing director for Asia and the Middle East, Adrian Bell, in a statement. “To capitalise on this, we are looking to further expand our banking & finance practice across the GCC and Nicholas’ appointment is an important part of this effort.”
The firm’s Dubai office has grown by 30% every year for the past six years, according to the statement.
Elsewhere, Reichert has joined Pinsent Masons from Charles Russell Speechlys, where he led the Middle East corporate practice for six years. Prior to this, he spent almost a decade at K&L Gates.
Dual-qualified in the US and England & Wales, Reichert has over 25 years of experience in corporate transactions including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, private equity, venture capital investments, restructuring, and compliance matters.
He specialises in private, mid-market M&A transactions, both buy-side and sell-side, from seed series investments for start-ups to multi-billion-dollar acquisitions for multinational companies. He has experience in a variety of sectors, including energy, finance, natural resources, real estate, retail, and technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT).
Mohammad Tbaishat, partner and head of Pinsent Masons’ Middle East corporate and M&A practice, said: “As Dubai and the wider Middle East continue to grow economically, Bill’s arrival is ideally timed to advise clients across the key sectors driving this evolution. His expertise, allied with his impressive list of local and international clients, will help ensure we capitalise on this growth and continue to expand our Middle East business.”
