Global law firm White & Case has launched a training contract offering a pathway to qualification as an England & Wales solicitor from its Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh offices.
The programme offers aspiring lawyers training in English law, specifically tailored to the needs of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
White & Case plans to recruit six trainees for the first cohort, who will start training for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) in London from September 2025. They will start their training in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Riyadh the following year.
The firm will cover training fees and provide a maintenance grant to all trainees, who must be fluent in English and Arabic.
White & Case guarantees an international secondment to its global trainee cohort, and one seat will be in London or another Middle East or Asia Pacific office.
“English law continues to be important globally and there is significant and ongoing demand from our clients for England and Wales-qualified lawyers who are bilingual in Arabic and English to support their key deals and disputes in the Middle East,” a spokesperson for the firm told Law Middle East.
“Our new GCC English Law Trainee Program will help ensure White & Case continues to have a pipeline of legal talent in the region to meet this business need.”
White & Case has been active in the Middle East for more than 70 years, with an on-the-ground presence since 1989. The firm has more than 100 lawyers in the region, advising on transactions including most recently the initial public offerings (IPOs) of Lulu Retail and Spinneys in the UAE. It also has a long-standing relationship with Saudi Aramco.
Other international law firms offer Middle East training contracts that lead to qualification as an England & Wales solicitor such as Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co, and Norton Rose Fulbright. In addition to this, some law firms like Al Tamimi & Company offer a pathway for trainees to qualify in their local jurisdictions.
