International Law Firm Opens Abu Dhabi Office

Editorial Staff

15 September 2026

International law firm has opened an Abu Dhabi office, located in the ADGM financial centre, after receiving full regulatory authorisation from ADGM's Registration Authority.

The firm will use the base to serve clients in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and across the wider region. Ahmed T el-Gaili will rejoin the firm as a partner to lead the firm's Middle East practice, S&C said in a statement yesterday.

Sullivan & Cromwell advises on domestic and cross-border M&A, litigation and corporate investigations, finance and corporate transactions, and complex antitrust, regulatory, tax and estate planning matters.

"We are delighted to deepen S&C's connection to one of the world's most dynamic financial centres with a new office in Abu Dhabi," Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller, co-chairs of Sullivan & Cromwell, said.

The firm said Ahmed T el-Gaili previously practiced at Sullivan & Cromwell for six years in London before relocating to the Middle East. He has nearly two decades of experience in the region advising sovereign wealth funds, state-owned enterprises, governments, regional and international corporates, and private equity firms.

He will work alongside the wider S&C team, including partner Garth Bray, who brings expertise working on cross-border M&A as well as technology and regulatory matters, and Umberto Hassan, whose expertise includes cross-border M&A and complex restructuring, with a focus on clients based in the UAE.

Late in August, this news service examined the mood of private client advisors, bankers, consultants and wealth managers about the Gulf region and how it is positioning in light of recent geopolitical troubles.