News

The global law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski  is further expanding its corporate, project and energy capabilities in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia through the strategic addition of a partner and an associate and reassignment of a Fulbright partner from London.

"Our international growth has been driven by our strengths in litigation, arbitration, energy, infrastructure and project finance,” said Steven B. Pfeiffer, the Chair of Fulbright’s Executive Committee. “We believe that continued investment in those areas will best serve our clients wherever they may look to do business worldwide."

Litigator and corporate lawyer David Silver joins Fulbright this month as a partner in Dubai. Silver has spent the past decade living and working in Qatar, home to the second largest gas reserves in the world. A burst of economic development has been under way in recent years in Qatar, the Arabian Gulf and surrounding region, where Silver will represent Fulbright’s corporate, energy and finance clients.  

Meanwhile, Fulbright partner David Moroney, who has more than 35 years experience in structuring, negotiating and documenting upstream and downstream oil and gas, electricity and mining projects, investments and related transactions, will split his time between Dubai and London and serve as the head of Fulbright’s Middle East Energy Practice. The new arrangement will enhance Fulbright’s service to its energy clients looking for guidance on Middle East projects.

Fulbright has strengthened its energy capability in the region considerably in recent months and in November, the firm was named a runner-up by Chambers Global as the Middle Eastern Law Firm of the Year for 2007, a year when Fulbright Partner Randel Young, with over 25 years experience in emerging markets, energy projects and transactional work, relocated to Dubai.

Fulbright has also added associate Lyle Guard, who advises clients on a variety of transactions relating to corporate finance, corporate matters and emissions trading.

“Our Middle East team brings the skill, knowledge of the legal landscape and decades of on-the-ground experience,” said John Lonsberg, the head of Fulbright’s Middle East practice. “There is an enormous amount of infrastructure and other project development that we are assisting with throughout the region as the Middle East markets continue to steadily grow. The addition or relocation of these three accomplished lawyers will certainly enhance the work we are doing in our thriving Middle East locations.”

Silver is known by many working within the region’s financial markets and has represented a number of major players in the energy sector. He handles oil & gas and other international projects and transactions, as well as securitized lending. Early in his career, Silver built up a commercial litigation practice before later moving into the project finance realm.

Moroney has worked on matters involving more than 50 countries, including work in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the CIS, Europe and the Middle East. He has lived and worked in Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore, and his career has been divided equally between industry and private practice.

Guard has advised clients on a variety of transactions related to corporate finance, corporate matters and emissions trading. His experience includes assisting an international bank in relation to the construction of a pipeline in India and acting as counsel to a major Dubai-based company in the sale of certified emission reduction credits under the Kyoto Accord.

“Massive growth is taking place throughout the Middle East, making it a perfect time to become a part of Fulbright’s impressive team, which offers clients the presence, experience and client care that is necessary when advising on the establishment and registration of joint ventures, project contracts, financing and dispute resolution,” Silver said. “I have long been impressed with Fulbright’s lawyers and work in the region and am happy to be a part of such a knowledgeable, well-regarded and collegial team.”

Lonsberg, who has almost 30 years experience in the Middle East, spends significant time in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and has acted on behalf of the governments of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

“We have been building our Middle East team lawyer by lawyer as we work from a global platform of strategically placed locations that allow us to effectively serve clients looking to work in emerging markets,” Lonsberg said. “Fulbright has served the energy sector for more than half a century and we are well positioned to meet our clients growing needs in the Middle East.”