Today, Matouk Bassiouny, a leading full-service MENA law firm, and Balfaqeeh Advocates & Legal Consultants, a renowned UAE-based legal practice, announced a merger. Under the name Matouk Bassiouny & Balfaqeeh, this merger unites the firms’ respective Abu Dhabi and Dubai teams and resources.
This strategic combination will create a powerful force in the MENA legal market, offering clients an expanded range of services and enhanced capabilities across the region.
“This merger represents a significant milestone for both firms,” said F. John Matouk,
Founding Partner, Head of New York Office, and Head of the Dispute Resolution Group.
“By joining forces with Balfaqeeh, we are significantly expanding our presence and expertise in the UAE, while also strengthening our regional footprint and deepening our client relationships. Notably, this merger solidifies Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s positions as premier legal hub within the UAE and across the GCC.”
“We are thrilled to join forces with Matouk Bassiouny,” said Fatima Balfaqeeh, Founding Partner of Balfaqeeh Advocates and Legal Consultants, Managing Partner at the UAE Office, and member of GCC Executive Committee. “This merger will provide our clients with access to a wider range of legal services and a deeper bench of talent across the MENA region, particularly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We are confident that this expansion will create significant value for our clients and drive continued success for both firms.”
Omar S. Bassiouny, Founding Partner of Matouk Bassiouny and Group Head of Corporate and M&A, shared his perspective on the merger: “This is a truly exciting development for both firms. Balfaqeeh’s deep understanding of the UAE market perfectly complements our own drive to provide clients with the highest quality legal counsel across the entire MENA region.”
For his part, Mahmoud S. Bassiouny, Regional Managing Partner of Matouk Bassiouny, stated: “Through this merger, we’ll be able to offer a truly unique proposition – combining in-depth regional knowledge with the highest international legal standards.”
The combined firm will leverage the strengths of both Matouk Bassiouny and Balfaqeeh Advocates, offering clients a comprehensive suite of legal services, including:
● Corporate and Commercial Law: M&A, joint ventures, private equity, restructuring, and more.
● Litigation & Advocacy: Representing clients in all UAE courts, including onshore and offshore, through legal advocacy and litigation.
● Corporate Governance and Compliance: Ensuring sound corporate governance and minimizing legal and reputational risks.
● Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, mediation, and international arbitration.
● Real Estate and Construction: Development, investment, and financing.
● Intellectual Property: Trademark, patent, copyright, and licensing.
● Employment and Labor Law: Advising on all aspects of employment law, including recruitment, termination, and compliance.
● Fintech and Technology: Blockchain, cryptocurrency, data privacy, and cybersecurity.
This merger was facilitated by Ziad Ali, founder of THE LAW group and JurisBridge
Global Ventures, and aims to strengthen the firms’ abilities to serve clients throughout the MENA region, with a particular focus on the UAE, Egypt, and other key markets.
About Matouk Bassiouny:
Matouk Bassiouny is a leading full-service MENA law firm with over 250 lawyers operating out of its offices in Cairo, Egypt, Dubai and ADGM, United Arab Emirates, Khartoum, Sudan, and Algiers, Algeria. Matouk Bassiouny’s MENA offices are supplemented by a New York satellite office dedicated to enhancing the firm’s international Dispute Resolution services in addition to two country desks covering Libya and South Korea. The firm’s practice areas include corporate and M&A, finance and projects, capital markets, and dispute resolution.
About Balfaqeeh Advocates & Legal Consultants:
Established in 2018, Balfaqeeh Advocates is a leading UAE-based law firm specializing in a wide range of legal services, including dispute resolution (arbitration, mediation, litigation), business transformation, and managing corporate risks. They are committed to sustainable business practices as a UN Global Impact signatory. Balfaqeeh focuses on providing strategic legal counsel to both public and private sector clients across the UAE, including those operating in free zones. Their expertise encompasses corporate governance and dispute avoidance, M&A and corporate transactions, intellectual property, and company formation.
