Norton Rose increases focus on Mideast
01 June 2010
INTERNATIONAL legal practice Norton Rose Group has increased its focus on the Middle East by creating two new partners in the region besides signing a memorandum of understanding with a university in the UAE to train nationals in legal practice.
Darran McGlinchey (Riyadh) and Patrick Watson-Thorp (Abu Dhabi) are among 11 new internal promotions this year to add to the 16 laterals, including five in Australia. Other new partners include four in London, UK, two in Singapore, two in Australia (Brisbane and Melbourne) and one in Athens, Greece. There will be seven new partners in corporate, one in real estate, one in dispute resolution, one in employment and one in tax.
Meanwhile, Norton Rose (Middle East) will support a four-week programme to students of the faculty of law at the UAE University in Al Ain, covering technical legal training, English legal language, compliance training, CV and interview workshops and also offers real experience of working in an international legal practice. A select number of students will also be given the opportunity to extend their placements by spending additional time in either Norton Rose’s London office or one of their other international offices.
In addition to the internship programme, the firm will visit the university to give skills workshops, guest lectures and run case studies. It will also strive to realise a greater number of Emirati graduates joining the legal practice as trainees and to increase Norton Rose’s knowledge of the university syllabuses and allow further exploration of ways in which Norton Rose can actively contribute to the development and delivery of UAE university education in law and related fields.
Campbell Steedman, senior partner, Norton Rose (Middle East), says: “Norton Rose is committed to the future success of Emiratisation and this collaboration with the UAE University represents a significant step towards this.”
