Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance continues Qatar expansion with relocation of Sydney corporate partner Jason Mendens

Doha: Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has announced that corporate partner Jason Mendens has relocated to its Doha office, in an expansionary move to support growing client demand for on-the-ground corporate transactional advice in Qatar.

Jason, who was previously based in Clifford Chance's Sydney office, is a specialist corporate adviser to public, private and government organisations and has particular expertise in the energy and resources sector.

Doha Office Managing Partner Richard Parris said: "We are excited to announce the expansion of our presence in Doha which will enable us to further support Qatari government, corporate and financial institution clients as well as foreign companies operating in Qatar. Being able to offer clients the very best support is critical to our commitment to Qatar."

Jason is an experienced corporate lawyer who advises on public and private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, capital raisings and structured finance transactions. He holds specific expertise in the energy and resources sector and has served as a State Branch Member of AMPLA, the Australian Resources and Energy Law Association.  Jason's move will also build on the firm's strong relationships with clients in Asia Pacific who are active in Qatar and MENA.

"We have been active in the Qatari market for 25 years and this new phase builds on our existing success and also enables us to serve our clients more efficiently on their corporate, M&A and similar projects" said the firm's Head of Corporate for the Middle East, Guy Norman. "Jason's appointment demonstrates our ambition to deepen relationships for the long-term with important Qatari enterprises and our global clients with interests in Qatar, both of which are core components in our growth strategy for the Middle East."

Clifford Chance has operated in the Middle East for over 37 years and has four offices – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Riyadh, where it holds an association with Al-Jadaan & Partners Law Firm. In total the Firm has over 120 lawyers working across the region.

Clifford Chance maintains an impressive M&A track record in the Middle East. The Firm is currently advising Sorouh on its merger with Aldar, one of the MENA region's largest ever M&A transactions; it has also recently advised QNB on the acquisition of Société Générale’s stake in National Société Générale Bank Egypt, the largest cross-border financial services M&A deal in the MENA region in 2012; advising Mannai Corporation on its acquisition of Damas International for which it was awarded M&A Deal of the Year by IFLR Middle East Awards and advising Zain KSA which won Equity Deal of the Year, also at the IFLR Awards. Clifford Chance won Legal Adviser of the Year – MENA at the Mergermarket M&A Awards 2012.

Clifford Chance was also named IFLR Middle East International Law Firm of the Year 2012, winning for the fifth time in six years. In the same year it won International Law Firm of the year at Asian Legal Business Middle East Awards.