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Clifford Chance

United Arab Emirates

2025_IFLR1000_Top_Tier_Firm_1_.png
Key practice areas
Banking
Project finance
Capital markets
Capital markets : Debt
Capital markets : Equity
Financial and corporate
Financial services regulatory
Restructuring and insolvency
M&A
Project development
Real estate and Construction
Real estate
Projects
Firm overview

Clifford Chance is a powerhouse across the financial and corporate sphere with highly rated partners and a deep bench in almost all areas. One of the world’s pre-eminent law firms, the firm has a significant depth and range of resources across five continents. 

Rankings published in 2026
Banking
Tier 1
33 firms ranked
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Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
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Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
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Linklaters
10 practice areas
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Tier 2

Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
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Dentons
11 practice areas
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Freshfields
10 practice areas
View full profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
10 practice areas
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White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard
5 practice areas
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Pinsent Masons
8 practice areas
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Tier 4

Ashurst Perkins Coie
7 practice areas
View profile
Baker McKenzie
11 practice areas
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Hadef & Partners
11 practice areas
View profile
King & Spalding
10 practice areas
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Latham & Watkins
10 practice areas
View profile
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
9 practice areas
View profile
Reed Smith
5 practice areas
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Simmons & Simmons
11 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

ALN UAE | Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota
3 practice areas
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Afridi & Angell
9 practice areas
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DLA Piper
9 practice areas
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Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
9 practice areas
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Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
9 practice areas
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IBRAHIM .N. PARTNERS
4 practice areas
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Notable

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
7 practice areas
View profile
CMS (UAE)
6 practice areas
View profile
Eversheds Sutherland
8 practice areas
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Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
7 practice areas
View profile
Greenberg Traurig
8 practice areas
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Holman Fenwick Willan
1 practice area
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Paul Hastings
2 practice areas
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Stephenson Harwood
5 practice areas
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Watson Farley & Williams
5 practice areas
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Capital markets : Debt
Tier 1
12 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile
White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Latham & Watkins
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
7 practice areas
View profile
Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
Dentons
11 practice areas
View profile
Simmons & Simmons
11 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Greenberg Traurig
8 practice areas
View profile
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
9 practice areas
View profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
10 practice areas
View profile
Capital markets : Equity
Tier 1
12 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile
IBRAHIM .N. PARTNERS
4 practice areas
View full profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 2

Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Freshfields
10 practice areas
View full profile
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
7 practice areas
View profile
Latham & Watkins
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Hadef & Partners
11 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Baker McKenzie
11 practice areas
View profile
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
4 practice areas
View full profile
Financial services regulatory
Tier 1
12 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
10 practice areas
View profile
Simmons & Simmons
11 practice areas
View profile

Tier 2

Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
Freshfields
10 practice areas
View full profile
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
7 practice areas
View profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile
White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

AX Law
4 practice areas
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DWF
1 practice area
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PwC Legal
1 practice area
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M&A
Tier 1
40 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile
Freshfields
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
7 practice areas
View profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile
White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard
5 practice areas
View profile
Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
Baker McKenzie
11 practice areas
View profile
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
4 practice areas
View full profile
King & Spalding
10 practice areas
View profile
Latham & Watkins
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Ashurst Perkins Coie
7 practice areas
View profile
BSA LAW
6 practice areas
View full profile
CMS (UAE)
6 practice areas
View profile
Clyde & Co
7 practice areas
View profile
Dentons
11 practice areas
View profile
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
9 practice areas
View profile
IBRAHIM .N. PARTNERS
4 practice areas
View full profile
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
9 practice areas
View profile
Pinsent Masons
8 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
7 practice areas
View profile
Bonelli Erede Lombardi Pappalardo
2 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
9 practice areas
View profile
Eversheds Sutherland
8 practice areas
View profile
Greenberg Traurig
8 practice areas
View profile
Hadef & Partners
11 practice areas
View profile
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
9 practice areas
View profile
Hourani & Partners
2 practice areas
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Squire Patton Boggs
6 practice areas
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Tribonian Law Advisors
2 practice areas
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Trowers & Hamlins
8 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Afridi & Angell
9 practice areas
View profile
Gowling WLG
3 practice areas
View profile
Meysan
1 practice area
View full profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
10 practice areas
View profile
Paul Hastings
2 practice areas
View full profile
Simmons & Simmons
11 practice areas
View profile
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
1 practice area
View profile
Stephenson Harwood
5 practice areas
View profile
Projects
Tier 1
28 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 2

Ashurst Perkins Coie
7 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
9 practice areas
View profile
Dentons
11 practice areas
View profile
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
9 practice areas
View profile
King & Spalding
10 practice areas
View profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
10 practice areas
View profile
Pinsent Masons
8 practice areas
View profile
White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
Bracewell
4 practice areas
View profile
Covington & Burling
4 practice areas
View profile
Latham & Watkins
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

CMS (UAE)
6 practice areas
View profile
Clyde & Co
7 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
9 practice areas
View profile
Eversheds Sutherland
8 practice areas
View profile
Freshfields
10 practice areas
View full profile
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
7 practice areas
View profile
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader
9 practice areas
View profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

Stephenson Harwood
5 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
7 practice areas
View profile
Baker Botts
1 practice area
View profile
Greenberg Traurig
8 practice areas
View profile
Hadef & Partners
11 practice areas
View profile
Simmons & Simmons
11 practice areas
View profile
Trowers & Hamlins
8 practice areas
View profile
Real estate and Construction
Tier 1
18 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Baker McKenzie
11 practice areas
View profile
Clyde & Co
7 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
9 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

CMS (UAE)
6 practice areas
View profile
Dentons
11 practice areas
View profile
Greenberg Traurig
8 practice areas
View profile
King & Spalding
10 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard
5 practice areas
View profile
Afridi & Angell
9 practice areas
View profile
Eversheds Sutherland
8 practice areas
View profile
Hadef & Partners
11 practice areas
View profile
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
9 practice areas
View profile
Pinsent Masons
8 practice areas
View profile
Wisefields
1 practice area
View profile

Notable

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
1 practice area
View profile
Restructuring and insolvency
Tier 1
19 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

A&O Shearman
14 practice areas
View full profile
Clifford Chance
13 practice areas
View full profile
Freshfields
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
7 practice areas
View profile
Baker McKenzie
11 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
9 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard
5 practice areas
View profile
Latham & Watkins
10 practice areas
View profile
Linklaters
10 practice areas
View profile
White & Case
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 4

Al Tamimi & Company
14 practice areas
View profile
Hadef & Partners
11 practice areas
View profile
Pinsent Masons
8 practice areas
View profile
Simmons & Simmons
11 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Al-Suwaidi & Company
1 practice area
View profile
BSA LAW
6 practice areas
View full profile
King & Spalding
10 practice areas
View profile
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
9 practice areas
View profile
Reed Smith
5 practice areas
View profile
Clifford Chance
Linked Reviews
Financial and corporate

London-headquartered multinational “Magic Circle” law firm Clifford Chance opened its first office in the UAE in 1975 and now has office locations in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The firm is known for its stellar reputation as market leader across diverse practice areas. The team in Dubai is being led by managing partner Mohammed Al-Shukairy whilst partner Mohamed Hamra-Krouha leads the Abu Dhabi team. The firm has a tier one ranking across all practice areas in the UAE.

 

Highlights

The firm remarkably advised Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Dubai Islamic Bank as Lenders on the £2.2 billion public to private acquisition financing for Brookfield.

In Equity Capital Markets, the firm acted as counsel to ADES Holding Company on its US $1.2 billion IPO the largest IPO in MENA region in 2023.

The firm’s project team advised ENGIE, Orascom Construction, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Eurus, Energy Holdings Corporation (as Sponsors) on all aspects of the development of a 500MW BOO Wind Power Project in Egypt.

 

Key clients

ADNOC, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Federal Government of the United Arab Emirates, HSBC Bank Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank.

27 results27 results
Mohammed Al-Shukairy
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Private equity
M&A
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Industry Sector:
Banking
Government and public policy
Insurance
Investment management
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Peter Avery
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking
Restructuring and insolvency
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Rezwan Azam
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Capital markets : Equity
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Jeremy Barker
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking and finance
Project finance
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Industry Sector:
Energy
Oil and gas
Mining
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Edmund Boyo
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking
Project finance
Asset finance
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Industry Sector:
Transport
Oil and gas
Graham Brewer
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking and finance
Banking
Project finance
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Nicholas Chan
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Real estate
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Cheuk yin Cheung
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
James Dadford
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Financial services regulatory
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Suzanne Dand
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking and finance
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Mohamed Hamra-Krouha
Firm:
Clifford Chance
AS&H Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking
Project development
Jurisdiction:
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
Paris
New York
Jack Hardman
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Financial services regulatory
M&A
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Tariq Imam
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Real estate finance
Real estate acquisitions
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Industry Sector:
Real estate
Bar Admission:
New Zealand
Sher Khan
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Real estate
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Jordan Knowles
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Corporate and M&A
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
Ontario
Nader Koudsi
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Capital markets : Debt
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Inaamul Laher
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Project development
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Industry Sector:
Construction and materials
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Qudeer Latif
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking
Capital markets
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
Adrian Low
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
Banking and finance
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Jason Mendens
Firm:
Clifford Chance
Practice Area:
M&A
Jurisdiction:
United Arab Emirates
Industry Sector:
Energy
Construction and materials
Bar Admission:
England & Wales
New South Wales
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Deal Highlights
106 results106 results
Deal Name Deal Date Firm Name Jurisdiction Deal Type Lawyer Names Client Names Client Role
Emirates NBD PJSC - Bond Issue
2021-02-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Emirates NBD PJSC
Issuer
Emirates NBD PJSC - Bond Issue
2021-07-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Emirates NBD PJSC
Issuer
Emirates NBD PJSC - Bond Issue
2021-09-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Emirates NBD PJSC
Issuer
First Abu Dhabi Bank - Bond Issue
2021-03-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Issuer
First Abu Dhabi Bank - Bond Issue
2021-04-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Issuer
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC - Bond Issue
2021-06-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC, Emirates NBD PJSC, KFH Capital Investment Co KSC, Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Arab Banking Corp - BSC, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Underwriter
Emirates NBD PJSC - M&A
2021-04-08
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
M&A
Jack Hardman, Mohammed Al-Shukairy
Emirates NBD PJSC
Seller
E+I Engineering Group - M&A
2021-09-08
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
M&A
E+I Engineering Group
Target
Emirates NBD PJSC - Bond Issue
2021-10-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Emirates NBD PJSC
Issuer
First Abu Dhabi Bank - Bond Issue
2021-10-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Issuer
Emirates NBD PJSC - Bond Issue
2021-11-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Emirates NBD PJSC
Issuer
Depa plc - M&A
2022-02-11
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
M&A
Mohammed Al-Shukairy, Nicholas Newman, Rezwan Azam, Sima Al Baterni, Tammie Le
Depa plc
Target
Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC - Bond Issue
2022-02-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Arab Banking Corp - BSC, Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC, Emirates NBD PJSC, First Abu Dhabi Bank, HSBC, Islamic Corp for the Development of the Private Sector - ICD, KFH Capital Investment Co KSC, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Standard Chartered Bank
Underwriter
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank - Bond Issue
2022-03-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Issuer
Emirates NBD PJSC - Bond Issue
2022-02-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Emirates NBD PJSC
Issuer
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank - Bond Issue
2022-02-01
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Bond issue
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Issuer
DP World plc - M&A
2022-06-06
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
M&A
Ahmed Shafiek, Alekhya Prakash, Andre Duminy, Bola Coker, Daniel Boyle, Deniz Tas, Eliot Cohen, Graham Brewer, Greg Olsen, Isabel Freudenberg, Jack Hardman, James Dadford, Julian Feiner, Massimiliano Valli, Michael Pearson, Mohamed Krouha, Mohamed Tighilt, Paul Coates, Rany Rifaat, Richard Kalaher, Robin Abraham, Sima Al Baterni, Stavroula Vryna, Stuart Ure, Tariq Imam, Tom Lloyd
DP World plc
Seller
Aldar Properties PJSC - M&A
2022-08-17
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
M&A
Ahmed Shafiek, Gareth Dray, Kimberly Ng, Mohammed Al-Shukairy, Rizwan Butt
Aldar Properties PJSC
Seller
Abdul Aziz Al-Ajlan Sons for Commercial and Real Estate Investments Company; Sulaiman Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi International Company; National Agricultural Development Company; Olam International Limited - Project development
2021-11-30
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Project development
Mohamed Hamra-Krouha, Majid Al-Sheikh, Omar Rashid
Abdul Aziz Al-Ajlan Sons for Commercial and Real Estate Investments Company, Sulaiman Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi International Company, National Agricultural Development Company, Olam International Limited
Project company
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC; BNP Paribas SA; Bank Of America; Citigroup Global Markets; Credit Agricole SA; First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC; HSBC Holdings Plc; JPMorgan, Mitsubishi UFJ; Financial Group Inc; Mizuho Financial Group Inc; Societe Generale SA; Standard Chartered Plc; Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation - Financing
2021-11-09
Clifford Chance
United Arab Emirates
Financing
Mohamed Hamra-Krouha
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC, BNP Paribas SA, Bank Of America, Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Agricole SA, First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, HSBC Holdings Plc, JPMorgan, Mitsubishi UFJ, Financial Group Inc, Mizuho Financial Group Inc, Societe Generale SA, Standard Chartered Plc, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Lender
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Capital Markets
Abstract digital network of interconnected glowing data blocks representing blockchain technology and decentralized information systems
Behind the deal: Inside Clifford Chance’s first-ever tokenised IPO mandate win
Corporate partner Aline Cardin and counsel Alexander Tollast discuss winning the instruction, road-testing the EU Pilot Regime and turning a first-of-its-kind transaction into know-how
Noemi Distefano, May 06 2026
Corporate
Skyline of Paris with Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Panoramic s
Gibson Dunn lands seven from Clifford Chance in Paris
Gibson Dunn has hired a seven-lawyer investment funds team from Clifford Chance in Paris, led by partner Xavier Comaills, as the firm continues its European expansion
Noemi Distefano, April 28 2026
Awards
55156196116_e3b97c09e9_o.jpg
IFLR launches 2026 awards season with Africa ceremony
Clifford Chance, Bowmans and Udo Udoma & Belo Osagie were among the top winning firms at the awards dinner held in Cape Town on March 17  
March 18 2026
M&A
Houston, Texas skyline at twilight: urban beauty and tranquil green spaces
Clifford Chance names M&A partner as Houston lead
Corporate M&A and PE lawyer Alexandra Wilde has been appointed as managing partner to ‘lead the next phase of growth across the US region’
Noemi Distefano, March 11 2026
Corporate
Looking directly up at the skyline of the financial district in central London, modern architecture as a background
This week’s people moves: Sullivan & Cromwell, Clifford Chance and more
New hires were made across the PE, M&A, real estate, antitrust, finance and capital markets practices in the UK and the US
Noemi Distefano, March 05 2026
M&A
w
This week’s people moves: Ashurst, Fieldfisher, White & Case and more
New hires were made across the corporate, PE, regulatory and finance practices in Abu Dhabi, Brussels, Sydney, Rome, London and the Cayman Islands
Noemi Distefano, January 15 2026
Banking
AdobeStock_1065681496.jpeg
One year of MiCA: the crypto law keeping lawyers busy
Lawyers at Clifford Chance and Skadden examine how the regulation has driven legal demand at their firms and transformed advisory strategies
Noemi Distefano, December 10 2025
Capital Markets
A digital financial chart overlays the blurred image of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London, symbolizing the intersection of finance and politics.
Why London’s equity capital markets are reviving
A revamped rulebook has given a boost to London IPO activity that looks set to continue in the fourth quarter and into 2026, lawyers tell IFLR
Ralph Cunningham, October 30 2025
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