Real Estate Team Joins Dechert in Dubai
DUBAI – Dechert LLP has strengthened its Middle East offering with the hires of real estate partner Stephen Kelly and national partner Sarah Mahood.
Mr. Kelly is a distinguished practitioner specializing in real estate development and hospitality, particularly within the Middle East, with experience in advising with respect to the full array of development, hospitality and transactional real estate matters. He represents developers and other clients in all aspects of real estate development and advises master developers, hotel operators, service providers and other players within the industry. Mr. Kelly also specialises in implementing titling structures for the most complex development projects in the region and has extensive experience of structuring community and strata title regimes, particularly in large scale master communities, mixed-use and hotel developments. Chambers and Partners quotes clients describing him as “an extremely experienced development lawyer who is able to give a well thought through perspective on the market.”
Ms. Mahood is a rising star in the Middle Eastern real estate legal market. She advises master developers, developers, hotel operators, tenants, landlords, investors and lenders with respect to all aspects of development, hospitality and commercial real estate. Ms. Mahood specialises in advising on complex sale and purchase agreements and all aspects of leasing acting for both landlords and tenants. She also has extensive experience of the structuring of complex mixed-use and hotel development projects involving strata titling and multiple ownership. Ms. Mahood is recognised in The Legal 500 as a ‘Next Generation Lawyer’ in real estate.
Dechert’s Middle East co-managing partner Chris P. Sioufi said, “We are delighted to add Stephen and Sarah’s top flight real estate experience to our Dubai team, further expanding our client offering in the region.”
Richard Jones, chair of Dechert’s global finance and real estate practice groups added “Stephen and Sarah are heavyweights in the Middle East real estate market and they enhance the firm’s ability to provide intelligent and innovative real estate advice worldwide.”
“These hires demonstrate Dechert’s firm commitment to investing in and further expanding our Middle East capability,” said Camille Abousleiman, head of Dechert’s emerging markets group, “Stephen and Sarah join a market-leading team of premier lawyers in the region.”
“I am excited to join such a dynamic firm with a real appetite to grow its services to clients in the Middle East region,” said Mr. Kelly. “Dechert is globally renowned for its strategic and commercial approach to legal advice, and I look forward to working alongside the firm’s leading real estate group.”
Dechert’s real estate group provides clients access to a responsive, interdisciplinary, multi-jurisdictional team to address all aspects of complex real estate transactions. The firm’s internationally recognized practice offers an informed approach based on extensive cross-border experience in the sector. Chambers and Partners quotes market commentators stating “for high value matters, whether in money terms or complexity, we would always use them.”
Dechert lawyers have a strong history of working with clients in the Middle East and North Africa region. With the support of the extensive global resources of an international law firm, Dechert advises local, regional and international clients on all matters of law and regulation, applying a creative, results-oriented approach to any type of project or transaction.
About Dechert
Dechert is a leading global law firm with 27 offices around the world. We advise on matters and transactions of the greatest complexity, bringing energy, creativity and efficient management of legal issues to deliver commercial and practical advice for clients.
