K&L Gates opens Dubai office - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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Dubai is the firm’s 33rd officwe and its first in theMiddle K&L Gates Chairman and Global Managing Partner Peter Kaliws said the office was “in the works for aboutt a year” and that the firm’s entrty was “well-timed compared with a year ago because the costes are reduced and there is much more lega talent at more reasonable compensation levels availablee on the market.” K&L Gates expects to grow the Dubaij office principally through hires in that region. “I could see additional offices in theMiddlr East,” said Kalis, who first visited Dubaj six months ago in preparingy the firm’s entry there.
“Because of the concentratio n of financial and professional serviced in theDubai area, it’s a very attractivre and efficient point of entry into the Gulf region. But certainly it’sw not the only market for legal servicexthat matters. A logicalp next step would be Abu Dhabi, but therde is nothing scheduled for thatto K&L Gates is also “always” open to continued expansioh opportunities internationally and in the continental United States, Kalis but did not identify specific citiesz or countries. Neal Brendel, one of the firm’s seniore dispute resolution partners, is relocating from the Pittsburg office to serveas co-founder of the Dubaiu office.
Joining Brendel is Paul de Cordova, who most recentlyg worked with Ashurst, establishingf and managing that firm’s Dubai officer and helping to open a second office in the UnitefdArab Emirates. He is a corporate and projectas lawyer with more than 20 years Associate Richard Dollimore also is joining theDubao office. He most recently worked in the K&LL Gates office in London.