Middle East/Africa

A Highly Active Presence in the Middle East and Africa


The Debevoise team has a keen understanding of the business, economic and political environments in the Middle East and Africa, and a long history of advising both corporate entities and sovereign States in the region.

Our team spans the firms’ practice areas and includes partners, counsel and associates, each with deep experience advising on Middle Eastern and African related matters. Many of the firm's lawyers have also spent substantial time in the region working on these matters. We bring a cross-border perspective, can speak over 30 languages, and are qualified in various civil and common law jurisdictions.

We place our clients’ commercial goals at the heart of everything we do. Non-legal factors, including political and diplomatic considerations, often arise in high-profile matters in the region, informing our clients’ commercial and legal strategy. We have unique government and public service experience, enabling us to navigate politically sensitive issues at the cutting edge of the law. At each stage, we act with sensitivity to the long-term relationships and strategic objectives of our clients.

Undertaking cross-border work in the Middle East and Africa demands a high degree of experience and capability in specific jurisdictions, coupled with the ability to provide a coordinated service and strategic viewpoint. Few single firms have market-leading strength and capacity in each jurisdiction in the region, and so we pride ourselves on our ability to work effectively with the best local law firms for each assignment.

This blend of multi-disciplinary strength, regional know-how, and a collaborative working culture has allowed us to advise on some of the highest profile corporate and litigation matters in the region in recent years.