Simmons & Simmons is closing its Abu Dhabi office and retreating to consolidating in Dubai.
The firm launched in Abu Dhabi in 1994, but had to cull members of staff in 2012 owing to difficult market conditions. The office will now close down completely following "a detailed review" which may have just been made up of press clippings of other international firms to pull out of the UAE capital recently. Herbert Smith Freehills, Latham & Watkins and Baker Botts all closed their doors in Abu Dhabi last year and backpedaled to Dubai. Hogan Lovells also shut down its Abu Dhabi office in 2012 to make Dubai its hub for the region.
When Latham made the move, Chairman Bill Voge admitted that the firm had mistakenly opened in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, originally believing there to be two distinct markets, when there was just one.
A spokeswoman for Simmons & Simmons told RollOnFriday that the Abu Dhabi partners and associates would be relocated to other offices, but that only "some" other staff had been offered the opportunity to relocate. Which presumably means the rest are being left in the desert.
Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Clyde & Co and Trowers & Hamlins still have offices in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Place your bets on whose office closes next.
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The firm launched in Abu Dhabi in 1994, but had to cull members of staff in 2012 owing to difficult market conditions. The office will now close down completely following "a detailed review" which may have just been made up of press clippings of other international firms to pull out of the UAE capital recently. Herbert Smith Freehills, Latham & Watkins and Baker Botts all closed their doors in Abu Dhabi last year and backpedaled to Dubai. Hogan Lovells also shut down its Abu Dhabi office in 2012 to make Dubai its hub for the region.
When Latham made the move, Chairman Bill Voge admitted that the firm had mistakenly opened in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, originally believing there to be two distinct markets, when there was just one.
A spokeswoman for Simmons & Simmons told RollOnFriday that the Abu Dhabi partners and associates would be relocated to other offices, but that only "some" other staff had been offered the opportunity to relocate. Which presumably means the rest are being left in the desert.
"The partners are coming back for us! Wait, it's just a mirage." "Thank God." |
Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Clyde & Co and Trowers & Hamlins still have offices in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Place your bets on whose office closes next.
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