Two American law firms plan to open offices in the Kingdom

Two major American law firms intend to open offices in the Kingdom after the amendment that occurred last year to the rules governing the work of foreign lawyers in the Kingdom.

According to Reuters, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan confirmed on Thursday that it had obtained a license to practice the profession in Saudi Arabia. Morgan Lewis also said through a spokesman today that it is preparing to open an office in Riyadh.

John Quinn, founder of Quinn Emanuel, said in a statement that the 1,000-lawyer firm is primarily focused on the kingdom, which has invested billions to diversify its economy and encourage international investment.

Since last October, at least six other American and international law firms have said that they have opened offices in Saudi Arabia or obtained a license to operate in the Kingdom.