Top construction and energy law company Fenwick Elliott said it has entered into a powerful strategic alliance with one of Saudi Arabia’s leading law firms, Hammad and Al Mehdar, for a major expansion in the kingdom.

The collaboration between the two reputed legal powerhouses will allow clients access to a higher level of local and focused construction, engineering and energy law advice, to meet the increasingly complex nature of projects across the kingdom, said a statement from the UK-based Fenwick Elliot.

Operating out of Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar, the alliance will focus specifically on construction and energy law matters, providing the market with international and regional expertise from two of the most renowned firms in the sector and the kingdom respectively.

Both Fenwick Elliott and Hammad and Al-Mehdar have been established for 35 years, share the same values, service levels and market focus, and have a drive for development and further growth in the kingdom.

Toby Randle, the partner heading up the alliance on behalf of Fenwick Elliott, said: "Vision 2030 presents a huge opportunity for Fenwick Elliott to play an active role in supporting one of the largest and most ambitious plans of exemplary construction, infrastructure and energy projects ever undertaken on the global stage."

"We have formed a formidable team within the Saudi construction and energy market – a combination of high-profile international construction and energy lawyers, working alongside one of the largest and oldest legal institutions in Saudi," he stated.

Dr Adli Hammad, the founding partner of Hammad and Al Mehdar, said: "We have exciting times ahead of us. The alliance with Fenwick Elliott plays an important part in the strategic direction of Hammad and Al Mehdar, of collaborating with best-in-class legal specialists in specific market segments."

"This new alliance will leverage Fenwick Elliott’s international credentials with our local expertise to deliver unparalleled value in the Saudi construction and energy market," he stated.

Dr Hammad said: "Our clients will enjoy access to top level experts to tackle their complex legal issues, allowing them to continue focusing on their core business while having the peace of mind that their legal issues are handled by best-in-class lawyers."

Last month saw the first in a series of thought-leadership events jointly hosted by Fenwick Elliott and Hammad and Al Mehdar focusing on Dispute Resolution and the Impact of the KSA and Islamic Law, and Delay Event Analysis.

With an audience representing some of the key players in the construction sector, the event, held in Al Khobar, covered the complexities of multi-tiered dispute resolution clauses commonly used in construction contracts, while focusing on the impact of Saudi law and Islamic Sharia.

Dr Adli Hammad, the lead partner for the alliance at Hammad and Al Mehdar, said this alliance allows the duo to give clients the very best in construction law advice to meet the increasingly complex nature of projects in the Saudi region, and recommend approaches to deal with these procedures within the framework of Saudi law and Islamic Sharia.

"This event kicked off a series of seminars in which we will be strengthening our network and influence in the region, alongside our strategic partners," he added.

The new alliance follows UK-based Fenwick Elliott’s establishment in 2015 of the firm’s international headquarters in Dubai.

Having amassed extensive experience in the Middle East acting for contractors on projects like Palm Jumeirah and Dubai World Central, the firm is capitalising on increasing demand for its specialist services in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the next 12-18 months.

Fenwick Elliott has a rich history of top-tier clients and projects, while consistently appearing in The Legal 500 for being renowned for outstanding practice and specialist expertise in the construction sector.-TradeArabia News Service