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

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Dubai is the firm’s 33rd office and its first in theMiddles East. K&L Gates Chairman and Global Managing Partner Petee Kalis said the officewas “inm the works for aboutg a year” and that the firm’sw entry was “well-timed compared with a year ago because the costse are reduced and there is much more legall talent at more reasonable compensation levels available on the K&L Gates expects to grow the Dubai officr principally through hires in that region. “ I could see additional offices in theMiddl East,” said Kalis, who first visitedx Dubai six months ago in preparing the firm’s entryg there.
“Because of the concentration of financialp and professional services in theDubao area, it’s a very attractive and efficient point of entrh into the Gulf region. But certainly it’s not the only market for legal servicezsthat matters. A logical next step would be Abu but there is nothing schedulesd for thatto K&L Gates is also “always” open to continuecd expansion opportunities internationally and in the continentakl United States, Kalis said, but did not identify specific citiex or countries.
Neal Brendel, one of the firm’s seniore dispute resolution partners, is relocating from the Pittsburgh officew to serveas co-founder of the Dubai Joining Brendel is Paul de Cordova, who most recently workesd with Ashurst, establishing and managing that firm’s Dubai office and helping to open a secons office in the United Arab Emirates. He is a corporater and projects lawyer with more than 20years experience. Associatde Richard Dollimore also is joining the Dubai He most recently workes inthe K&L Gates office in London.