A Kuwait-based Middle Eastern firm specialising in high-value commercial disputes has chosen London for its first venture into the European legal market.

Meysan Partners announced the opening of its Berkeley Square office which will be led by the firm’s head of international disputes John Reynolds, formerly with global firm White & Case.

The practice has aspirations to be a ‘destination firm’ for corporate and M&A disputes, finance litigation and shareholder disputes, targeting a client base of corporates, investors, state-owned entities and high-net-worth individuals.

Reynolds, who was head of the London litigation department at White & Case and then moved to City outfit Avonhurst before joining his new firm, said Meysan is a business with ‘real focus and momentum’. ‘Now, more than ever, London is one of the preferred locations for international litigation and arbitration, and remains a significant arena in international dealmaking,’ he said. ‘Couple that with the incredible pace of economic growth in the Middle East and its ascendency as a global powerhouse in business, and in law, and you have a unique market opportunity.’ 

John Reynolds

John Reynolds

The firm, which has six offices across the Middle East, was founded in 2015 by Bader El-Jeaan, former general counsel at private equity giant The Carlyle Group and Abdul Aziz Al-Yaqout, former Middle East reginal managing partner of DLA Piper. It now has 140 staff and says its revenue has grown by 230% in the past five years.

Reynolds has been involved in many of the landmark cases that have shaped the litigation landscape, from the collapse of Lehman Brothers and BCCI to the nationalisation of Northern Rock and the Maxwell Fraud.

El-Jeaan added: ‘The pace of change in our region, and in the legal profession more broadly, means that we’ve always been agile, ambitious and progressive in our business. So, as our region grows its reputation, we’re hoping to attract people who crave that momentum.’