The Firm
Hourani & Partners is one of the leading commercial law firms in the Middle East. The firm is led by a team of former “Big Law” attorneys who share a common belief – to establish a successful legal practice in the region, you have to be fully committed to the markets you serve. By being true local experts, maintaining a dedicated presence on the ground, and continuously providing exceptional levels of service, Hourani & Partners distinguishes itself from others.
Through our expansive office network, we offer clients a full suite of legal services across a range of practice areas, sectors and industries. Backed by legal professionals with cross-jurisdictional legal expertise and varied linguistic capabilities (including Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian and Spanish), our clients entrust us with their most complex strategic transactions, as well as their day to day legal matters. Today, our client base ranges from Fortune 500 companies to private equity funds, publicly listed companies, commercial and investment banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and family conglomerates from across the Middle East, North America and Europe.
Our Track Record
Initially established in 1978, Hourani & Partners enjoys a long history of professional excellence in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and throughout the region. Our attorneys are regularly cited by independent legal directories for their client-centric approach, thorough understanding of the region’s legal framework, creative legal solutions, and deep market insights.
Over the years, Hourani & Partners has consistently positioned itself at the forefront of the region’s fast evolving commercial and legal landscape. The firm has been recognized among the top law firms in the Middle East by Chambers Global, IFLR 1000 and Legal 500 since 2009, and in 2023 Hourani & Partners was named “UAE Law Firm of the Year” at the Oath Middle East Legal Awards, “Estate Planning Firm of the Year” at the MENA WealthBriefing Awards and “Tax Law Firm of the Year” at the Thomson Reuters ALB Middle East Awards. With an unending commitment to quality and successful results, Hourani & Partners has earned its status as one of the region’s most prolific and trusted commercial law firms.
Our Approach
To do business effectively in the Middle East, clients require experienced attorneys to guide them through the varying legal nuances and opaque processes that are commonplace in the region. The ability to navigate the legal landscape by drawing upon resources from across our offices, while maintaining seamless client interaction, sets Hourani & Partners apart from others.
For each matter we undertake, we assign a senior attorney as a local point of contact while team members across our various offices provide multiple levels of seamless support. Our integrated approach allows Hourani & Partners to manage capacity and proficiently assign work to those professionals whose skill-set and experience are commensurate to the particular task at hand. The ability to effectively mobilize an integrated team across multiple geographies without compromising service quality enables us to deliver superior work product at a lower cost to our clients.
What Our Clients Say About Us
Through our commitment of Transcending Excellence, Hourani & Partners has earned the reputation of being the premier commercial law firm in the region. Today our varied international, regional, and national client base ranges from Global 1000 and Fortune 500 companies, private equity funds, and exchange-listed conglomerates to banks, government agencies, and family groups from across the Middle East, North America and Europe.
- "We pick Hourani & Partners to contribute value to our operations. Their knowledge of our business and of the market in itself helps us in ensuring that our business needs are always protected."IFLR 1000
- "We find Hourani & Partners to be proactive in highlighting matters that need attention and in finding pragmatic solutions for our group."IFLR 1000
- "Acclaimed practice rendering advice to international corporations and domestic clients alike. Particularly respected for their in-depth knowledge of local law."Chambers Global
- "Noteworthy group handling regular corporate governance, joint venture and privatization mandates. Regularly co-ordinates on matters alongside lawyers based in the firm's Dubai office."Chambers Global
- "Consistently a solid choice for corporate and commercial advice."Legal 500
- "Excellent work. Very thorough, reliable, and fast."IFLR1000
- "It earns recognition from peers as a group that is ’very busy’ - they're involved in a number of notable transactions."Chambers Global
- "Immensely business-oriented, knowledgeable and efficient, with great attention to detail"Chambers Global
In the 40 years since Hourani was founded, we have created a cooperative culture where talented individuals are able to collaborate with each other. We aim to thrive as a law firm and want to continually strive to reach new milestones. In 2018 we celebrate our 40th anniversary, a headline milestone for the firm. We measure our success through the success of our clients and are at the forefront of the changes that are occurring in the legal landscape both locally and globally.
– 1978, Firm Foundations
Amongst one of the very first lawyers to practice and appear before the Dubai courts, Fadi Hourani launches Hourani by Ryal Decree of His Royal Highness Rashid Bin Sayed Al Makhtoum, then Vice-President of the UAE and Emir of Dubai. The firm began by providing clients both contentious and non-contentious advice.
– 1978, Building Hourani
Immediately staffing lawyers, the firm undertakes offices in the infamous Bank Saderat Iran Building, at the the time the only dedicated office building in Dubai.
– 2007 , Growing Hourani
Following graduation from Georgetown University in Washington and successful training at major US law firms including Aking Gump, DLA Piper, Winston and Strawn and Baker McKenzie Firm Partners Chadi Hourani and Hayel Hourani join the firm permanently, ceasing the opportunity to develop the corporate practice in Saudi Arabia. Chadi and Hayel enlarge the Hourani client base and the firm’s jurisdictional reach.
– 2008, Move to Green Tower, Dubai
Hourani moves into the iconic Green Tower development at the heart of Dubai Creek’s business district.
– 2009 , Expanding into KSA
Hourani enters into a formal cooperation agreement with Al Akeel, a Saudi based firm in Riyadh founded by US educated Partner, Meshal Al Akeel, licensed by the Saudi Ministry for Justice.
The two firms work together to create law firms that operate on a single platform to best service institutional clients in litigious and corporate law.
– 2011 , Opening of Jeddah Office
Following double digit growth and continued success in Saudi. The firm open a full service office in Jeddah – a major commercial hub in the Middle East, which allows us to cater to our clients in the Western province whilst also strengthening our regional practice.
– 2014 , Service Centre Opens in Beirut
Now with more than 40 members of staff, the two cooperative firms begin to advise ever more sophisticated clients such as Fortune 500 and European listed businesses on their most complex cases and increasingly high value deals. To ensure the firm operates in an ever changing world and economy, we establish a Service Centre office in Beirut, Lebanon a low cost, high quality option for process orientated legal service offerings
– 2017 , Move to Al Naklah Tower in Riyadh
Firm expansion sees numbers improve to over 70 people. Al Akeel offices move to a state of the art facility in Riyadh (Al Nakhlah Tower), which is in close proximity to King Abdullah Financial Centre, where the future of Saudi business lies.
– 2018 , Celebrating 40 Years
Hourani celebrates its fortieth anniversary, going to market with a new branding message, where the firm will look to “Transcend Excellence” in the legal services market in the Middle East and beyond.