RICHARDS BUTLER OPENS IN DUBAI. RECRUITS SEAN ANGLE AS OFFICE HEAD

Richards Butler is enhancing its well established Middle East presence by announcing the opening of an office in Dubai’s International Financial Centre (DIFC).  Richards Butler, whose thirty-year presence in Abu Dhabi, makes it one of the longest established Middle East practices of any UK firm, has recruited partner Sean Angle to lead the new office.
Australian, Sean Angle, 44, was formerly resident managing partner of Trowers & Hamlin’s Muscat office.  Based in the Middle East for more than fourteen years he has extensive experience of leading teams on major project work and large corporate transactions, as well as providing general commercial advice to regional and international clients.  His recent client work includes acting on large scale tourism, property development and infrastructure projects.  Much of this work has been groundbreaking, involving the parallel development of the legal framework to support these projects.
Richards Butler’s decision to expand its Middle East practice reflects the region’s dramatic commercial development in the past two years, and Dubai’s emergence as a major economic hub.  The Dubai office will work closely with the existing resource in the firm’s ten lawyer Abu Dhabi office and its regional associates. 
Peter Michelmore, Richard Butler’s Middle East Managing Partner, said: “Establishing an office in Dubai is a logical move for the firm given the substantial regional interests of many of our clients, and indeed those afforded to us by our forthcoming merger with Reed Smith, including inward investing multinationals as well as leading local commercial and financial interests.  In Sean Angle we have the ideal person to spearhead this exciting development.  He is an extremely bright, innovative and talented lawyer.  Clients speak of his enormous energy and we are delighted that he is joining us.”
Sean Angle said: “Firms seeking to develop and to support clients in the Middle East and wider region have to recognise the ever growing importance of Dubai.  Richards Butler’s decision to open here presents a fantastic opportunity for our Firm to participate further in the development of one of the world’s fastest growing and most dynamic economies.  Having a presence in DIFC is the right move for us.  The atmosphere and professionalism created by the DIFC people is second to none, and it is a privilege to be part of it.  ”