Middle East
Delivering reliable counsel across the globe
Cross-border U.S. legal counsel for Middle Eastern clients
Our attorneys combine deep legal knowledge with cultural awareness and international business experience to help clients navigate complex legal frameworks and build successful, sustainable operations in the American market.
Nelson Mullins advises Middle Eastern clients and businesses by guiding them through the legal, regulatory, and commercial landscape of operating in the United States. The firm provides counsel on cross-border transactions, risk management, U.S. market entry strategies, compliance with federal and state regulations, and structuring investments to align with both U.S. and home-country requirements.
Providing experience in the U.S. and abroad to protect and grow our clients' interests
We provide coordinated cross-border representation and support for companies seeking to enter, expand, or optimize their U.S. operations, while addressing compliance with both U.S. regulations and local legal standards.
Corporate
Our clients include start-ups, family businesses, smaller reporting companies, large private companies with hundreds of shareholders, large public companies, institutional investors, corporate investors, private equity funds, and venture capital funds. We also work closely with in-house counsel often serving as outside general counsel to public and private companies. Many of our corporate attorneys are former in-house counsel and C-level executives, former compliance officers, and former U.S. government regulators.
Mergers and Acquisitions - Our team includes more than 150 M&A attorneys, supported by an additional 45 attorneys with deep subject matter experience across key practice areas including antitrust, banking, corporate governance, data security, e-discovery, employment and labor, environmental, finance, healthcare, intellectual property, litigation, privacy, real estate, securities, and tax.
We have handled hundreds of middle-market transactions, ranging in size from less than $5 million to $2 billion. Our experience enables us to guide, structure, and close M&A deals with attention to efficiency and effectiveness. Our middle-market focus, and deal volume enable us to guide, structure, and close M&A deals efficiently and effectively. We regularly represent clients in both buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, and we have significant experience with a multitude of acquisition and divestiture strategies, including spin-offs, carve-outs, sales of divisions, industry roll-ups and private-equity-backed recapitalizations.
Our capabilities also extend to multi-billion-dollar deals. In the last two years, we closed more than 316 M&A transactions with a total deal value of over $22.6 billion.
Regulatory/Compliance - Our interdisciplinary team draws on the insights of former bank regulators, SEC attorneys, and in-house financial services counsel, combined with experience in securities and M&A. We also leverage backgrounds in real estate, creditors’ rights, intellectual property, tax, and litigation to provide strategies for navigating financial and regulatory challenges. Drawing on additional experience in real estate, creditors’ rights, intellectual property, and tax, and supported by skilled litigators who anticipate and resolve disputes, we provide clients with forward-looking, business-focused strategies to navigate complex financial and regulatory challenges.
Private Equity - We guide clients through the full private equity life cycle—from fund formation and acquisitions to growth investments and successful exits. We advise funds, portfolio companies, and independent sponsors across industries, including more than 200 technology companies.
Litigation
Commercial Litigation - From the boardroom to the courtroom, Nelson Mullins delivers strategic, cost-effective counsel to Middle Eastern businesses navigating U.S. markets. Our team brings regional insight, multilingual capabilities, and experience in securities, technology, energy, real estate, and healthcare disputes. We represent clients in cross-border matters, complex discovery, regulatory and public affairs issues, and appeals.
Intellectual Property Litigation - Nelson Mullins helps clients protect and enforce their intellectual property through strategic litigation and administrative proceedings in the U.S. and abroad. Our team defends against and pursues patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret claims, while navigating post-grant reviews, oppositions, and domain name disputes. With veteran trial lawyers, registered patent attorneys, former federal clerks, and more than 30 patent professionals across disciplines such as pharmaceuticals, software, and engineering, we provide representation from early case assessment through trial and appeal.
Labor & Employment
Our labor and employment team helps employers navigate complex U.S. laws, including the FLSA, Davis-Bacon Act, and Service Contract Act. We handle wage-hour audits, internal investigations, and defend against claims involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and regulatory actions before the EEOC, NLRB, OFCCP, and OSHA. With 55+ attorneys spanning labor, employment, benefits, immigration, corporate, tax, and litigation, we deliver practical, business-focused strategies that strengthen compliance and support positive employee relations.
Tax
Nelson Mullins helps clients structure tax-efficient strategies for both U.S. and international operations, drawing on decades of experience and strong partnerships with leading foreign counsel. Our team of 55+ attorneys includes former regulators, multinational firm partners, professors, and multilingual practitioners with knowledge of banking, real estate, finance, tax, and global business practices. Backed by the full Nelson Mullins platform, we provide guidance to ensure compliance and maximize value worldwide.
Government Relations
Our bipartisan team includes attorneys and professionals with prior experience in government service at the international, federal, state, and local levels, including roles held by former diplomats, cabinet officials, elected leaders, and senior congressional staff. Drawing on this background, we advise clients on political and policy developments, risk management strategies, and government relations matters in complex regulatory and policy environments.
International Trade
We assist global businesses in navigating cross-border trade and regulatory issues. Our team provides counsel on tariff classification, valuation, transfer pricing, royalties, and country-of-origin determinations. We also advise on trade preference programs such as NAFTA and on compliance initiatives including the Importer Self-Assessment (ISA) and C-TPAT supply chain security programs. Our attorneys represent companies in Customs detentions, seizures, and audits, support clients with prior disclosures and penalty mitigation, and assist with establishing Foreign Trade Zones and Subzones. We also advise on export controls, including licensing under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and provide guidance on sanctions, OFAC compliance, and anti-boycott regulations.
Energy
Nelson Mullins’ energy team advises clients on transactions, regulatory matters, and energy policy across the United States. Our attorneys include a former U.S. Ambassador to Canada and former in-house counsel for a publicly traded energy efficiency company. We counsel on traditional and alternative energy projects, with experience in areas such as solar, biomass, and renewable fuels.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
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Represented a leading sports and related commercial services consultancy in the Middle East and North Africa during their acquisition by a global integrated sports agency network. Nelson Mullins also represented this client in a venture investment of the sports agency network.
Providing experience in the U.S. and abroad to protect and grow our clients' interests
We provide coordinated cross-border representation and support for companies seeking to enter, expand, or optimize their U.S. operations, while addressing compliance with both U.S. regulations and local legal standards.
Corporate
Our clients include start-ups, family businesses, smaller reporting companies, large private companies with hundreds of shareholders, large public companies, institutional investors, corporate investors, private equity funds, and venture capital funds. We also work closely with in-house counsel often serving as outside general counsel to public and private companies. Many of our corporate attorneys are former in-house counsel and C-level executives, former compliance officers, and former U.S. government regulators.
Mergers and Acquisitions - Our team includes more than 150 M&A attorneys, supported by an additional 45 attorneys with deep subject matter experience across key practice areas including antitrust, banking, corporate governance, data security, e-discovery, employment and labor, environmental, finance, healthcare, intellectual property, litigation, privacy, real estate, securities, and tax.
We have handled hundreds of middle-market transactions, ranging in size from less than $5 million to $2 billion. Our experience enables us to guide, structure, and close M&A deals with attention to efficiency and effectiveness. Our middle-market focus, and deal volume enable us to guide, structure, and close M&A deals efficiently and effectively. We regularly represent clients in both buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, and we have significant experience with a multitude of acquisition and divestiture strategies, including spin-offs, carve-outs, sales of divisions, industry roll-ups and private-equity-backed recapitalizations.
Our capabilities also extend to multi-billion-dollar deals. In the last two years, we closed more than 316 M&A transactions with a total deal value of over $22.6 billion.
Regulatory/Compliance - Our interdisciplinary team draws on the insights of former bank regulators, SEC attorneys, and in-house financial services counsel, combined with experience in securities and M&A. We also leverage backgrounds in real estate, creditors’ rights, intellectual property, tax, and litigation to provide strategies for navigating financial and regulatory challenges. Drawing on additional experience in real estate, creditors’ rights, intellectual property, and tax, and supported by skilled litigators who anticipate and resolve disputes, we provide clients with forward-looking, business-focused strategies to navigate complex financial and regulatory challenges.
Private Equity - We guide clients through the full private equity life cycle—from fund formation and acquisitions to growth investments and successful exits. We advise funds, portfolio companies, and independent sponsors across industries, including more than 200 technology companies.
Litigation
Commercial Litigation - From the boardroom to the courtroom, Nelson Mullins delivers strategic, cost-effective counsel to Middle Eastern businesses navigating U.S. markets. Our team brings regional insight, multilingual capabilities, and experience in securities, technology, energy, real estate, and healthcare disputes. We represent clients in cross-border matters, complex discovery, regulatory and public affairs issues, and appeals.
Intellectual Property Litigation - Nelson Mullins helps clients protect and enforce their intellectual property through strategic litigation and administrative proceedings in the U.S. and abroad. Our team defends against and pursues patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret claims, while navigating post-grant reviews, oppositions, and domain name disputes. With veteran trial lawyers, registered patent attorneys, former federal clerks, and more than 30 patent professionals across disciplines such as pharmaceuticals, software, and engineering, we provide representation from early case assessment through trial and appeal.
Labor & Employment
Our labor and employment team helps employers navigate complex U.S. laws, including the FLSA, Davis-Bacon Act, and Service Contract Act. We handle wage-hour audits, internal investigations, and defend against claims involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and regulatory actions before the EEOC, NLRB, OFCCP, and OSHA. With 55+ attorneys spanning labor, employment, benefits, immigration, corporate, tax, and litigation, we deliver practical, business-focused strategies that strengthen compliance and support positive employee relations.
Tax
Nelson Mullins helps clients structure tax-efficient strategies for both U.S. and international operations, drawing on decades of experience and strong partnerships with leading foreign counsel. Our team of 55+ attorneys includes former regulators, multinational firm partners, professors, and multilingual practitioners with knowledge of banking, real estate, finance, tax, and global business practices. Backed by the full Nelson Mullins platform, we provide guidance to ensure compliance and maximize value worldwide.
Government Relations
Our bipartisan team includes attorneys and professionals with prior experience in government service at the international, federal, state, and local levels, including roles held by former diplomats, cabinet officials, elected leaders, and senior congressional staff. Drawing on this background, we advise clients on political and policy developments, risk management strategies, and government relations matters in complex regulatory and policy environments.
International Trade
We assist global businesses in navigating cross-border trade and regulatory issues. Our team provides counsel on tariff classification, valuation, transfer pricing, royalties, and country-of-origin determinations. We also advise on trade preference programs such as NAFTA and on compliance initiatives including the Importer Self-Assessment (ISA) and C-TPAT supply chain security programs. Our attorneys represent companies in Customs detentions, seizures, and audits, support clients with prior disclosures and penalty mitigation, and assist with establishing Foreign Trade Zones and Subzones. We also advise on export controls, including licensing under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and provide guidance on sanctions, OFAC compliance, and anti-boycott regulations.
Energy
Nelson Mullins’ energy team advises clients on transactions, regulatory matters, and energy policy across the United States. Our attorneys include a former U.S. Ambassador to Canada and former in-house counsel for a publicly traded energy efficiency company. We counsel on traditional and alternative energy projects, with experience in areas such as solar, biomass, and renewable fuels.
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
-
Represented a leading sports and related commercial services consultancy in the Middle East and North Africa during their acquisition by a global integrated sports agency network. Nelson Mullins also represented this client in a venture investment of the sports agency network.
- Reliable legal experience with Middle Eastern clients
- Integrated corporate governance services
- A multi-disciplinary team connected throughout the U.S.
- Predictability, cost-competitiveness, and administrative efficiency
- Relationships with government professionals and the communities in which we do business
Practice Contacts
