Dubai—Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, celebrates its 50 year anniversary in the United Arab Emirates this month.

Dentons' predecessor firm Fox & Gibbons was the first to establish a presence in the UAE with its office in Abu Dhabi in 1968, followed by its Dubai office in 1969.

The Firm was subsequently involved in landmark events in the UAE’s history, with Dentons’ lawyers acting as the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's legal counsel and helping to draft the treaty that united the Emirates. Other major projects which Dentons was involved in include advising on the establishment of the Hilton Al Ain, which is one of the Emirates’ oldest hotels; the construction of the Dubai World Trade Centre, which was the first sky scraper in the Arab World; and, the construction of Abu Dhabi International Airport. Dentons also acted for Emirates Airlines on its establishment in 1985.

In the 1990s, once Islamic Banking started to take shape, and with the UAE playing a central role, Dentons also worked with many pioneering banks including the Dubai Islamic Bank and the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, helping to drive a new era of economic prosperity through the development of a world-class financial services industry. Following the global financial crisis in 2008, the UAE has continued to drive progress through initiatives such as the Atlantis hotel which again saw Dentons involved in delivering a global landmark.

Paul Jarvis, Dentons' Managing Partner for the Middle East, said, “Building a nation all begins with having a vision. As we look back 50 years, we can admire how far the United Arab Emirates has come and be proud of the part Dentons has played in its success through many of its key milestones. As a law firm, we are also forward looking and already we see the pillars and foundation for a thriving nation being set in place for the next 50 years and beyond.”

Alastair Young, Dentons' Dubai Managing partner adds, “Going back through Dentons' history becomes quite a lesson in the UAE’s history as well. You look back at all these projects and even the founding treaty that we played a role in and it really is the most incredible story. Today we have over 125 legal staff in the Middle East with our team continuing to grow. And like the nation, we aim to foster creativity, innovation and collaboration – continuously challenging the norm and growing in new ways.”

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