- Mission to showcase the nation’s legal services on an
international stage
- Expected to bring in £750k in new business for the sector
- First trade mission on this scale
Set up by the Ministry of Justice, it includes a delegation of 28
industry leaders – ranging from the President of the Law Society
and Chair of the Bar Council to specialists in LawTech. They will
showcase the excellence of the UK’s legal sector and highlight
the strength of English Law – seeking to seize opportunities to
grow exports in countries such as the UAE, Qatar and Israel.
Additionally, a dedicated legal services day will take place at
the UK Pavilion in Dubai EXPO on Wednesday 24 November. It will
bring together 90 Middle Eastern legal experts with UK
counterparts - for the first time at this scale - to help boost
trade between the two regions.
The mission has been organised as part of the UK’s international
brand marketing campaign, GREAT, to promote the best of the UK
abroad. It is expected to generate over £750k in new business for
UK law firms, chambers and LawTech companies.
Justice Minister, QC, said:
This trade mission will build on our efforts to forge
international partnerships to increase trade for the legal
service sector, while showcasing the exceptional legal talent we
have to offer.
Legal services contribute a massive £22 billion to the UK economy
and will be crucial to ensuring we build back better from the
global pandemic.
will also meet senior justice
counterparts on a visit to Israel and Qatar to discuss private
international law and LawTech and reinforce the place of English
law as the heart of international disputes.
It follows the launch of a 14-week consultation by the Department
for International Trade to seek views on a wide-reaching trade
deal between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that
will boost trade and strengthen the UK’s relationship with a
strategically important region.
Last year, GCC – which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – spent £233 million on UK legal
services, making it one of the most lucrative areas for legal
professionals to export their expertise.
This trade mission builds on wider efforts from the government to
boost trade with the region, supporting the Global Britain
agenda. It follows the ‘UK-GCC Joint Trade and Investment Review’
which confirmed that UK and GCC economies complement each other
to a significant extent and there is great scope for
collaboration and growth.
Notes to editors
Below is a list of delegates that will join the trade mission.
They are all self-funding the trip:
- Malcolm Bishop QC, Barrister, 3 Hare Court
- Khadija Leuenberger, Barrister, 36 Stone
- Simon Astill, Barrister, 3PB
- Saima Hanif QC, Barrister, 3VB
- Sharif Shivji QC and Alexander Cook, Barrister, 4 Stone
- Alexander Cook, Sharif Shivji QC, Barrister
- Ben Rigby, Legal journalist, Abitra
- Andrew Johnson, Partner & Head of Region, Addleshaw
Goddard
- Yacine Francis, Partner, Allen & Overy
- David Charlier, Partner & Head of Region, Ashurst
- David Barnes, Barrister, Atkins Chambers
- David Howorth, Director (lawtech), Avvoka
-
, Senior Associate, Charles
Russell Speechley
- Alastair Young, Managing Partner, Dentons
- Edward Braham, Partner, Freshfields
- Stuart Paterson Managing Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
- Sam Karim QC, Barrister, Kings Chambers
- Robert Marcus, Lawtech, Legal Utopia
-
QC, Barrister, Outer Temple
- Tina Blazquez-Lopez, Energy & Infrastructure Head, MENA,
Simmons & Simmons
- Professor Mark Watson-Gandy, Barrister, Three Stone
- Sara Masters QC, Barrister, Twenty Essex
- Dr Hakeem Seriki, Solicitor, STEPTOE & JOHNSON UK LLP
- Naveen Agnihotri, Barrister, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square
- I Stephanie Boyce, President, The Law Society of England and
Wales
- Derek Sweeting QC, Chair, The Bar Council of England and
Wales
