Firm opens in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, secures Hong Kong licence in global expansion drive
Mishcon de Reya has launched new offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and obtained a licence to practise as a firm of solicitors in Hong Kong, marking a major step in its international expansion strategy.
The firm said the new offices in the United Arab Emirates were established to meet growing client demand and reflect the increasing flow of capital, business and family interests across the Middle East. The expansion comes as the firm continues to grow its presence in private wealth, corporate, and international markets.
The UAE offices will serve international corporations, family offices, and private clients, providing advice across corporate and commercial law, employment, technology, intellectual property, dispute resolution, and real estate. The launches build on Mishcon’s longstanding connections in the region and follow the creation of its London-based family office consultancy, MDR Mayfair, in 2017.
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Christopher Skipper, who joined the firm earlier this year from Greenberg Traurig, has been appointed managing partner for the UAE offices. Skipper brings over 20 years of experience advising on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate structuring, governance, and private equity.
“Mishcon has advised clients across the Middle East and North Africa for more than 30 years and already has a deep understanding of the market,” Skipper said. “Opening offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai is a natural development for us, allowing us to better serve clients in two of the world’s fastest-growing financial centres and the wider region.”
He added that Mishcon expects to expand its UAE team in the coming months by adding new partners and senior lawyers.
At the same time, Mishcon has secured approval from the Law Society of Hong Kong to operate as a licensed firm of solicitors in the territory. The development follows nearly four years of partnership with the local firm Karas So, established in 2021 as a step towards full authorisation. Mishcon said the association will continue alongside its new office, offering greater collaboration between the two teams.
The Hong Kong office will be led by Wei Zhang as managing partner, joined by partner Jonathan Mok and his team from Karas So. It will specialise in private client and family work, including cross-border tax and wealth planning, immigration, and family office advisory services. The team includes Hong Kong, English, and New York-qualified lawyers.
“Our ambition is to build one of the leading private client firms in Asia,” Zhang said. “We have exceptional lawyers in Hong Kong with extensive experience across all aspects of private client work. With the expertise of our colleagues worldwide, we will continue to deliver outstanding results for clients across borders.”
Karas So, led by Jason Karas and Kevin So, will continue to operate independently, focusing on dispute resolution, litigation, arbitration, insolvency, and asset recovery. Mark Davis, a disputes lawyer from Mishcon, has joined Karas So to strengthen its litigation practice.
Mishcon has also appointed Patrick Yip as Asia vice chair. Yip, a California-qualified lawyer and chartered public accountant, previously served as vice chair of Deloitte China, where he led the firm’s private tax practice in Hong Kong. He will lead Mishcon’s regional growth in tax and private client work, particularly across China and the wider Chinese diaspora.
Chair Kevin Gold said the expansion reflects Mishcon’s commitment to its five-year strategy focused on private wealth, real estate, and international growth. “With some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, Asia and the UAE have never been more important markets,” he said. “Working alongside our colleagues in Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, our teams across London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Israel, and MDR Mayfair can now offer clients a truly international service.”
Gold added: “Our focus remains simple: to deliver the highest quality legal advice and fiercely protect our clients’ interests.