Saudi Arabia has opened the door for international law firms to establish a presence. International law firms will now be able to choose between two options to setup offices in Saudi Arabia. There are, however, substantive requirements for international law firms to observe, including in relation to residency of partners, restrictions on referring work to out of Kingdom offices, training and development of Saudi Arabian lawyers, and having appropriate on-the-ground administrative support.
International law firms have also been given a six-month deadline to end any existing “association / affiliation / cooperation” relationships, or otherwise restructure them to meet the new requirements.
While some details remain subject to the final issuance of various implementing rules, this bulletin outlines the options that international law firms can adopt, along with the requirements, advantages, and limitations of each.
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