DLA Piper has cited increased demand for its lobbying and governmental relations services as the rationale behind its impending opening in Turkey, according to its co-chairman, Lord Clement-Jones. The often opaque regulatory systems in emerging markets coupled with governments and regulators looking to play a more active role in their economies has presented a window of opportunity for law firms, he says.
“Conventional lobbying doesn’t really take place in most emerging markets,” he told local media on a recent trip to Dubai. “Here, you just have to make sure that people are meeting the right people, delivering the right messages. A lot of it isn’t even lobbying, it is getting the right information to the right places.”
DLA is one of the more well-credentialed firms in this regard. In the past it has lobbied US politicians on behalf of Middle East governments, represented Turkish interests in a debate over recognition of the Armenian genocide, and worked on behalf of the UAE in relation to a vote on a nuclear power accord.
“There’s this idea that lobbying is all about taking people to play golf,” said Clement-Jones. “It looks as though we have such an easy life. But a lot of it is about advocacy; it’s just showing what you are all about and what you can deliver. Call that lobbying if you like, but I call it good government relations, good communications.”
DLA will pair up with a soon-to-be named local law firm to enter Turkey. It is understood that the firm is in talks with Istanbul-based YukselKarkinKucuk.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, Lord Clement-Jones said the firm is looking to move on from what was, by all accounts, a dismal 2009 by investing in its Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi offices.
“When you go through a shock, like everybody else you have to retrench at some point,” he said. “We invested heavily and now we have consolidated and had to let some people go. But where the growth is, we haven’t stopped the pace at all.”
A look at where the firm ‘consolidated’ however, would seem to suggest that growth was rare in 2009. After three rounds of redundancy consultations, the firm laid off 30 staff members (15 lawyers) from its real estate, construction, finance and projects and corporate practice groups in addition to introducing pay cuts, three-day weeks, and forced sabbaticals. In addition to these losses, the firm also saw a number of high-profile lawyers depart in 2009: Alex Saleh (Al Tamimi); Olivier Agha (Agha & Shamsi); Peter Hodgins (Clydes), among others and also saw its Saudi alliance with Abdulaziz A Al-Bosaily crumble after only six short months. In 2009, the firm's gross revenue declined 14 percent- coming in at just over US$1bn.
Related stories: