Riyadh Rising For Big Law
Ben Thomson, LawFuel contributor
In the kind of year when seismic regulatory shifts and eye-popping economic ambition collide, 2025 has positioned Saudi Arabia as the world’s most coveted legal hot spot. Heavyweights like Reed Smith, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Trowers & Hamlins, and Stephenson Harwood have placed big bets on Riyadh’s future, swiftly joined by names such as Kirkland & Ellis, Freshfields, and Herbert Smith Freehills.
The catalyst? Vision 2030 and a cascade of new rules that cracked open the market—though not without a complex mix of Saudiization quotas, fierce competition for local lawyers, and human rights scrutiny.
The global race into the Kingdom is just as much about explosive market opportunity as it is a crucible for law firm values, reputational calculus and regulatory nerve. In this latest chapter of legal globalization, entering Riyadh is less about following the crowd—and more about convincing clients and colleagues that you read the room before packing your bags.
Why the exodus to the Kingdom? Vision 2030 is redrawing the rules: international firms can now open independent offices but face tough Saudiization quotas and fierce competition for local talent. With megaprojects, privatizations, and a buoyant IPO market on the boil, early movers are landing the mandates that matter, while also navigating significant due diligence challenges and ethical headwinds.
For law firm leaders, the Saudi gamble isn’t just about revenue. It’s about balancing access to a hyper-growth market with operational, reputational, and human rights risks.
As lawyers confront a justice system under increased scrutiny, the ongoing rush into Riyadh becomes a defining test of professional values, client priorities, and the commercial realpolitik of global practice.
Major international firms opening in Saudi Arabia (2025):
- Reed Smith
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius
- Trowers & Hamlins
- Gowling WLG
- Stephenson Harwood
- Bird & Bird
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Herbert Smith Freehills
- Freshfields
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP)
- Simmons & Simmons
- Pinsent Masons
This is the new front line of global legal practice; a contest for market share and credibility played out against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s rapid, sometimes controversial, transformation.
