CMS today announced the opening of a new office in Dubai - initially to service energy clients – consolidating its presence in the Middle East.

Head of Energy, Penelope Warne, comments: “A new hub of energy companies is emerging in Dubai to service major investment into Iraq, and this is stimulating demand for specialist lawyers in the region. Our lawyers on the ground are perfectly positioned to meet those needs and enable us to service other energy projects in the region.

“We have supported clients for a number of years through our offering in Lebanon and Baghdad. Having a physical presence in Dubai consolidates our Middle East offer and is a logical addition to our expanding global practice.”

CMS’ team in Dubai is led by Partners, Stephen Millar and Matthew Culver.

The firm’s global energy practice continues to go from strength to strength. The Dubai launch follows an office opening in Rio de Janeiro in 2010 and a large, growing presence in Aberdeen, the oil capital of Europe.

CMS now operates in 29 countries, with 53 offices in Western and Central Europe and beyond. CMS was established in 1999 and today comprises 750 Partners and over 2,800 lawyers. CMS is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany.

Recent notable deals for the energy team include advising:

• long-standing client, BP, in completing a deal to sell its interests in the Wytch Farm area in Dorset to Perenco UK Limited for up to $610 million. The sale included BP's interest in the Wytch Farm, Wareham, Beacon and Kimmeridge fields together with associated pipelines and onshore processing facilities at the Hamble terminal.
• National Grid and ScottishPower, in entering into a groundbreaking subsea cable project with Siemens and Prysmian known as the Western HVDC Link Project. The 420km Western HVDC Link will provide a 2.2GW subsea link connecting the transmission network in the south of Scotland with England/Wales via a route which also takes it through Isle of Man and Northern Ireland waters. It is expected to be operational in 2016.