SQUIRE Sanders has appointed Dr. Nadia Al-Anani as Senior Associate in its Riyadh office. Al-Anani is a specialist in banking and regulatory issues, with broad experience in corporate, capital markets, and general commercial law and related complex litigation. She will lead the firm's women lawyers section in Riyadh and play a key role in supporting its expansion across MENA. Al-Anani qualified in Jordan in 1988, and holds an LLM from University of Bristol and a PhD in banking regulation from Durham University. Between 1991 and 2004, she worked at the Central Bank of Jordan, where she gained wide experience in corporate and financial issues ranging from registration and licensing to IPO, private placement, liquidation and corporate governance and compliance. She was in private practice in Jordan until moving to Saudi Arabia in 2010. Since then, Al-Anani has taught law at Prince Nora and Prince Sultan universities and joins Squire Sanders from Hani Qurashi law firm in association with Kilpatrick Townsend LLP. Her recent experience include, among others, advising on two major cases before the Saudi Committee for the Resolution of Securities Disputes (CRSD); advising on the reconstruction of a large family group in Saudi Arabia; advising on the international cases of Petra Bank under liquidation, and on the liquidation of BCCI and Al Masref Al Soury. Partner Kevin Connor, Squire Sanders' coordinator for MENA, said: “We've been at the forefront of championing and developing female lawyers and female and family business in the Kingdom; and I'm delighted that just as we are opening our new facilities in Riyadh, we can welcome Dr Nadia Al-Anani to the firm. Nadia has considerable practical legal experience with clients across the region and stellar academic credentials, particularly in banking and financial services. Fluent in English and Arabic, Nadia will lead our women's section and will play a key role in developing our business in MENA.” The appointment of Dr Al-Anani comes as Squire Sanders formally opens its new facilities for female lawyers in Riyadh. This groundbreaking initiative has seen the creation of a separate, stand-alone office with its own entrance, reception, meeting rooms and lawyers' desks, adjacent to the firm's existing premises. Earlier this week, Squire Sanders was also shortlisted for International Law Firm of the Year in the Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards for 2013. The final award will be decided at a ceremony in Dubai on May 16. — SG
