Middle East Law Firm Al Tamimi And Company Launches Region's First Sports Law Practice

Middle East law firm Al Tamimi and Company, the region's "largest full service law firm with 13 offices across seven countries," has "launched the region's first dedicated sports law practice," according to THE PENINSULA. A PwC report said that the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market is "currently ranked as the second largest sports market in the world," and is worth an estimated $44.8B, which represents "nearly a third of the global market." Sport is "considered a key growth market for Al Tamimi, as governments across the Gulf look to further diversify their economies and build on the success of major global sporting events," such as F1 races in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, the Dubai World Cup and the Qatar Masters. Based in Doha, the sports practice will "service public and private sector clients across the region." It will be led by Steve Bainbridge, "former General Counsel at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, which hosted a Formula One race recently" (THE PENINSULA, 11/18).