About

Feras Alkasab began his legal career in the US as part of the IP and commercial transactions group at Sidley Austin and, seeking a challenge, moved to the Middle East to help start up the IP practice at the Doha office of Clyde & Co. Joining Sidra Medicine as associate general counsel in 2014, Alkasab was part of the team that established a first-in-the-Middle East academic medical centre focusing on evidence-based healthcare for women and children, genetic and biomedical research, and medical education. As in-house counsel for a leading academic medical centre, Alkasab’s clients ‘expect legal advice that is both sound and practical; the type of advice which the business can trust and apply immediately’, he says. From his perspective, ‘in-house counsel have an unfiltered view of business operations, planning and decision-making and so must think and act in a way that anticipates and supports the needs of the business. They also sit centrally within the business and have a unique opportunity to brake silos and connect different parts of the business to drive synergy and efficiency’. Alkasab prioritises a client-focused approach to legal requirements, empowering internal clients by providing templates and guidelines that enable them to address standard business scenarios. ‘This gives clients more control over their business areas while allowing the legal team to focus on supporting more complex matters and transactions’, he explains.