Lee Irvine
Simmons & Simmons Middle East LLPSimmons & Simmons Middle East LLP is active on the update and issuance of a range of debt instruments, demonstrating engagement with corporates and financial institutions in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan, among others. Team head Lee Irvine is praised for ‘his rapport with clients and entrepreneurial approach’. He oversees complex sukuk transactions and international debt offerings, as well as boasting strong connections to financial institutions in Qatar. Leah Weldon-Evans, who joined the firm from HSBC in March 2024, provides further transactional and regulatory expertise.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Simmons & Simmons is one of the market leaders for financial institutions, corporate and technology companies, and regulatory work in the Saudi market, with strong presence in Dubai, London and elsewhere.'
‘They have great quality control, responsiveness, consistency and professionalism of service.'
‘We see the debt capital markets practice as operating on par with the big magic circle and US firms. Led by Lee Irvine, he has built the regional offering from scratch and cemented himself with many issuers and established a strong reputation. Simmons & Simmons are on many of the highest profile and biggest name issuers. A high deal volume - reflective of their ever growing market share.’
‘Lee Irvine leads the DCM practice and his rapport with clients and entrepreneurial approach is second-to-none. Lee is known for getting deals done and good commercial pragmatism.'
- 'Leah Weldon-Evans has a longstanding reputation in the market, joining in-house from HSBC. She possesses a real eye for the detail in the documentation.’
Key clients
- Standard Chartered Bank
- The Commercial Bank
- Qatar Islamic Bank
- Al Rajhi Capital Company
- Emirates Strategic Investments Company
- AL Rayan Investment LLC
- The First Investor Q.S.C.C.
- Masraf Al Rayan
- Dukhan Bank Q.P.S.C.
- Emirates Islamic Bank
- Merrill Lynch International
- Riyad Capital
- Mohammed Al Ali Swailem Trading & Contracting Company
- SHUAA Capital PSC
- Arab Bank PLC
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC
- Barclays Bank PLC
- Deutsche Bank AG
- Emirates NBD Bank PJSC
- J.P. Morgan Securities plc
- Mizuho International plc.
- Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc
Work highlights
- Advised on the first issuance of sustainability Sukuk by Emirates Islamic, listed on Nasdaq Dubai.
- Advised the Dealers on the update of The Commercial Bank and CBQ Finance Limited’s U.S.$5,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme and issuances thereunder.
- Advised QIB as to English law and Qatar law on the update of its U.S.$5,000,000,000 Trust Certificate Issuance Programme, the subsequent preparation and filing of supplements to the Base Prospectus, and the four issuances thereunder.
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Practice head
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Lee Irvine