Hourani & Partners

Overview

Hourani & Partners is a full-service commercial law firm focused on the Middle East with an integrated regional platform and international offices. Founded by former ‘Big Law’ practitioners, the firm emphasises deep local market knowledge, cross-jurisdictional capability and a client-centric approach, serving clients from Fortune 500 corporations to family conglomerates, financial institutions and high-net-worth individuals. The firm markets an integrated delivery model that assigns senior local contact points while mobilising specialist teams across its offices to deliver cost-efficient, pragmatic solutions. Hourani is consistently ranked by international legal directories across corporate & M&A, banking & finance, dispute resolution and private wealth.

• Headquarters: Dubai, One Central, DWTC
• Founded: 1978
• Offices: 8

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Competition & Antitrust
• Banking & Finance
• Capital Markets
• Commercial Contracts
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Employment
• Media & Entertainment
• Private Client & Wealth
• Real Estate
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Tax
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Healthcare & Life Sciences

Geographic Focus: Primary strength across the Gulf and wider Middle East (UAE and Saudi Arabia) with an integrated delivery model that connects its Dubai, Abu Dhabi and multiple Saudi offices to complementary presences in Beirut, London and New York. The firm targets regional corporates, financial institutions, private equity and family offices while providing cross-border advice to international clients (North America and Europe) through its global associations.

Training Contract

The firm is authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to conduct training contracts in Dubai and Saudi Arabia and offers internship programmes year-round and in the summer as routes into the firm.

• Academic Requirements: The firm seeks "academically excellent and motivated candidates" and welcomes applicants who aspire to qualify as a solicitor (admitted by the Law Society of England & Wales). No minimum degree classification or A-level requirements are published.

International Opportunities

The firm is authorised to run training contracts in Dubai and Saudi Arabia (SRA-authorised) and operates offices across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Beirut, London and New York.

Mentorship

The firm states that for each matter a senior attorney is assigned as a local point of contact and the careers section highlights a people function (People Manager) and a team-oriented mentoring environment. The firm runs intern programmes and lists trainee associates within practice teams, indicating on-the-job supervision and structured support.

Apply on the Hourani & Partners website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Hourani & Partners Looks For

Key Competencies

• Academic excellence
• Quality-driven approach
• Client service orientation
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Commercial awareness
• Cross-jurisdictional adaptability
• Language/multilingual skills

Evidence Signals

• Strong academic record and motivation to qualify as a solicitor (England & Wales)
• Internship or prior legal work experience (regional or cross-border)
• Demonstrable commercial awareness and interest in Middle East markets
• Language skills and evidence of cultural adaptability
• Practical M&A, banking, tax or private wealth exposure for specialist practice applications

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Full range of corporate benefits
• Year-round internship programmes and summer associate opportunities
• SRA-authorised training contracts in Dubai and Saudi Arabia
• Opportunities to work across multiple regional offices (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Beirut, London, New York)
• Community and CSR activities (annual Ramadan Iftar, community meal programmes)

Awards & Recognition

• UAE Law Firm of the Year – Oath Middle East Legal Awards (year referenced: 2023)
• Estate Planning Firm of the Year – MENA WealthBriefing Awards (2023)
• Tax Law Firm of the Year – Thomson Reuters ALB Middle East Awards (2023)
• Fintech Law Firm of the Year – Islamic Finance News (2025)
• Legal Era Middle East Awards – Tax Law Firm of the Year (2024)
• Legal Era Middle East Awards – Lawyer of the Year – Private Clients (Sunita Singh-Dalal) (2024)
• Multiple rankings in Legal 500 EMEA (11 rankings in 2024)
• Recognitions in IFLR1000 Middle East Rankings (2024) and Chambers Global listings (since 2009)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

• Hourani MasterChefs (cultural and diversity event)
• Emirati Women’s Month series
• Annual Ramadan Iftar meal preparation and community engagement
• Integrated CSR and community investment initiatives

Pro Bono

The firm has an integrated team that manages charitable work and actively engages in CSR and community investment initiatives throughout the year, including annual Ramadan Iftar meal preparation and community service events.

Innovation

Quick Application Angles

• Highlight your aspiration to qualify as a solicitor of England & Wales and explain why Hourani’s SRA‑authorised training contracts in Dubai and Saudi Arabia suit your career plan.
• If applying to corporate/healthcare teams, reference the firm’s recent healthcare M&A work (for example, the SmartMed/Jiwar sale to CARE for SAR 65m) to show sector-specific interest and commercial awareness.
• For private wealth roles, mention experience or interest in family offices and estate planning (Hourani’s Private Wealth & Family Offices team and recent commentary led by Sunita Singh‑Dalal are active in this area).
• Demonstrate cultural fit by emphasising language skills, international experience or involvement in diversity/community activity (the firm runs events such as Hourani MasterChefs and annual CSR initiatives).
• Show readiness for cross‑border practice: give examples of teamwork on multi‑jurisdictional matters, cross-border research, or secondment/internship experiences relevant to GCC and DIFC/ADGM practice.