Charles Russell, a UK-based top 50 full service legal practice, has expanded its Bahrain office hiring specialist staff.

The law firm has hired Nicholas Polley, a specialist in banking and finance with expertise in Sharia financing, Sherif Hampton, a corporate commercial lawyer and Basma AlAlawi a new Bahraini paralegal.

Nicholas, who has joined as a senior associate, is a finance lawyer who has significant expertise in advising on international structured financing transactions.

He has acted for the full range of transaction parties including Islamic financial institutions, borrowers, investment funds, venture capital houses, commercial banks, mezzanine financiers, project sponsors and shareholders, governmental agencies/departments and multilateral funding agencies. Nicholas trained as a solicitor in London, and qualified in 2000. He has worked in the Middle East since 2004.

Sherif, who trained in the UK with a specialist oil and gas practice, has joined as a corporate commercial lawyer.

The expanding team has also appointed another Bahraini national, Basma AlAlawi, as a paralegal to support the Middle Eastern offering, bringing the Charles Russell Bahrain office up to a team of 10 fee earners.

“We continue to expand the office to cover those disciplines where we see particular client demand and strategic advantage,” said Clive Hopewell, head of Charles Russell Middle East.

“Having been in the region for six years in both industry and private practice, Nicholas brings a wealth of experience in banking and Islamic finance to the team and demonstrates our firm's commitment to the financial services sector in Bahrain. We balance this with our continued investment in local Bahraini talent,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service