GLA & Company

What GLA & Company does

GLA & Company is a full-service regional law firm headquartered in Kuwait City with operational offices across seven MENA jurisdictions: Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, and (via a 2025 strategic association) Oman. The firm was formally constituted in 2022 by founding partners Nader Al Awadhi (Senior Partner, 46 years of Kuwait legal practice) and Alex Saleh (Managing Partner, Georgetown-trained with 30+ years across the GCC and US). It has scaled to 18 partners and 150–170 legal professionals, combining Western-qualified attorneys with common law experience against Arabic-speaking civil-law-qualified practitioners. Practice areas span Anti-Trust & Competition, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Commercial Advisory, Construction & Projects, Corporate and M&A, Data & Technology, Disputes, Employment & Benefits, and Funds & Investment Management. The firm holds direct rights of audience in every jurisdiction in which it operates, a structural differentiator versus competitors that subcontract disputes work.

The business model is professional services: fee-based legal representation with quote-based, matter-by-matter pricing. The firm does not sell a software product or technology platform — its "legal technology" reference is to internal tools for client communication and data security — and therefore revenue is generated entirely through billable hours, fixed fees, and success-based retainers tied to deal scope. Go-to-market is enterprise-focused through three channels: direct relationships with multinational corporations and regional companies (startups through established financial institutions, retailers, and real-estate developers); secondment-style local-counsel mandates for international law firms pursuing MENA transactions; and referral networks built through participation in industry rankings and conferences.

Client evidence skews to large enterprise: the firm acted as MENA counsel on the US$4.1 billion DSV Panalpina–Agility combination (largest MENA M&A transaction in 2021), as GCC counsel to SoftBank Vision Fund II on US$415M and US$250M Series C rounds (Kitopi and Zeta), and continues to represent the Kuwait Investment Authority, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Ooredoo Kuwait, Goshawk Aviation, Cognita Schools, and Freedom Holding Corp. Recognition momentum is unusually strong for a firm founded in 2022: 11 Legal 500 Middle East 2026 rankings (three Tier-1 in Kuwait), 15 Chambers and Partners 2026 recognitions, a record 12 IFLR1000 2025 recognitions double the prior year, and individual leadership awards for Managing Partner Alex Saleh across ALB, IFLR, and Legal Era in 2025.

Name

GLA & Company

Legal name

GLA & Company

Website

https://glaco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GLA & Company is a full-service MENA regional law firm founded in 2022, headquartered in Kuwait City with eight offices across seven jurisdictions (UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Oman, Kuwait), serving multinational corporations, international law firms, and regional companies across corporate, banking, capital markets, disputes, and regulatory matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: GLA & Company generates revenue through professional legal services fees, providing comprehensive legal representation across all practice areas including corporate law, commercial advisory, dispute resolution, banking & finance, anti-trust & competition, capital markets, construction & projects, data & technology, and employment & benefits. The firm offers custom-tailored, integrated legal solutions to meet diverse client needs across the MENA region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GLA & Company is a full-service regional law firm providing legal advisory and representation services across the Middle East and North Africa. The firm delivers integrated legal solutions through nine practice areas—Corporate and M&A, Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Disputes, Anti-Trust and Competition, Construction and Projects, Commercial Advisory, Data and Technology, and Employment and Benefits—to multinational corporations, international law firms, and regional companies operating or seeking to do business in the MENA region.

Product overview

GLA & Company is a full-service regional law firm providing legal services across the Middle East and North Africa. The firm does not offer a software product or technology platform — its offering consists exclusively of legal advisory and representation services organized into practice areas including Anti-Trust & Competition, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Commercial Advisory, Construction & Projects, Corporate and M&A, Data & Technology, Disputes, Employment & Benefits, and Funds & Investment Management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Led the largest M&A transaction in MENA region in 2021 - DSV Panalpina acquisition of Agility logistics division worth US$4.1 billion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ALC Lawyers & CounselscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025GLA & Company announced a strategic association with ALC Lawyers & Counsels, an independent full-service Omani law firm headquartered in Muscat, Oman. The collaboration strengthens GLA's regional footprint in the Sultanate of Oman and enables both firms to collaborate seamlessly and conflict-free. The association combines ALC's deep local expertise and litigation experience in Oman with GLA's recognized cross-border expertise, enhancing capabilities in corporate, commercial, banking and finance, dispute resolution, and regulatory matters.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Al Tamimi & Company: Largest regional law firm in the MENA region with full-service coverage across 9 practice areas and offices in 7+ jurisdictions. Directly comparable to GLA & Company in scope, multi-jurisdictional MENA platform and target client base.
• Clyde & Co: Global firm with one of the strongest longstanding MENA practices, particularly in construction, projects, insurance and disputes. Directly comparable to GLA on multi-office GCC presence and full-service corporate/M&A mandate mix.

Broad incumbents

• Dentons: World's largest law firm by headcount, with a deep MENA practice formed via legacy SNR Denton / Fraser Milner Casgrain combination. Broad incumbent competitor covering corporate, banking, projects and disputes across GCC and Egypt.
• White & Case: Global Magic Circle–adjacent firm with a longstanding Middle East practice focused on projects, finance and capital markets. Direct competitor to GLA & Company for high-value sukuk, project finance and M&A mandates in GCC.
• A&O Shearman: Global elite firm (Allen & Overy + Shearman & Sterling) with significant MENA capability in banking & finance, projects and capital markets. Overlaps with GLA on cross-border GCC mandates involving Western multinationals and GCC issuers.
• Baker McKenzie: Global firm with one of the most extensive MENA footprints via its member firms and decades of GCC operations. Competes with GLA on multi-jurisdictional corporate, banking and regulatory work for MNC clients.
• Freshfields: Global elite firm with active M&A and capital markets practice spanning the GCC. Competes with GLA for inbound GCC investment, strategic M&A and cross-border listings handled jointly with local counsel.
• Hogan Lovells: Global firm with established Middle East offices serving corporate, finance, regulatory and projects clients. Competitor for multi-jurisdictional GCC mandates, particularly in regulated industries and infrastructure.

Regional players

• ASAR & Al Ruwayeh Group (ASAR): Leading Saudi-headquartered full-service law firm with strong GCC and Egypt presence and Banking & Finance, Corporate M&A, Projects focus. Direct peer to GLA on Vision 2030 mandates and KSA Tier-3 type practice areas.
• Al-Bashaer Law Firm: MENA regional firm with full-service coverage in Egypt and the GCC across corporate, banking and disputes. Direct regional peer competing for GCC and Egypt mandates at price points below global incumbents.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GLACOLAW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gla-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GLA & Company