ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Global law firm Pérez-Llorca has launched operations in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first Ibero-American law firm to establish a physical presence in the emirate, a media statement said.
The new office, located in ADGM, marks a key milestone in the firm’s international growth strategy for 2026 and strengthens its commitment to the Middle East, which the firm described as a key region for global investment. The move is part of Pérez-Llorca’s broader international roadmap, which this year also includes the launch of operations in Peru.
The Abu Dhabi office will enable Pérez-Llorca to strengthen its relationship with key financial players in the Middle East and support their investments in the markets where the firm operates, the statement said.
The Abu Dhabi office is headed by Gonçalo Capela Godinho, a partner with a career spanning nearly 25 years, including several years in Latin America and New York. He has extensive experience in complex and cross-border transactions and played a key role in the establishment and rapid consolidation of Pérez-Llorca’s Lisbon office, the statement said.
Commenting on the launch, Capela Godinho said Abu Dhabi has established itself as one of the leading international financial hubs and an increasingly important nexus for institutional capital. The firm’s presence in the Middle East will enable it to strengthen relationships with existing clients and work more closely with investors “driving some of the most significant transactions and capital allocation decisions globally,” he said.
Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, said Pérez-Llorca’s decision to establish a presence in Abu Dhabi reflects the growing importance of the Gulf in international investment and commercial activity.
“As capital becomes increasingly global in scope, demand for sophisticated legal and advisory expertise continues to grow alongside it,” Ramamurthy said. He added that the firm’s presence further strengthens the depth of professional services available within ADGM.
The statement said sovereign wealth funds and major institutional investors from the Gulf have become increasingly influential participants in international transactions over the past few decades, with a growing role in sectors including infrastructure, energy, technology, healthcare, property and the energy transition.
It added that commercial and strategic ties between Gulf states and Pérez-Llorca’s core markets, including Latin America, have deepened considerably. A regional presence will enable the firm to better serve investors and businesses operating across these corridors, while reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s growing role in international legal and financial activity.
Pedro Pérez-Llorca, Senior Partner of the firm, said geopolitical cycles are part of any international market, but the decision to establish a presence in Abu Dhabi is based on a long-term vision.
“Our decision to establish a presence in Abu Dhabi is based on a long-term vision and the conviction that the region will continue to play an increasingly significant role in global investment flows,” he said.
The launch of operations in ADGM represents another step in consolidating Pérez-Llorca’s international presence. The firm said the office is in addition to its merger agreement with Miranda & Amado, a leading Peruvian law firm. The deal was announced in May and is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
Iván Delgado, International Executive Partner at Pérez-Llorca, said the launch of the ADGM office and the forthcoming merger with Miranda & Amado in Peru are complementary milestones within the same international project.
He said the firm wants to have a presence in markets that generate capital as well as those that offer investment and growth opportunities. Abu Dhabi and Lima strengthen the firm’s ability to connect international investors with strategic projects in Europe and Latin America, solidifying a unique platform within the Ibero-American region, he said.
With Abu Dhabi and Lima as new growth hubs, Pérez-Llorca is making progress in building an Ibero-American platform capable of connecting capital, legal talent and investment opportunities in strategic markets, the statement said.