Today's Edition
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
Leading London-based law firm Forsters has opened an office at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), marking its entry into the Middle East and strengthening its international private-wealth offering.
Forsters, known for its strong corporate, real estate, and dispute-resolution teams, said the expansion represents a significant milestone in its global growth and reflects its commitment to meeting the evolving needs of international private-wealth clients. The firm advises individuals, familie,s and businesses on managing wealth, protecting assets, building enterprises and resolving complex legal matters.
The ADGM office will be led by Private Wealth Partner, James Brockhurst, a recognised specialist in succession planning, tax, family governance and cryptoassets. Brockhurst has long advised high-net-worth individuals, family offices, entrepreneurs and trustees across the Middle East. His deep regional experience and understanding of cross-border private-wealth issues make him “ideally placed to lead Forsters’ new offering in the region,” the firm said. He will be supported by a cross-practice Middle East team spanning private wealth, corporate, dispute resolution and real estate services.
According to a profile of Brockhurst published on the Forsters website, he is regarded as a trusted adviser to globally prominent families, combining “empathy with technical expertise and a strong commercial mindset.” The website notes that he regularly supports family offices, entrepreneurs and senior executives, approaching every matter “with sensitivity, discretion and professionalism.”
The biography adds that Brockhurst has extensive experience establishing trusts, foundations and corporate structures, and “regularly conducts complex family governance exercises involving multiple generations and branches, with a focus on preventing disputes and fostering family harmony.”
An early pioneer in cryptoasset advisory, he is listed as a "Top Recommended" adviser in Spear’s Cryptocurrency Index (2023–2025) and is the author of "Cryptoassets for Private Clients." He advises some of the world’s wealthiest crypto investors and token issuers.
“Forsters has always taken pride in building close, trusted relationships with our clients,” Brockhurst said “Establishing a presence in ADGM allows us to be even closer to our Middle Eastern clients as well as those with interests in the Middle East, and to support them with the full breadth of our private wealth expertise, including cross-border planning, family governance and cryptoasset advisory.”
He added that the firm’s longstanding engagement with the region has given it a deep understanding of cultural and local dynamics, including Sharia principles, which inform its advice.
Emily Exton, Managing Partner at Forsters, said the move “is about more than geography — it’s about anticipating the future of private wealth.” As families and businesses become more globally interconnected, she said, the firm is committed to being where clients need it most. Establishing a presence at ADGM positions Forsters “at the heart of a thriving international financial centre and reinforces our ambition to deliver world-class advice across borders.”
Forsters said the new Abu Dhabi office will focus on bespoke private-wealth advisory, with particular emphasis on succession planning, family governance, cross-border structuring and advisory for Middle Eastern families and investors.
The firm added that ADGM’s rapid rise as an international financial centre — supported by its English common law framework, favourable tax environment and strategic location — played a key role in the decision to establish a regional base in Abu Dhabi.
