Global law firm Greenberg Traurig now boasts the largest sports, media and entertainment team in the Middle East with the addition of two new attorneys: shareholder David Bintliff and senior associate Lewis Calder, who will be based in the United Arab Emirates office. Both were previously with Bird and Bird.
The move reflects the Middle East’s growing prominence in the worldwide sports arena. Greenberg Traurig clients in the region include high-tech racing track Yas Marina Circuit, host venue of Abu Dhabi’s annual Formula One race; and RCS Sports, promoter of the UAE Tour, the seven-stage cycling race sanctioned by UCI.
“Our business model is about going where growth, innovation, and wealth are going and finding excellent, culturally consistent, and entrepreneurial lawyers in each location,” said Greenberg Traurig executive chairman Richard A. Rosenbaum. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE perfectly fit our model, today and going forward.”
Rosenbaum added that the move is part of the firm’s strategy to meet the needs of the region’s fast-growing business and government sectors: “As major investments flow into and from the UAE and the Kingdom, we are building strong teams in the real estate and hospitality industry, the financial sector, including private equity, private credit, banking, M&A, and capital markets, as well as sports, entertainment and media.”
“We are thrilled to have David and his team – leaders in the media, entertainment, and technology arena – join Steven Bainbridge and our UAE office and strengthen the firm’s already thriving practice,” said Khalid Al-Thebity, the firm’s regional chair of the Middle East.
Bintliff is tasked with delivering the largest media, entertainment, and technology regulatory and commercial projects in the Middle East. His experience includes advising international governments and private sector players on media, entertainment, and technology licensing, regulation, benchmarking, and consultation projects.
Calder advises clients on key commercial agreements that underpin their businesses, with a particular focus on the media, sports, and entertainment sectors. His practice focuses primarily on contractual matters covering media rights, sponsorship, merchandising, licensing, event management, and player/talent management.
Bintliff and Calder join Greenberg Traurig’s sizeable Middle East lawyer team that already includes 10 shareholders, five of counsel and five associates and trainees.
