Morgan Lewis ramps up EMEA strategy with new leadership group

Morgan Lewis has launched a new EMEA leadership group as the US firm looks to sharpen its international strategy.

The 12-member council will be led by Dubai-based partner Ayman Khaleq and includes four London partners: office head Nick Bolter, corporate partner Tim Corbett, employment partner Louise Skinner and litigation partner David Waldron.

The group will work alongside firm chair David McManus and a wider 23-member EMEA steering committee, with a remit spanning regional priorities, market intelligence and closer links between offices and practices.

Morgan Lewis said the initiative was designed to help the firm respond to increased demand for cross-border advice.

“The formation of the EMEA Leadership Council reflects both the growing demand for coordinated legal services and our continued investment in the region,” said New York-based McManus.

“By connecting leaders from key practices and markets, we are strengthening our ability to identify opportunities, align priorities, and deliver the full breadth of our international capabilities.”

Regional push

Philadelphia-headquartered Morgan Lewis has five offices in Europe - London, Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich and Paris - as well as bases in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.

Morgan Lewis joined the rush of international firms opening in Saudi Arabia last year. Its Riyadh office opened at the end of 2025 with a six-lawyer team, including the former co-head of A&O Shearman’s Riyadh office.

Its European platform expanded significantly at the end of 2024 when the firm took on a 54-lawyer Paris team from Kramer Levin ahead of its merger with Herbert Smith Freehills.

The firm generated $3.4 billion in revenue in 2025, according to The American Lawyer, making it the 11th-largest US firm by revenue.

Morgan Lewis has also been investing in London. Over the summer it hired Goodwin private equity partner and former London office co-chair Gemma Roberts, following the arrival of former Covington & Burling partner Phil Cheveley as European M&A practice lead in May.