Squire Patton Boggs will open a new office in Baku in early 2026.
The firm says its first-mover position gives it an edge as the country’s economy diversifies beyond oil-and-gas and its legal infrastructure develops.
Squire Patton Boggs will open a new office in Baku in early 2026, joining a small group of international law firms with a formal presence in Azerbaijan.
Chair and global CEO Mark Ruehlmann called the launch "an important milestone" in the firm’s international expansion. Richard Gibbon, head of the firm’s Azerbaijan practice will serve as managing partner of the new office.
First-mover status
"As one of the only international firms with an established presence in Azerbaijan, our first-mover status demonstrates our commitment to the market and gives us an important advantage," said Steve Mahon, the firm’s global client and strategy managing partner.
The move follows the firm’s growing work for Azerbaijani conglomerates, holding companies and high-net-worth individuals.
Betting on an emerging market
Mahon said: "We are ideally positioned to support clients as they navigate the opportunities emerging from Azerbaijan’s dynamic economy, energy transition, and expanding role in regional and global trade."
Azerbaijan has been steadily stepping onto the regional stage. Its new arbitration centre, which opened in October, forms part of an emerging legal infrastructure aimed at attracting more foreign capital.
One of few global firms in the market
Only a handful of international players operate locally in Baku. Global giant Dentons has maintained an office there for years. Central Asia-focused firm GRATA International is active across the region. Most international firms have historically handled Azerbaijan work from London, Dubai or other regional hubs.
Squires’ decision bucks the trend and follows a run of recent office launches in Dublin, Riyadh, Amsterdam, Geneva and Astana.
The Baku launch will be the firm’s 48th office worldwide, giving Squires one of the largest international footprints of any law firm.
The wider region
As Central Asia and the Caucasus economies diversify and develop more sophisticated legal frameworks, the wider region has seen a noticeable in foreign capital, arbitration reform and infrastructure development, deepening the demand for on-the-ground capability.
Several major firms have already expanded deeper into Central Asia in recent years. Baker McKenzie has continued to build around its long-standing presence in Kazakhstan, while Dentons has also expanded in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia.
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