Akin Gump Affiliates With Office in SaudiArabia.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 1999--

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., a major international law firm with more than 850 lawyers in 11 cities, today announced its affiliation with an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, effective June 1, 1999.

Akin Gump will be affiliated

Robert S. Strauss, Akin Gump's founding partner, and Vernon E. Jordan Jr., a senior partner in the firm, commented, "Given our firm's focus on globalization and our developing Middle East practice, we determined that our clients' needs would best be served by establishing a presence in the Middle East. The affiliation between Akin Gump and the Law Office of Abdulaziz Fahad will allow us to provide our clients and friends in that region with a complete range of services. A Riyadh office is an important part of our strategic plan as we continue to serve our clients' international needs."

Abdulaziz Fahad has more than 13 years of experience in the practice of law in Saudi Arabia. His office represents clients in a wide range of legal matters, including banking and finance, commercial transactions, companies law, Saudi government contracts, joint ventures, licensing, agencies, taxation, trademarks and litigation.

His clients include major international and local companies in the banking, manufacturing and trading sectors. Mr. Fahad received his B.A. from Michigan State University, his M.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his J.D. from Yale University, and was a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University from 1984 to 1985. He was previously affiliated with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

George R. Salem, head of Akin Gump's Middle East practice, stated, "We have a strong commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to the Middle East as a whole. We look forward to establishing stronger ties there. Abdulaziz Fahad is a lawyer with whom we have worked extensively and in whom we have a great deal of confidence. He shares our vision for the future legal needs of Middle East clients. We look forward to a long affiliation."

The affiliate office will be located at Jarir Plaza, Olaya Street, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Founded in 1945, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., a leading international law firm, numbers 850 lawyers with offices in Austin, Brussels, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio and Washington.

The firm has a diversified practice and represents regional, national and international clients in a wide range of areas, including antitrust; banking and financial institutions; bankruptcy, reorganization and creditors' rights; capital markets; communications; corporate and securities; employee benefits; energy; entertainment; environmental; estate planning and probate; food and drug; government contracts; health; insurance; intellectual property; international; investment management; labor and employment; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; privatization; project finance; public law and policy; real estate and finance; taxation; and technology. For additional information, please visit our Web site at http://www.akingump.com.