Stephen Matthews

Practice Areas

Corporate, commercial, and international investment in Saudi Arabia and other GCC states.

Career

Mr. Matthews recently returned to the United States after spending more than 25 years as a practicing lawyer in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This enables him to interact with US-based clients in real time while coordinating with colleagues in Riyadh and Dubai for implementation, in-depth local law research and negotiations.

His practice centers on corporate (capital markets, M&A, private equity, internal investigations), banking, telecommunications, defense, energy (including oilfield services), project development, finance, cross-border investment, especially in Saudi Arabia and other GCC states. Mr. Matthews has participated in the development and financing of some of the largest infrastructure projects in the region, including oil refineries, petrochemical plants, pipelines, railroads, manufacturing plants, defense projects, telecommunications networks. He also has extensive experience advising leading international defense contractors on large contracts governed by local procurement law in the GCC, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as related joint ventures and technology transfer issues.

Mr. Matthews has been recognized by clients for providing practical – and often times strategic – advice on legal issues in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, drawing from his extensive experience on the ground dealing with the various governmental bodies administering the laws or managing procurements. He also has deep knowledge of labor and employment law in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which is invaluable in the context of M&A transactions, joint ventures and corporate reorganizations as well as day-to-day business operations.

Professional Memberships

District of Columbia Bar; Association of International Energy Negotiators; American Business Group of Riyadh - Steering Committee (2003-04); American Business Council - Dubai, UAE.

Personal

JD, Georgetown University Law Center, 1983; AB, Princeton University, 1980.

Publications

• Saudi Arabian Labor Law - Explanatory Memorandum to Address COVID-19 Pandemic, Client Update, 7 May 2020

• Saudi Arabia Updates Corporate Requirements for Closed Joint Stock Companies - Requires Submission of Shareholder Registers Within One Month, Corporate Update, March 2020

• KSA's Public Procurement Reform, The Oath, January 2020

• Spotlight on Saudi Arabia: Updates in Competition Law and Merger Control, Saudi Arabia/Competition Law Update, April 2019