Baker McKenzie seeks ‘swift’ breakup with UAE partner after homophobic tweet

Baker McKenzie said it was working to ensure a “cooperation and swift separation” from its partner in the United Arab Emirates after his social media posts describing homosexuality as “ugly” sparked controversy.

Habib Al Mulla will create a separate company from Baker McKenzie once the spin-off is completed early next year, the U.S. law firm said on Friday.

Borys Dackiw, head of investigations, compliance and ethics in the Middle East, will lead Baker McKenzie UAE on an interim basis, focusing on transactional and advisory businesses.

The case highlights a growing divide between the values ​​of Western companies and the more conservative ethics of many Emirati nationals, who have flocked to the expat-majority UAE to take advantage of its regional hub status.

Mullah is one of the country’s most prominent lawyers but also comments on social issues through his popular Twitter account, sparking controversy over social media posts about Emirati identity and homosexuality in recent weeks. His tweet was widely supported by many of his fellow citizens.

Baker McKinseyThe 40-year-old company in the region announced last week its divorce from its Emirati partner, saying it wanted to “ensure an inclusive work environment for all”, and Mulla’s social media comments did not represent the company’s remarks.

This United Arab Emirates As the government seeks to boost growth and diversify the economy away from oil, the company has rolled out several social and economic reforms to attract more foreigners. Restrictions on unmarried couples drinking and living together have been eased, while foreigners can now do business without needing a local partner in the UAE. The government also adjusted the weekend to align with global markets.

Homosexuality, however, remains illegal in the UAE and other Gulf countries, which this month asked Netflix to remove “non-Islamic” content.

The emirate of Dubai emerged strongly from the pandemic, welcoming a slew of wealthy new residents, including Russians and Ukrainians fleeing the war. DIFC, a popular downtown area for banks and law firms, is attracting new business from hedge funds to fintech firms. In the first half of 2022, DIFC recorded its fastest job growth since its inception in 2004.

Baker McKenzie, which merged with Mulla’s firm in 2013, also said it was considering moving its Dubai office to DIFC to serve its global financial clients.