Oman

Like much of the Middle East, Oman’s economy focuses on the oil and gas sectors, which account, collectively, for some 60 percent of total revenue. The country’s five-year plan (2021-2025) does emphasize environmental sustainability and clean energy, which may provide work for technology-minded IP lawyers. A number of international firms work in Oman, although old-school intellectual property work is not a large practice area at many of them. Local firms and regional firms offer your best bets for IP advice. 

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Regional IP firm Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) has its headquarters in Jordan. The firm was founded in 1972 as T.M.P. Agents at a time when IP protection was still in its early stages in the Middle East. Executive director Naji Taha is based in Oman. The firm has been involved in revising and drafting important IP laws and regulations in at least half a dozen Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates. The firm has offices spread across more than 30 predominantly Muslim jurisdictions, as well as in China, India and Russia, each which has its own significant Muslim minority populations. 

Al Alawi & Co. was formed in 1982; today, it is one of the largest independent law firms in Muscat. Partner and CEO Anwaar Al Alawi has returned to the firm after spending eight years working with the Oman Ministry of Legal Affairs; she is taking the lead in furthering the firm’s IP and administrative law practices. The firm’s IP practice focuses on trademarks, patents, copyrights, enforcement matters and commercializing IP, including franchising and licensing.  

Regional law firm Al Tamimi & Co opened its Muscat office in 2013. Today, the office is led by partner Ahmed Al Barwani, a well-respected lawyer who is regularly involved in drafting Oman laws, including the country’s antitrust law. In late 2023, the firm merged with local law firm BK Law, which was founded by lawyer and activist Basma Al Kiyumi in 2016. Al Kiyumi, who now leads Al Tamimi’s Oman dispute resolution practice, is a shrewd negotiator known for her fiery court arguments. Dubai-based partner Omar Obeidat is the firm’s head of competition and intellectual property, while partner Ahmad Saleh, also based in Dubai, heads the firm’s innovation and patents team. The firm operates offices in 10 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. 

AMJ – Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co. is an independent law firm based in Muscat. The firm’s IP practice handles both contentious and non-contentious matters, and regularly advises leading national, regional and global brand owners on trademarks, copyright, patents, designs, domain names, trade secrets and anti-competitive practices. It also provides support to the firm’s commercial and corporate teams on related matters such as the negotiation and drafting of licensing and franchise agreements, M&A due diligence, brand merchandising and marketing, technology transfer and data protection issues. Consultant Faiz M. Khan brings IP experience to the firm; he also advised a pharmaceutical company on the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in Oman. 

Baianat Intellectual Property has more than 25 offices in 17 different jurisdictions in the Middle East and North Africa. Hifzy Haloub manages the firm’s Muscat office. 

BSA Law, formerly known as BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, is a home-grown UAE law firm with an office in Muscat, as well as in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras al Khaimah and Sharjah in the UAE, and in Erbil, Iraq; Beirut, Lebanon; and Riyadh. Felicity Hammond, who advises clients on protecting, developing and exploiting their intellectual property and technology, and has broad experience in drafting and negotiating commercial agreements with an intellectual property, technology, or media focus, heads the firm’s IP practice. Senior partner Ahmad Bin Hezeem served with the Dubai Police and taught at the Dubai Police Academy; he then served as deputy director general of the Ruler Court of Dubai Government. He has expansive litigation experience. Abdalla AlSuwaidi, who was the firm’s head of advocacy, is now the director of enforcement for the Government of Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. 

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang – also known simply as CMS Oman – was established in 2014, and advises on, among other things, consumer products, hotels and leisure, media and entertainment, technology and telecommunications. Lawyer Mari Deris has advised a variety of local and international companies in both private and public sector on corporate and commercial matters in Oman and Iran, advising corporate entities, government institutions and joint ventures on dispute resolution, media and entertainment and telecommunications matters. In Muscat, the firm works in association with Al Rashdi, Al Juma and Ewing Advocates and Legal Consultants (AAE). 

Nik Henrikson is co-managing partner at DLA Piper in Muscat, where he regularly acts for major international investors and prominent commercial and government sector enterprises. He often advises on non-contentious matters such as insurance and cyber risk and construction project documentation, including Omani Standard Form and FIDIC contracts. 

New York-based Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle is the only licensed U.S.-based law firm in Oman. The Curtis Oman office advises both private and public sector clients, including various ministries and related entities, on a full range of international and domestic legal matters. The firm’s is highly-respected for its commercial litigation work in the Middle East; its attorneys have handled a wide variety of matters involving IP claims, antitrust matters, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.  

Dentons opened its Oman office in 1981 and was one of the first foreign firms to do so. Early on, the firm established a training programme for its Omani lawyers to qualify as English solicitors; today, Omani nationals make up more than 40 percent of its qualified lawyers. The firm works in Oman in association with local firm Yaqdhan Al Busaidi Law Firm to offer dispute resolution services to its clients. Associated partner Yaqdhan Al Basaidi is a key IP contact, particularly in the dispute resolution realm. Senior legal consultant Simon Topping specializes in telecoms, IT, privacy/cybersecurity, ecommerce, technology and intellectual property law. Before going back into private practice, Topping was head of legal and regulatory at Batelco, the Bahrain telecoms provider, then performed the same role at Atheeb, a telecoms startup in Saudi Arabia. 

Doha-based JAH & Co. IP has 12 offices in the Middle East, including in Muscat, and is a leader in IP prosecution work in the Middle East and Africa. Clients run the gamut from small companies to Fortune 100 companies. CEO Jehad Ali Hasan attributes his firm’s success to combining legal, technical and scientific know-how to tailor solutions for client’s specific needs, experts with a broad range of technical backgrounds and vast legal experience in navigating the nuances of the Middle Eastern IP. “Intellectual property is among the most important assets of every enterprise,” says firm CEO Jehad Ali Hasan. “With the globalization of the world economy and commerce, the Middle East and Arab world with its young population and resources contributes significantly towards it.” Mohcine Fettah, the firm’s IP senior director, is noted for his ability to get the deal concluded. 

Kennedys has a growing cybercrime, fraud and regulatory practice in Muscat. In addition to Muscat and Dubai, the firm has a dedicated network of cyber lawyers in offices located across Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the United States and Bermuda. Nasser Al Shamli, Advocates & Legal Consultants (NASLAW) is the firm’s associated firm in Oman; its namesake Nasser Al Shamli, is a go-to for litigation advice and information technology matters. 

Mohammed Al Ruqaishi Law Firm handles IP, telecommunications, IT and technology transfer work through its corporate and commercial practice. The firm prides itself on being a trusted business partner, and approaches work with commercial imperatives in mind. Founding partner Hashim Shekhuna is a key contact for IP matters.  

Regional firm Saba & Co. Intellectual Property, also known as Saba IP, is one of the region’s largest IP-focussed practices, handling the gamut of IP matters. The firm’s offices stretch from the Middle East to Central Asia and throughout much of Africa. 

Said Al Shahry & Partners (SASLO) is a Muscat-based firm with a strong media, entertainment and sports practice, which also houses its IP protection team. Clients in this sector include media groups, online advertising and promotion companies, internet service providers, event organizers, music distributors, publishers; artists; financiers and financial institutions who seek our advice to a range of transactions, including M&A and joint ventures, network sharing and outsourcing, as well as advice on IP disputes (copyright and other IP infringement), privatizations and financing and investment. The firm has advised more a dozen different MNCs in F&B, retail, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications industries on obtaining trademark registration in Oman. The firm also has dedicated food and agribusiness and healthcare and pharmaceuticals practices.  

United Trademark & Patent Services is a top-notch regional law firm which offers the full realm of intellectual property services and domain name services. The firm is led by the well-known Yawar Irfan Khan, Hasan Irfan Khan and Maria Farrukh Irfan Khan. In addition to Muscat, the firm has offices in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and Bahrain, as well as in parts of North Africa and South Asia.