Leading global law firm Baker & McKenzie has enhanced its real estate practice in the UAE with the hire of Steven Henderson as a partner in Dubai. Steven is the fifth partner to join the Firm since its UAE merger in July 2013, bringing the total number of partners to eleven.

Steven is one of the leading real estate practitioners in the region, ranked tier 1 by Chambers Global. He joins Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla from Clifford Chance, where he headed their Middle East real estate practice.

During Steven's eight years in the region, he has advised on a number of deals at the forefront of the real estate market, including most recently, the merger between Aldar and Sorouh, Abu Dhabi’s two largest developers, the biggest consolidation of listed property assets ever seen in Abu Dhabi.

Steven's competence spans all sectors of the real estate market including commercial, retail, hospitality and industrial. He has considerable experience in real estate transactions and has focused on hotel and leisure transactions, as well as large-scale mixed-use real estate developments.

"We are delighted to welcome Steven to the team. He brings a wealth of experience in the real estate sector, which is coming back strongly and remains an important part of the UAE's economy,"  said Dr. Habib Al Mulla, Chairman of the firm in the UAE. "He joins us at an exciting time, following our merger in July 2013, and is an important addition to our wider regional practice as we continue to see an increase in cross-border transactions in this space."

Steven's appointment is testament to the growth strategy in this key area.