DAC Beachcroft has announced plans to expand into the Middle East this summer with the opening of a new office in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), the company’s first office in the region.
The new branch will be located within DIFC’s landmark new DIFC Square development, enhancing the company’s ability to support clients in the insurance and healthcare industries.
According to DAC Beachcroft (DACB), the new office will employ three high-profile lateral partners: Michael Morris, Michael Ducker and Mark Besethrick, all from Clyde & Co.
The trio are said to bring more than 40 years of combined regional experience, as well as long-term customer relationships across the market.
Morris most recently served as litigation partner and head of Middle East insurance at Clyde & Co. He returned to DACB where he began his legal career.
DACB said Morris moved to the UAE from the UK in 2015 and has since developed a market-leading business focused on commercial and professional liability claims.
Ducker joins the ranks with a strong presence in both the insurance and health care sectors. He served as co-head of Clyde & Co’s Middle East and Africa Healthcare Group, advising insurers, reinsurers, healthcare providers, hospitals and prime brokers in the region.
Beswerick also returns to DACB from early in his career. He previously headed the insurance and dispute resolution group at Clyde & Co in Dubai.
He specializes in arbitration, international litigation and corporate investigations, with particular expertise in D&O liability, professional negligence and complex multi-jurisdictional insurance disputes.
Gustavo Blanco, head of international operations at DACB, commented: “We look forward to having Mike Morris and Mark return to DACB later this year, and to Mike Ducker joining us at a key time in our growth.
“They are a mature, cohesive team with a strong reputation in the Middle East market. Their arrival will bring us immediate scale and credibility in the region and create a strong platform for further expansion.
“With their deep industry knowledge and regional insights, we will be well-positioned to support our clients’ most complex and high-value matters. The upcoming services are another important step in our ambition to become the legal services provider of choice in the global insurance market.”
DACB Managing Partner Helen Faulkner added: “Doing business in the Middle East has long been a strategic focus for the firm. Dubai is the gateway to the region and is a global hub for insurance and a hub for healthcare and other advisory businesses.
“From this new base, our clients can expect the same market-leading expertise, seamless cross-border capabilities and collaborative culture that they experience across our international network across the UK, US, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific.”
“After starting my career at DACB, I saw firsthand the company’s commitment to excellence and customer service,” said Morris.
“Together we will build a Middle East business that is ambitious, collaborative and fully aligned with the needs of global insurance, reinsurance and healthcare clients operating in the region. This is an exciting time in DACB’s growth story and we are delighted to be a part of it.”
