Greenberg Traurig Appoints Samantha Shaw and Dani French to Bolster Real Estate Team in Middle East

Greenberg Traurig Appoints Samantha Shaw and Dani French to Bolster Real Estate Team in Middle East

They will assist clients in the region and internationally

While continuing to expand its real estate and hospitality capabilities in the Middle East, global law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP has added senior associate Samantha Shaw and associate Dani French to its office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The practice commenced operations in the UAE from its Dubai office in September 2023, led by real estate shareholders Sarah Mahood and Stephen Kelly.

Led by real estate shareholders Sarah Mahood and Stephen Kelly, the practice commenced operations in the UAE from its Dubai office in September 2023. Along with of counsel Rebecca Comerford, the team maintains its top-tier standing in the region.

Sarah Mahood, the co-head of the firm’s regional real estate and hospitality practices commented, “We are incredibly excited to have Shaw and French join our leading practice to support our key strategic clients in the Middle East and North Africa regions. The firm has rapidly built one of the largest devoted real estate teams in the regions. The latest additions demonstrate our commitment to strategically grow our presence across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

Shaw, who worked with White & Case, has significant experience with acquisitions and dispositions of large-scale commercial and industrial properties across the UAE and Musataha agreements and ground-lease developments. She has advised on master community and mixed-use developments and assisted clients with several hospitality projects in Saudi Arabia.

Having practiced in Dubai for nearly a decade, she has served numerous clients, including master developers, government organizations, sovereign wealth funds, hotel owners, and private companies.

French was an associate at Ashurst in Sydney. She focuses on commercial real estate, energy, and hospitality and tourism sectors. Her real estate experience includes assisting clients with conveyancing and due diligence related to major property acquisitions and corporate transaction disposals. She has vast experience in advising on multiple large-scale commercial leases across Australia and New Zealand.

In the energy sector, French worked with an Australian clean energy developer on projects concerning land acquisition rights for solar farm developments and BESS facilities. She served in-house with a regional electricity provider in New Zealand.