Middle East Growth: Baker Botts Opens Abu Dhabi Office; Triples Lawyer Headcount

Firm Adds Partners in Dubai, Abu Dhabi; Upgrades, Expands Office Space in
Region

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Client demand for legal
services in the Middle East continues to fuel expansion for Baker Botts
L.L.P., prompting the firm to increase its commitment to the region by opening
an office in Abu Dhabi -- its third in the Middle East -- and upgrading and
expanding the firm's current offices in Dubai and Riyadh.

Abu Dhabi is a natural fit for Baker Botts given the firm's extensive
background in energy-related matters, which has been recently confirmed by a
Band 1 ranking in Chambers Global 2009 Projects & Energy: Oil and Gas and
Projects Work categories.

The growth of office space corresponds with the increase of Baker Botts
lawyers in the region. During the past five years, the firm has more than
tripled the number of lawyers based in the Middle East. When Baker Botts
opened its Dubai office in early 2005, there were only five Baker Botts
lawyers in the region. Now more than 20 Baker Botts lawyers work with clients
from offices in Dubai, Riyadh and the recently-established Abu Dhabi location.

"Since we opened in Dubai, clients either based in or with interests in the
Middle East have increasingly sought out our lawyers for assistance on a broad
range of matters. We reached the point where we needed to expand our resources
in order to maintain the high level of client service that is a trademark of
our firm," said Baker Botts Managing Partner Walt Smith.

During the past year, Baker Botts lawyers have worked on significant
representations from Middle East offices as the firm builds a strong footprint
in the region. These representations include a major independent power project
program, a number of key merger and acquisition matters, projects relating to
the development of Iraq's oil and gas fields, and the financing of expansion
plans for a number of chemical plants.

Recently, Shibeer Ahmed joined Baker Botts as a partner in Dubai. Ahmed has
extensive experience in conventional banking and infrastructure and power
project finance, with expertise in Islamic financing that encompasses project,
structured and syndicated financings. He also advises clients on financings
involving export credit agencies, development finance institutions and
multilateral agencies.

In addition, Greg Golden, a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. office with
an extensive background in international transactional matters, has relocated
to the region to serve as the Partner in Charge of the firm's new Abu Dhabi
office.

Baker Botts lawyers in Abu Dhabi will work closely with the firm's resources
in Dubai and Riyadh to provide services to clients throughout the Middle East.
The firm intends to occupy space in Tower 1 of the new Sowwah Square Central
Business District development in Abu Dhabi when the building is completed,
which could be as early as mid-2010. While the building is under construction,
firm lawyers will work out of office space in the Al Bateen Area of Abu Dhabi.

Further evidence of Baker Botts' regional growth is the doubling of the firm's
office space in Dubai and Riyadh. In July 2008, Baker Botts moved into new
offices at Emaar Square in Dubai. The office is located between the landmark
Burj Dubai and the Dubai International Finance Center (DIFC). In Riyadh, the
firm is finishing out space in the Mashareq Tower, a new building facing King
Fahad Road in downtown Riyadh. This space should be completed this summer.

About Baker Botts L.L.P.
Baker Botts L.L.P., dating from 1840, is a leading international law firm with
offices in Abu Dhabi, Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston,
London, Moscow, New York, Palo Alto (California), Riyadh and Washington. With
approximately 760 lawyers, Baker Botts provides a full range of legal services
to international, national and regional clients. For more information, please
visit www.bakerbotts.com.

SOURCE Baker Botts L.L.P.

International media, Nadia Christodoulou, International Business Development
Manager, 44.20.7726.3490, nadia.christodoulou@bakerbotts.com, or United States
media, Michael Cinelli, Associate Director, Public Relations, +1-713-229-1764,
mike.cinelli@bakerbotts.com, both of Baker Botts L.L.P.