Baker McKenzie in September announced that it is ‘parting ways’ with Dr Habib Al Mulla, name partner of member firm Habib Al Mulla & Partners, following a series of anti-gay Twitter comments.
Confirming that the ‘separation process is underway’, the firm said in a statement that it ‘strongly believes that however much we may disagree with the beliefs and personal views of others, we must find ways to disagree respectfully, encourage inclusive dialogue and to ensure an inclusive work environment for all.’
On Twitter, Al Mulla confirmed the split and said: ‘My personal opinions, which I expressed, represent my convictions stemming from my religion and principles. I cherish it and do not apologise for it. We are a tolerant society and accept the violator, but we do not accept that a thought and belief are imposed on us that contradict our Islamic principles.’
The current combined firm, which merged in 2013, has nine rankings across The Legal 500’s UAE rankings, including five in tier two.
Global chair Milton Cheng recently told Legal Business that the integration of its diversity and inclusion policies globally is one of the firm’s top four priorities in the coming year. He also confirmed that the details of the separation are still being negotiated, but that the firm is working ‘swiftly’ to break ties.
In the meantime, the firm confirmed its intention to continue to operate in the region: ‘We will continue investing in and developing our business in the UAE, building on recent hires in areas including M&A, employment, data privacy and tax. In addition, we have for some time been discussing the relocation of our Dubai office to the Dubai International Financial Centre, where many of our clients have their operations. We remain firmly committed to our clients and people in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.’