Saudi Arabia

Firm overview

IP practice in the Middle East

Clyde & Co is unique in the region as the only firm in the Middle East with the ability to provide support across the entire IP life cycle from the initial brand protection strategy through to filing applications and registrations and then licensing and commercialising IP rights, including trade marks, copyright, patents and design rights. We operate a dedicated IP practice which combines the values of a pure IP team with those of a full-service international law firm, helping our clients to capture, commercialise and protect their innovation and intellectual assets. Our leading IP practice has operated in the region for over 15 years and has developed a team of lawyers and specialists.

We operate a truly regional practice. As Clyde & Co, we can directly file and manage IP matters in the UAE, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where we have our own offices. The wider Middle East region, we work through our network of trusted corresponding agents.

We support the firm's main sector focusses and have also developed a strong client base in traditional brand heavy sectors such as food and beverage, hospitality, entertainment, retail, and luxury goods. We are proud to say that we act for some of the largest and most established local, regional, and global brand owners in these sectors, helping them to navigate a region which offers unique challenges from an IP and business perspective.

We pride ourselves on our ability to provide commercial advice on complex issues. We embrace the challenge of advising on new laws and untested areas of existing laws, as well as developing commercially innovative solutions in unique situations.

Our clients come to us with complex issues and appreciate our creative approach to problem solving, knowing that they can rely on us to help give them a competitive edge in the market. They know that we will work together to reach tailored solutions, drawing on the diverse skills we have across the team.

The reputation we have developed for such expertise also means that we are regularly asked to advise on the development of new regulatory frameworks and the drafting of new local laws.

Wider Middle East practice

Our first office in the Middle East was established in 1989, following many years of regional client involvement. Today Clyde & Co has the largest presence and is one of most experienced international law firms in the Middle East with over 50 partners and 300 staff, based full time across six offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Doha in Qatar, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Cairo in Egypt. Our offices provide English and local law advice to corporate clients from all over the world, as well as to regional corporates and governments, on their operations.

Globally

With over 5000 people operating from over 60 offices and associated offices across six continents, Clyde & Co is committed to creating successful outcomes for our clients. Our globally integrated teams of disputes, regulatory and transactional lawyers provide a comprehensive range of legal services and advice to businesses operating at the heart of global trade and commerce.

Our success in the past 90 years has been built on our vision of a single global partnership, providing a platform that offers rapid access to expertise, wherever you operate in the world.

Aligned with these values is Clyde & Co's commitment to being a responsible business. We take responsibility for the impact we have on the environment, seeking to reduce it as much and as quickly as possible. We strive to be a positive contributor to the communities in which we operate across our entire global network. We take steps to foster a truly diverse and inclusive workplace, that allows all of our people to flourish, for the benefit of our colleagues, the firm and our clients.

Firm overview

CWB emerged as an unrivalled super-regional firm in 2023 following the merger of leading regional IP specialists Cedar White Bradley, PETOŠEVIĆ Group and Hahn & Hahn with 29 offices, 150 practitioners, and 250 employees, CWB now services and manages the portfolios of some of the world's leading IP owners across 100+ jurisdictions in Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

Through an unrivalled footprint of offices and affiliated offices, we offer centrally managed IP solutions and dedicated client-specific, cross-jurisdiction teams. We blend the best advanced IP practices and the local know-how to deliver consistent quality service across a large geographical area, despite all the challenges posed by the countries we operate in.

CWB provides a full spectrum of IP services related to virtually all IP rights, as well as brand management and brand enforcement services. Our teams protect thousands of IP rights for market leading clients across a large section of industries. We also have a Media & Entertainment team, which provides highly specialized support to clients navigating local regulatory landscapes in fields such as film production, content streaming, crypto, advertising, data protection, social media, software licensing and music usage.

CWB is thinking beyond the technology available today to transform the IP services industry. We are implementing the most innovative technologies and leveraging automation and AI to enhance the client and employee experience and to achieve industry-leading efficiencies.

CWB Office Locations

Africa: Egypt, South Africa (Pretoria and Western Cape), Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Central Asia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Central & Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine
Middle East: Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai)

IP Practice Specialisms

CWB provides a full spectrum of intellectual property services related to trademarks, patents, utility models, industrial designs, copyright; domain names, trade secrets and other IP rights, as well as brand management and brand enforcement services. CWB teams file, prosecute, register, and enforce thousands of IP rights for market leading and globally renowned clients across a large section of industries, including consumer electronics, automotive, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, FMCG, property development, luxury brands, fashion and cosmetics.

Firm overview

United Trademark & Patent Services (UTMPS) has been a trusted partner to innovators, global brands, and law firms since 1949. With over 75 years of experience in intellectual property law, we’ve built a reputation for legal excellence, regional insight, and a client-first mindset. We are proud to supports some of the world’s most recognized names - including over 100 Fortune 500 companies - with business-aligned, regionally-tailored IP strategies across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.    

United in Law, Inspired by IP
At UTMPS, we see IP as a powerful strategic asset that drives business growth. Our lawyers, patent attorneys, and technical experts work closely with clients to protect what they’ve built and unlock what’s next. Whether securing patents, enforcing rights, or managing complex portfolios across borders, we deliver advice that is practical, proactive, and shaped by decades of regional experience.

Global Reach, Local Expertise
Our firm operates as one integrated team, with offices in 16 countries and coverage across more than 30 jurisdictions. From the UAE and Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and Nigeria, we provide seamless IP support in some of the world’s most dynamic and challenging markets. Clients rely on us to navigate diverse legal landscapes, understand local nuances, and deliver results with precision and speed.

Thanks to this regional depth, we are often the go-to firm for multinationals entering new markets or facing enforcement challenges in unfamiliar jurisdictions. With centralized coordination from our Dubai office and on-the-ground teams across the region, we make cross-border protection straightforward and effective.

End-to-End IP Services
We offer a full spectrum of IP services tailored to every stage of the innovation lifecycle. From early-stage clearance and filing to strategic portfolio management and dispute resolution, our work spans patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. Clients range from emerging startups to established global leaders, and we scale our services to match their needs.

Our capabilities include:
1. Patent, design, trademark, and copyright filing and prosecution
2. Patent landscaping and freedom-to-operate analysis
3. Arabic translation of patent specifications (for GCC/national filings)
4. IP portfolio strategy and audits
5. Licensing, franchising, and technology transfer agreements
6. Risk assessment and due diligence for M&A and brand launches

A Legacy of Trust, A Focus on the Future
At UTMPS, we serve as long-term partners and advisors who understand your goals and work alongside you to achieve them. Our legacy reflects decades of leadership in IP law. Our future is focused on helping clients thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive global environment.

We’re proud of the company we keep, the markets we serve, and the value we deliver. Wherever your business takes you, we’re ready to help you protect what matters most: your IP.

Firm overview

We didn’t start under the name “Baianat”… But the first beginning of our success journey was back in 1964.

Dr Saud Mohammed Ali Al-Shawaf Office

In 1964, Dr Saud Mohammed Ali Al-Shawaf established his legal office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to provide all commercial legal services, and thanks to hard work and insistence on success and excellence, and providing the best level of service and consultation in the Kingdom, the office won wide fame and good reputation in the field of commercial legal advice.

Within a few years, the services provided by the office on commercial issues diversified, to include intellectual property rights, patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and various commercial issues, and In return for these service expansions and the continuous flow of customers because of the good professional reputation, it was necessary to polarize more experts to maintain our professional progress.

SMAS Intellectual Property

We relied on the most skilled lawyers and legal consultants to refine our professional experience, and the office turned into a legal group under the name of SMAS Intellectual Property Company, and the group was able to follow the growth that we started in the sixties, and our network continued to grow until SMAS became one of the most important legal agencies referred to in the Kingdom and the Middle East as well.

Because we decided in our journey that success and excellence become our allies, Dr Saud Al-Shawaf and the master Mr Nawaf Al-Mutairi (the current manager of the company) decided to expand by establishing several branches of the company in neighbouring countries, in the Middle East and North Africa, to meet the requirements of our customers, and the proliferation phase that the two commanders intended has already begun, and we were able to employ the most skilled lawyers and consultants in our new branches and develop their knowledge before starting work.

Finally. Baianat Intellectual Property

Baianat is an extension of SMAS Company, as it included all the founding expertise of SMAS to be a clear development of the company under the leadership of Prof. Dr Saud Al-Shawaf, Mr Nawaf Al-Mutairi and Sheikh Ayyad Al-Otaibi.

When the moment came to start, Baianat Intellectual Property Company was established, a sister company to SMAS Company to work on a local and international basis in a specialized manner, so we adopted the name “Baianat Intellectual Property” and several branches of our parent company were registered in the Kingdom, and soon it was welcomed by all customers, thanks to our practical and scientific experience that we have dedicated to serving you and sharing your success.

Now our customers exceed 7000 distinguished customers from individuals, companies and commercial institutions with various activities, and our experience extended to various activities, and we are taking the early stages with them of their projects, sketching out their ideas, and building their ambitions on the ground, and guarantee all their commercial and legal rights related to intellectual property in all its forms.
We still continue to support our clients with everything they are looking for in the field of intellectual property services.