DUBAI, United Arab Emirates– Aug. 26, 2025 – In a further strategic expansion of its leading Real Estate and Hospitality Practice, global law firm Greenberg Traurig Limited added highly experienced real estate and hospitality lawyer Louisa Lynch as co-chair of the firm’s Middle East and European Hospitality Group, working from its UAE office. Lynch joins from an international firm, bringing 17 years of regional experience advising clients across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar.
This move follows the addition of Elias J. Hayek, who recently joined in the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) offices as the Middle East and European Hospitality Group co-chair.
“Welcoming top tier legal talent like Louisa and Elias remains key to our delivery of the extraordinary results our clients have come to expect from Greenberg Traurig in the Middle East, Europe, and around the globe,” said Richard A. Rosenbaum, the firm’s Executive Chairman. “These additions further cement our position as the foremost real estate and hospitality practice in the Middle East and Europe, as we strategically deploy our long-term strategy: bringing in top talent with deep industry expertise, empowering and respecting them on the ground, encouraging their collaboration across our unified global firm, and handling our clients’ most important projects.”
Lynch has deep experience in complex real estate and hospitality transactions, including acquisitions and disposals of properties, complex built-to-suit development projects, real estate financing, and all aspects of hospitality management. Her work spans the entire lifecycle of real assets, including structuring, financing, development, asset management, acquisition, and disposal.
“We are delighted to welcome Louisa onboard; she brings significant real estate and hospitality experience and is truly embedded in the region, particularly amongst its regulatory authorities and government entities. Undoubtedly, she and Elias will form a great partnership as co-chairs of the firm’s Middle East and European Hospitality Group together with our existing leading Real Estate regional practice,” said Khalid A. Al-Thebity, Greenberg Traurig’s Middle East Regional Chair and Managing Shareholder of the firm’s KSA location.
In addition, Lynch works with regulatory authorities on drafting and implementing real estate regulations, providing guidance on regeneration projects, and cultural development initiatives, helping clients navigate the legal complexities of transforming existing spaces into new commercial and cultural hubs.
“Joining Greenberg Traurig is a tremendous opportunity for me to offer my clients outstanding holistic representation across practice areas, regions, and globally, with notable bench strength in the real estate and hospitality sectors,” Lynch said. “The firm’s dedication to the Middle East, demonstrated by the excellent team of lawyers it has recruited on the ground, is very exciting for me. These aspects, combined with its culture of collaboration and entrepreneurship, make Greenberg Traurig the perfect fit.”
“Our continued investment in hiring the biggest names in the regional real estate and hospitality sector underscores Greenberg Traurig’s commitment to being the go-to firm for all matters in this space,” said Stephen Kelly, co-head of the firm’s Middle East Real Estate Practice and Sarah Mahood, co-head of the Middle East Real Estate Practice and co-managing shareholder of the UAE office, in a joint statement. Mahood added, “I’m truly excited to work with Louisa again after our days together at Norton Rose and have watched her career go from strength to strength as she has become a formidable player in the real estate and hospitality space.’’
“I was attracted to Greenberg Traurig because it has the preeminent Hospitality Practice in the world as well as its industry leading platform. With Louisa’s arrival we will collaborate on leading the firm’s hospitality efforts in the Middle East and Europe,” said Hayek Elias J. Hayek, co-chair of the firm’s Middle East and European Hospitality Practice.
Lynch is licensed to practice law in England and Wales and as a Dubai Legal Consultant. She earned a Certificate in Sustainable Capitalism and ESG from the UC Berkeley Law, a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University, Legal Practice Course and Graduate Diploma of Law from BPP University, and B.A. in International Relations from the University of Calgary.
Greenberg Traurig’s United Arab Emirates office is operated by Greenberg Traurig Limited.