DLA Piper has announced that Bruce Mullins has been appointed as a partner. Mullins will initially work from Dubai until DLA Piper opens a new office in Oman. He will then take up the position of managing partner of the new office.

Mullins joins DLA Piper from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle where he was resident counsel and managing director of the Muscat office. Over the past 10 years Mullins has worked closely with all major ministries and officials of the government of the Sultanate of Oman on various national and international deals.

He has extensive contacts in Oman and has worked on privatisation and infrastructure development projects across several sectors, including ports, shipping, LNG, tourism and utilities such as electricity, water, environmental waste and telecommunications.

“Bruce’s appointment is an important strategic development in our broad plans to serve the Middle East,” says David Church, international development partner and regional managing partner for the Middle East. Our Dubai office already acts as a hub to other Gulf countries and with Bruce’s considerable experience of Oman and other regions we will have the working experience and area knowledge required to develop our services. I am delighted to welcome Bruce and look forward to working with him in order to open our own office in Muscat at the earliest opportunity.”

Earlier in his career Mullins was a sole practitioner in Hong Kong, where he attended school and lived for 30 years, specialising in a number of corporate and commercial matters including intellectual property, corporate and shareholder issues, litigation and civil law.  He obtained his legal qualifications in 1980.

“I am delighted to take up the challenge of developing DLA Piper’s practice in Oman,” says Mullins. “It has impressive global credentials and with a broad international platform already in place this is an excellent opportunity to further serve Oman. The new office will be supported by a large, strong team of lawyers in the prime centres of London and New York, offices across Asia and a growing office in Dubai.”

Mullins’ appointment follows that of New York-based partner, Robert Gruendel, who joined DLA Piper US as a partner from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle in September 2006. Both partners worked closely together in the past on energy, transportation and other infrastructure projects in Oman and other parts of the Middle East.