Richard Devine
Partner
richard.devine@devineseverova.com
M: +971 50 550 7995
I represent clients on a wide variety of corporate transactions, projects, regulatory and commercial matters. I advise on M&A transactions, joint ventures, corporate structuring and reorganizations, pre-dispute strategy and a wide range of commercial contracts.
I counsel clients doing business across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and South East Asia. The work often involves advice on foreign direct investment, in conjunction with local counsel when necessary, and I have worked on several novel projects in frontier markets.
My extensive oil and gas sector experience has been recognised by several independent legal directories, such as Chambers & Partners and Who’s Who Legal. The other sectors in which I have worked include: real estate, mining, power, education, hospitality, FMCG and sports. I have also spent time in-house on secondment. This variety of experience has provided me with a broad commercial perspective on matters.
I am an English qualified solicitor and have practised at three of the world’s premier energy firms: Baker Botts, Fulbright & Jaworski and Dentons. I worked for international law firms in London and Cairo before moving to Dubai full time in 2005.
​
Selected examples of our lawyers' experience can be found here.
​
'Partner' refers to a shareholder or director of Devine & Severova FZ-LLC, or an employee or consultant who is a lawyer with equivalent standing and qualifications.
Ana Severova
Partner
ana.severova@devineseverova.com
M: +971 52 578 5144
I advise on a broad range of transactions, projects, joint ventures, restructurings and commercial agreements. I have particular expertise in the oil and gas sector and have advised on projects across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the CIS.
My experience ranges from advising on M&A in the heavily regulated North Sea to representing clients in entering frontier markets, such as Afghanistan and Iraq. I have drafted and negotiated a wide variety of contracts, from those based on standard forms to entirely bespoke arrangements. I have advised clients on pre-dispute strategy, settlement agreements and technical aspects of oil and gas disputes. In addition, I have considerable corporate and commercial experience outside of the oil and gas sector.
​
Over the past 13 years, I have practised at several leading international law firms in London and Dubai, including Baker Botts, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and CMS. I have experience of working in-house as legal counsel for an oil trading company and through secondments at ExxonMobil, BP and Dragon Oil.
I am an English qualified solicitor and have been based in Dubai since 2012. I speak Russian, Italian and Macedonian.
​
Selected examples of our lawyers' experience can be found here.