Patton Boggs Names Susan Bastress Managing Partner of Firm's Doha Office

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Patton Boggs LLP has named Susan B. Bastress managing partner of the firm's Doha, Qatar office, returning her to a leadership role she established nearly 10 years ago. Ms. Bastress, who re-joined Patton Boggs last month, opened the Patton Boggs office in Doha in 2003 and served as its managing partner until 2006.

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Patton Boggs is also pleased to announce that Robert A. Hager, managing partner of the firm's Doha office since 2006, will remain resident in Doha and continue to play a pivotal role in the firm's operations there. In the coming weeks, Mr. Hager will transition to a new, key management role coordinating the firm's practices throughout the Middle East region.

Ms. Bastress is a leading advisor to American companies seeking advice on business laws in the Middle East. She first joined Patton Boggs in 1996 as a member of the firm's Real Estate practice group and served as practice group chair at the time of her departure in 2008. 

Leveraging an extensive background in real estate, hospitality, alternative dispute resolution and commercial law, Ms. Bastress counsels multinational companies on establishing and maintaining operations in the Middle East. She also has significant experience providing counsel to sovereign entities in the finance, education, health and hospitality sectors.

"Susan Bastress played an integral role in the success of the firm's Middle East expansion," noted Edward J. Newberry, managing partner of Patton Boggs. "As managing partner, Susan will continue the progress she initiated in Doha nearly 10 years ago. She understands the culture and what it takes to succeed in the Middle East, and we are extremely pleased she has returned to fulfill this important position."  

"I am honored and delighted to have been invited back to manage the firm's Doha office," added Ms. Bastress. "Patton Boggs' commitment to its Middle East platform at this historic time is unprecedented—the firm's scope of practice offerings, bench of lawyers with regional strengths and orientation and client base all continue to expand. I look forward to playing a key role in the firm's continued success and growth in the region."

Patton Boggs has a long history of service to the Middle East region from offices in Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, UAE, and with the return of Susan Bastress to Doha, is continuing to make significant investments to grow and expand. The firm established an affiliate office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia earlier this year. A deep understanding of the values that drive business relationships in the Middle East has driven the firm's longstanding success there.

Ms. Bastress was the first non-Qatari attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Qatar. Ms. Bastress was a partner in the Real Estate practice at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe from 2008 to 2010.  She holds her J.D. from George Washington University. Ms. Bastress has been a long-standing member of the board of governors of the Middle East Institute.

About Patton Boggs LLP

Patton Boggs is a leader in public policy, litigation and business law, and is well known for its deep bipartisan roots in the U.S. political arena. The firm's core practice areas are Public Policy, Business and Litigation.

With offices in Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Denver and Anchorage, and internationally in Doha, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, more than 550 lawyers and professionals provide comprehensive, practical and cost-effective legal counsel to clients around the globe. For more information about the firm or its attorneys, visit www.pattonboggs.com.

SOURCE Patton Boggs LLP