DOHA: The Qatari Businesswomen Association (QBWA) has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the global law firm Squire Patton Boggs (MEA) LLP, under which the parties agreed to collaborate on a number of activities and areas of common interest. Through this affiliation the law firm will join the existing partners, and extensive network, of the QBWA which works locally and regionally to advance women in the Qatar business community.
QBWA will also benefit from the provision of legal services contributed by Squire Patton Boggs in Qatar.
The announcement was made during a special ceremony organised by the parties for the occasion, and was followed by a meeting between the two organisations to discuss ways of activating their partnership.
The (MoU sets out a number of areas of cooperation between the two partners, in particular the provision by Squire Patton Boggs of pro-bono legal advisory services to the Qatari Businesswomen Association for a specified number of hours per month, as well as exclusive discounts for members of QBWA.
Aisha Alfardan, Vice-Chairwoman of the Qatari Businesswomen Association, expressed her delight at the conclusion of the agreement. “This is natural development of the mutual trust that has been fostered between our two organisations,” Alfardan said. “We are extremely pleased to enter a memorandum of understanding with Squire Patton Boggs (MEA) LLP, a law firm that combines a strong, longstanding local presence with a powerful global reach, and consider it an important new step towards providing additional services and support to our members.”
“Access to professional legal services has become a key element of the success of any business and commercial activity,” Alfardan added, “and this partnership will bring significant benefits for the members of the Association and other businesswomen within our network in Qatar.”
Susan Bastress, Managing Partner of Squire Patton Boggs (MEA) LLP in Doha said: “We are so proud to be working closely with this prestigious organization of professional women and look forward to lending our support to the growing number of businesses owned and operated by women. Women around the world are becoming more active in business development and our firm is privileged to be working with QBWA to advance these goals in Qatar.”
The MOU also grants female lawyers from Squire Patton Boggs (MEA) LLP membership in QBWA, as well as the opportunity to collaborate on events and activities organized by the Association annually that benefit the women of Qatar and society in general.
QBWA has signed this year several agreements and memoranda of understanding with key organizations locally such as Qatar National Bank QNB, Qatar Business Incubator Center QBIC, and Texas A & M Qatar University, to implement various projects and programs that support the new generation of Qatari women to enter and compete in new fields.
The Peninsula
