Devon and Somerset-based private client and commercial firm Everys Solicitors has announced the acquisition of an Iranian firm on the day of an international agreement that promises to end the country’s commercial isolation.

The firm will now open a branch office in Tehran headed by Iranian practitioner Saeid Salari (pictured, left), an expert in international trade contracts, intellectual property rights and company law.

The Tehran office will be assisted by multilingual UK-qualified lawyer and corporate specialist Nazanin Maghsoudlou (pictured, right), who will be based in Everys’ Dubai office.

Speaking from Tehran today, Everys’ managing partner James Griffin (pictured, centre) said that Iran provided a large potential market for legal services. ‘There’s a lot of demand for legal services both internally and when dealing with foreign investors.

‘Economically it has been a closed society for quite some time and they have developed their own ways of doing business, but once it’s opened up, western business is going to want to get in and people will be looking for representation.’

Opportunities range from infrastructure contracts, to business franchises to luxury goods, he said. 

‘Saeid, his team and Nazanin are primed to bridge the gap between cultures and legal systems with their strong understanding of common law, codified law and sharia law to safeguard corporate interests and assets, while maximising business opportunities,’ he said. 

Griffin said that he believed Everys was the first England and Wales firm to open a direct presence in Iran in recent years rather than taking the more common option of setting up an Iran desk staffed by Iranian lawyers overseas.

‘If you want to be here, you have to have a local presence,’ he said.