Kassim Legal: From Legacy Practice to Startup Counsel in MENA
By: Anwar Abdou
Published on: 20-03-2026
Capital or a great product alone cannot explain the success of the startup that has scaled. Besides that, there is the company, protection, and the legal partner who knows how fast things change and what the consequences are when they change. Kassim Legal was not always that kind of partner.
Initially, the company was a traditional family law firm, mainly engaged in litigation and corporate law. It had a strong legacy, based on trust and years of experience, but it was made for a completely different kind of business. When Hisham Kassim came back after a stint in law practice in the United States, he saw a change that most were just beginning to understand. Startups in the MENA region were growing, raising funds, and crossing borders at an unprecedented rate. However, the legal ecosystem, despite its slowness, trickle response, and occasional lack of understanding of the founders' realities, remained unchanged.
Hisham did not merely take over the law firm; he redefined its motto. In 15 years on the stirring side, he has consulted more than 100 startups and 50+ venture capital investors and coordinated 300+ transactions covering all rounds of funding and exits, etc. This has been the basis of his rebuild of Kassim Legal, as the firm is perfectly fit for innovation. It was indeed a legal field but also a partner capable of moving, not to mention matching the speed, the complexity, and the ambition of today's startups.
Tags: brand storytelling, PR, startup, legal innovation & advisory, founder-first branding, thought leadership strategy, venture capital communications, MENA startup ecosystem.
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The Story Behind Kassim Legal
The Challenge: Transforming Legacy into Leadership
Undertaking this transformation was far beyond simply offering different services; it was already about a total overhaul of the company's ways of working and communicating. Transitioning from the conventional legal model to a strongly founder-oriented advisory required a departure from complexity and the introduction of clarity. Founders were not looking for legalese; they wanted directives that could help make instant decisions. While investors were in need of accuracy, arrangement, and market insight.
At the same time, Kassim Legal had to establish credibility within a fast-evolving ecosystem where trust is built through visibility and contribution, not just expertise. The firm needed to reposition itself not only internally but also in the eyes of founders, investors, and partners across the region. The challenge was not simply to evolve, but to be recognised as a new kind of legal authority in a space that was still taking shape.
“I feel very much believe in it and I very much feel like this is my calling."
Defining a New Advisory Approach
Apart from that, we came up with a thought-leadership framework that highlighted Hisham's talent to simplify difficult legal issues and explain them in a way that is both understandable and relevant to the business people and investors.
Meanwhile, Kassim Legal also reached out to more than just online channels. By engaging in workshops and speaking opportunities, they became more immersed in the startup world. While these workshops and speaking opportunities focused on educating entrepreneurs and startup founders on various topics such as funding structures, due diligence, and equity, they also served to engage them and, in turn, position them within the conversation.
About working with us, Hisham said: “We’ve been extremely satisfied with the collaboration and would highly recommend them to others.”
Our work with Kassim Legal was grounded in a clear direction: this was not about marketing a law firm but about positioning a pioneer. Hisham’s experience, perspective, and proximity to the startup ecosystem placed him in a unique position not just to support founders but to shape how legal advisory operates in the region.
First of all, we made a personal brand for him as a reliable source in venture and startup law who also has the rare skill of transforming complex legal things into useful knowledge for founders and investors. To back this up, we came up with a well-structured content plan that gives continuous and meaningful exposure, based on authentic situations, helpful directions, and the importance of the ecosystem.
Earning Recognition Across the Ecosystem
Through the development of strategy, Kassim Legal began to establish itself as an important part of the ecosystem, and Hisham found himself becoming a well-known thought leader in the areas of startup and venture law, establishing a strong network of contacts in the founder community and with investors through participation at various industry events. The firm had also extended its reach and level of involvement in various workshops and partnerships throughout the region and was forging connections with many other important players in the ecosystem.
More importantly, the perception of the firm evolved. Kassim Legal was no longer seen as a traditional practice adapting to change, but as a firm actively shaping how legal support works for startups. It became increasingly top-of-mind for founders navigating funding, scaling, and cross-border expansion, as well as for investors seeking strategic legal guidance.
Shaping What Comes Next
Today, Kassim Legal continues to grow as counsel to MENA’s innovators, supporting not only transactions but the broader systems that enable startups to scale. With Hisham at the forefront, the firm is building more than a client base; it is contributing to the legal infrastructure of an ecosystem still in formation.
Because in a region where innovation is accelerating, the role of legal advisory is no longer just to protect what exists. It is to help build what comes next.
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