National firm DLA Piper has tripled its headcount in the Middle East as part of a huge push into the region and has plans for further expansion over the next two months, the Gazette can reveal.

The firm, which had around 50 lawyers working in the region a year ago, has drafted in more than 100 since then and is about to launch a two-month recruitment drive to further swell its Middle East presence.

At the start of 2006 the firm had no lawyers in the Middle East, but in two months it will have what is believed to be one of the largest operations in the region of any UK firm.

It has now gained full licences to operate in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Oman, and operates in Riyadh with a local Saudi firm.