The Middle East and offshore jurisdictions such as the Caribbean are expected to provide the strongest growth in international opportunities for UK lawyers in 2006, recruitment consultants predicted this week.

City firms Linklaters, Ashurst, and Simmons & Simmons have opened offices in Dubai within the past year, while Holman Fenwick & Willan takes over the local arm of Hill Taylor Dickinson this week and DLA is set to open there shortly. Firms with longer-established presences in the region include Clifford Chance, Trowers & Hamlins, and Denton Wilde Sapte.


Mark Anderson, international consultant at recruitment consultancy Laurence Simons, said: ‘Dubai has developed itself not just as a business hotspot, but also as a tourist hotspot. It has been expanding rapidly over the last few years.


‘All firms, particularly those handling corporate and general commercial work, have been doing extremely well. Some departments have doubled in size over the last 12 months.’


An increase in initial public offerings and private equity work has boosted demand for corporate specialists, he added, but there are also openings for those with expertise in projects (including oil and gas), intellectual property, real estate, and construction. Lawyers with between two and six years’ post-qualification experience (PQE) are most in demand.


Mr Anderson added that there are other locations in the Middle East where opportunities are increasing. but warned that there is competition from lawyers from Australia and New Zealand also looking to relocate.


Alongside the Middle East, offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands continue to show significant demand, according to Edward Strickland of Michael Page.


‘The leading firms there are ideally looking for good funds lawyers but they will consider people with a strong corporate background and typically with around four years’ PQE,’ Mr Strickland explained.


He added: ‘Some of the top practices will also look at people based in the regions if they have the right experience and are academically strong. There might be the perception in the regions that [these vacancies] always go to lawyers at magic circle firms, but that is not the case.’