Pinsent Masons Vario has launched in the Middle East with its flexible services business kickstarting a base from the firm’s Dubai office.

The move will see senior legal counsel Britta Spachtholz relocate to Dubai to engage with clients across the region as the firm further embeds its professional and legal services in the Middle East.

The move follows the launch of Pinsent Masons’ Abu Dhabi representative office and its regulatory approval in Saudi Arabia as the firm doubles down on its commitment to the Middle East.

Catherine Workman, Partner, Head of Middle East at Pinsent Masons in Dubai said: “The market for innovative legal and professional services across the region is developing at a rapid pace. Expanding the firm’s Vario offering into the UAE and into our Dubai office will play an important role in enabling us to meet the evolving needs of our clients and further strengthen our position in the legal services arena.

“The Flexible Services model will be appealing to legal talent currently based in the UAE and will enable us to tap into the wealth of expertise in the Middle East. Vario has been a game changer for many clients across the firm’s network and we’re confident it’ll be an asset for us working alongside our sector-led specialists in energy, infrastructure, tech science and industry, real estate and financial services.”

Vario Flexible Services matches clients with experienced flexible lawyers to support specific projects and address capacity issues in busy in-house legal teams. Alongside Flexible Services, Vario offers a varied suite of class-leading professional services dedicated to improving our clients’ businesses,  including Managed Legal Services, Company Secretarial Services, Legal Project Management and Consulting for both Process and Technology

The Middle East launch comes after a period of expansion for Flexible Services with Vario establishing a presence in Ireland after embedding teams across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany.

Geraldine Kelm, Partner and Head of Flexible Services for Pinsent Masons Vario added: “The UAE represents a significant opportunity for Vario’s flexible services. Increasingly, clients are looking for innovative solutions to improve their efficiency, bridge resource gaps and manage workload across their in-house legal teams.  We’re excited to be developing our bench in the region as the Middle East continues to be an important global hub for a wealth of multinational clients demanding sophisticated and innovative legal services.”

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