HFW has made a double hire for its global disputes practice, bringing in two senior recruits from Fieldfisher and Trowers & Hamlins.

In the Middle East, the firm has hired Trowers & Hamlins' Oman office international disputes and litigation group head, James Harbridge, who will join HFW in Dubai. Meanwhile in Brussels, Emmanuel Roger France joins from Fieldfisher, where he headed the local disputes team.

Harbridge is the latest in a string of Middle East lateral hires for HFW, which now has a total of 17 partners and more than 50 additional fee earners across its Dubai, Riyadh, Beirut and Kuwait City offices.

Roger France helped Fieldfisher set up its Brussels office in 2006, when he joined from alliance firm Verhaegen Walravens. He has 19 years' experience dealing with high-value contentious matters, specialising in fraud, asset recovery, white-collar crime and cybercrime.

HFW's appetite for international expansion has seen it take on eight lateral hires so far in 2018, including the latest two. Other additions include a triple partner hire in Singapore. The firm has also announced tie-ups in Indonesia and Brazil. Fifty-six percent of the firm's revenue was generated outside of the UK during the 2016-17 financial year.

HFW's Dubai office, which opened its doors in 2006, has in the past year seen the addition of two lateral hires, including former Dentons disputes partner Beau McLaren, alongside two promotions. To accommodate the new personnel, total floor space is being increased by 40%.