Herbert Smith is set to secure its long-awaited launch in the Middle East with the hire of a large chunk of Norton Rose's Dubai office.

The top 10 London firm is finalising the recruitment of Norton Rose Dubai finance partner Nadim Khan and corporate finance partner Zubair Mir to start the operation, which is scheduled to be up and running by early 2007.

The office will be headed by Herbert Smith Paris projects head Neil Brimson, who is relocating from France.

The move marks a major strategic push by the UK firm following a review in the summer in which it decided to make a concerted effort to expand its emerging markets presence.

The firm is known to have received an initial licence from the Dubai authorities to set up an office. Firms only receive a full licence when they have secured office premises.

Herbert Smith partners are thought to be voting this week on the hire of the duo, which make up half of Norton Rose's four-partner Dubai operation.

Khan is a banking and Islamic finance specialist with a heavy focus on projects work. Last year he advised Aluminium Bahrain in relation to the $1.7bn (£908m) financing of an extension of its aluminium production plant. Mir focuses on M&A and private equity and in May this year led a deal for Dubai Islamic Bank and Dubai World on the launch of seven private equity funds worth a total of $5bn (£2.7bn).

Norton Rose's office, which was set up in 2003, will be left with office head and corporate finance partner Graeme Muir and Tahir Ahmed, who joined Norton Rose as a corporate finance partner from Clifford Chance in May.

Herbert Smith refused to comment.