Pinsent Masons is overhauling its Middle East operation with the top 15 law firm pulling out of its joint venture in Dubai – Masons Galadari – to go solo in the region.

The national heavyweight is planning to end its joint venture with the construction practice of Galadari & Associates from next month to launch alone in Dubai.

The joint venture will officially come to an end on 1 June with Pinsents planning to broaden its capabilities beyond construction to become a full service practice.

Pinsents' Dubai-based construction partner Sachin Kerur will head the office, taking over from Mark Blanksby, who is leaving the firm to join Fulbright & Jaworski within the coming weeks.

Kerur will be joined by Shourav Lahiri and Melanie Grimmitt, Hong Kong and London-based projects partners respectively, who will be relocating to Dubai. In addition, two London-based senior associates in corporate and technology will be shipped over.

The firm has also hired four Dubai associates from other firms, taking it to around 10 lawyers, with that figure expected to double by the end of the year.

Pinsents senior partner Chris Mullen said: "We have benefited enormously from our relationship with Galadari. We now move on to establish a full-service Pinsent Masons office in Dubai confident in the knowledge of the support and friendship of our colleagues at Galadari with whom we will maintain a close relationship."

Ziad Galadari, the chairman of the joint venture, said: "The joint venture was ideal for both parties at the time and was well placed to facilitate our development in the construction and infrastructure sectors. As our firm has grown, we are now well positioned to provide this resource ourselves and an informal arrangement would better allow us to fulfill our ambitious goals for the future."

The joint venture was established in 2004 between legacy construction specialist Masons and Galadari as a result of the construction boom in the United Arab Emirates. The two firms will continue to maintain referral links.