Allen & Overy (A&O) is set to launch an office in Qatar with the relocation of City real estate partner Robert Porter.

The magic circle firm received approval from the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority earlier today (15 February), allowing it to practise both international and local law from the office. The launch is effective today.

Porter (pictured), who will head up the new base, is already in Doha and will now be joined by Dubai-based corporate partner Chris Thornes and a team of associates.

The office will focus on high-end corporate and finance work. The firm said that the launch had come in response to the country's growth and resilience to the economic downturn.

Porter has a practice focused on international funds, real estate and cross-border joint ventures and M&A, while Thornes specialises in M&A and private equity.

Porter has advised Middle East clients in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the last five years.

He told Legal Week: "A large part of our reasoning for launching in Qatar is to follow our clients, which are mainly sovereign institutions and our existing banking clients, who have all been very supportive of our move here. It would not surprise me if more law firms set up offices in Qatar as there are a lot of opportunities here. I think Qatar will definitely grow as a financial centre in the region."

He added: "This is an exciting time to be in Qatar, and we are looking forward to contributing to its economic development while growing alongside our clients in one of the most promising centres in the Gulf."

A&O managing partner Wim Dejonghe said: "The pace of growth in Qatar over recent years has been impressive, fuelled by its status as the world's largest natural gas exporter. It has emerged from the global downturn relatively unscathed and is poised to take advantage of the broad, strategic interest it is attracting from investors around the world. As a centre for international capital flows, Qatar is an important cornerstone in our strategy to remain one of the pre-eminent legal advisers in the region."

The launch gifts A&O its fourth office in the region, adding to its bases in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and an associate office in Riyadh.

News of the launch comes just one week after it emerged that A&O was entering the Australian market with two new offices in Sydney and Perth.