Reed Smith has strengthened its Middle Eastern corporate practice with a two-lawyer hire from Holland & Knight.

Holland & Knight corporate partner and Abu Dhabi head Donald Moore is set to join the US firm's local office as a partner, bringing the total number of partners in the office to five. Meanwhile, corporate associate Nijoe Joseph is set to join the Dubai office.

Moore advises United Arab Emirates (UAE) and international companies, family groups, airlines, banks and investors on a range of corporate governance, contractual, investment, joint-venture, M&A and cross-border transactions. He has been Holland & Knight's Abu Dhabi office head since it opened in 2008, having relocated there from its Miami office. He will be replaced by US construction partner Andrew Stephenson.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Joseph was the senior legal advisor to the Abu Dhabi Department of Transportation's maritime division.

Reed Smith Europe and Middle East corporate group head James Wilkinson commented: "Our UAE offices are the firm's hub for work across the Middle East and Central Asia and there is a steady stream of corporate and commercial work driven from and to the region from our other offices around the world.

"Donald has practised in the UAE for several years and has a strong client base in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the US, which we expect will offer a number of opportunities for cross servicing in the future."

Reed Smith has 23 offices and more than 1,600 lawyers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US. It launched in Shanghai in July with the hire of corporate partner Jay Yan, the former regional managing partner for US firm Dorsey & Whitney.