Leading Middle East law firms and legal departments are set to do battle in the third annual Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards.

The awards, which are jointly hosted by Legal Week and the Corporate Counsel Middle East Group, will take place in Dubai on 15 May.

Entries are being invited for 15 categories which aim to recognise exceptional achievement by private practice and in-house lawyers working in local and international companies and law firms.

The awards will take place as competition among international law firms in the region looks set to intensify in 2014 with a string of firms planning to either launch in the region or expand their operations there.

Nabarro and Watson Farley & Williams are both planning to launch their first Middle East offices in Dubai this year, while Bird & Bird, King & Wood Mallesons SJ Berwin and Taylor Wessing are among those practices with expansionary ambitions.

Headline awards in 2014 include General Counsel of the Year, Legal Department of the Year, International Law Firm of the Year and Middle East Law Firm of the Year.

There are also six awards for specialist legal teams covering practice areas that include banking, finance and restructuring; litigation and dispute resolution; and transportation, energy and infrastructure.

At last year's awards Allen and Overy (A&O), Al Tamimi & Company and The Emirates Group were among the big winners.

Al Tamimi picked up the Middle East Law Firm of the Year award for the second year running, seeing off competition from rivals including Hadef & Partners while A&O fended off six firms including Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co, Eversheds and Dentons to take home the gong for International Law Firm of the Year.

The in-house awards saw Emirates secure the Large Team Legal Department of the Year, while China State Construction Engineering Corporation picked up both Small Team Legal Department of the Year and the Innovation Award.

The judging panel for the 2014 awards will be chaired by CCME Group president, Elias Hayek (pictured), vice president, legal, EAME division, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.

It will consist of a panel of leading lawyers and other business figures from the region. Hayek said: "We hope to attract more than 500 guests to the major awards ceremony in the Middle East legal calendar. Once again we are delighted that the 2014 Awards are supporting Oxfam's Syria Appeal with a $10,000 donation."

The deadline for entry submissions is 13 March. Click here for more information, including categories and submission guidelines.