Baker McKenzie is set to grow its Belfast legal services centre with an additional 150 staff, expanding headcount in the support base by 50%.

The international firm has taken on extra floor space in the City Quays development in Belfast (pictured), where it currently employs almost 300 staff, after reaching an agreement with Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

The Belfast team provides more than 30 legal and business services, including finance, corporate support, marketing and IT.

Baker McKenzie Belfast executive director James Richards said: "The growth of our Belfast office has been a remarkable success story that would not have been possible without the exceptional pool of talent here from both legal and business backgrounds, which has allowed us to create highly skilled and specialised opportunities in Northern Ireland."

Bakers' move into Belfast in 2014 followed similar initiatives by Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) and Allen & Overy (A&O) in 2011.

Last year, Bakers joined A&O in investing in a new legal innovation centre at the University of Ulster. The centre will undertake research into legal technology and train students and lawyers in the use of such technology, including cloud-based law practice management platforms and software used for preparing legal bundles and electronic presentation in court.