Allen & Overy (A&O) is to offer training contracts in its Belfast office for the first time, joining the ranks of other international firms further investing in the city.

The contract will be open for applications from all of the 20 legal professionals who join the magic circle firm's service centre in the city each year.

Belfast legal services centre head Jane Townsend said: "As the challenges faced by our clients evolve, we need to ensure that our lawyer base is as diverse and has as broad a skillset as possible to best serve them.

"Combining studying and working during the LPC will continue to expose our lawyers in Belfast to the latest advances in legal tech and reflect the knowledge and skills lawyers of the future will increasingly need."

The successful applicants in the upcoming intake will begin their training contracts upon completion of their LPC in March or September 2021.

Previously, Belfast graduates could only train via the chartered legal executive route.

A&O joins a number of firms to have taken steps to build in Northern Ireland. Fieldfisher opened a legal solutions hub in the city last year, while Kennedys moved into the market via a merger with Belfast law firm McMahon McKay in 2017.

Baker McKenzie offers two training contract seats to existing legal practitioners within its Belfast office each year.