The UK Law Society led a trade mission to Qatar on 1 June as part of a broader plan to secure its lawyers and law firms a slice of the oil-rich country's booming legal market.

The visit comes as analysts forecast that Qatar will achieve double digit growth this year, and as attention shifts from Dubai, which has been more adversely affected by the financial crisis. As yet, only eight international firms have established an office in Doha (see table below).

Alison Hook, head of the Law Society's international group, said the visit would draw attention to new opportunities in other Gulf countries. "In recent years, law firms have tended to focus all their efforts in the Gulf on Dubai," she said. "The global financial crisis has not dented Qatar's economic growth. Revenue from its natural gas reserves, the third largest in the world, is funding major infrastructure projects and Qatar is ...in search of new investment opportunities around the world. There are opportunities for lawyers in energy, construction, maritime law, education, tourism and telecommunications to name a few, so firms looking to increase international activity in Qatar and develop Middle Eastern contacts will benefit from this visit."

The trade delegation will meet with key Qatari business and legal groups this week and follows the conclusion of the Qatar Law Forum on 30 May, which saw prominant leaders in law from over 15 countries convene to discuss issues affecting the legal industry today.

International firms in Qatar