THE creation of Eversheds' new office in the United Arab Emirates is being overseen by two legal experts from the North-East.

The firm has been granted a licence to operate in Abu Dhabi, and the base will be established by Chris Jobson and Mark Lisgo, two former employees of Eversheds in Newcastle.

Mr Jobson has worked in the Gulf region for several years, and will become managing partner for the Middle East. He has headed the Eversheds office in Qatar since 2004.

He will be joined by Mr Lisgo, who is moving to Abu Dhabi after working as an associate in the banking team of the office in Orchard Street, Newcastle, since 2002.

From his North-East base, Mr Lisgo has been working with Eversheds' offices in Qatar and London, for both banks and borrowers based in the Middle East.

He and Mr Jobson have worked together on numerous international transactions over the past couple of years.

Mr Jobson said it was a significant boost for the firm to open an office in new territory.

"We are thrilled to get the licence.

The Middle East is one of the most exciting areas in the world at the moment, with current economic strength, combined with huge potential for growth over the next ten years," he said.

"Mark is from North Shields, is a Newcastle supporter and works in a bank. I am from South Shields, a Sunderland supporter and a shipper. I am sure we will get on like a house on fire."

Mr Lisgo said: "An increasing number of companies from the North-East are looking to do business out in the Middle East and we will be able to offer direct access through Eversheds, which none of our competitors can offer.

"Because we have people on the ground there, we can provide advice - not just legal but on all kinds of business and cultural issues - to companies based in the North-East which are looking to do business out in the Gulf.

"This is a hugely exciting opportunity for me to support Chris and for me to experience a new challenge, and indeed a new culture, and to continue to grow Eversheds as a business.

"While we will be thousands of miles away from Newcastle, we will continue to work closely with our office here in Orchard Street, especially with North- East-based clients that also operate on an international scale."

In the past 12 months, Eversheds has also opened offices in South Africa, Switzerland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Prague and Bratislava.