Latham & Watkins has moved another lawyer to its Doha office, in what may be the start of a growing trend of firms shifting their focus to Qatar.

The firm has transferred banking & finance specialist Olivier Vermeulen from its Paris office, raising its numbers in Doha to nine lawyers. It follows the office's recent addition of finance partner Philip von Randow, who was transferred from Frankfurt in March.

Vermeulen will principally advise the firm's French clients doing business in the Middle East.

Latham has been engaged by the Qatari government on a number of notable transactions since 1994 most recently including a US$3bn sovereign bond offering. The firm considers the deal will drive more capital markets deals into the pipeline.

"The State of Qatar's multi-billion dollar-bond offering, coupled with other similar bond programs across the Gulf, is likely to renew interest in what has historically been an underdeveloped bond market in the Middle East, creating over time a stronger, deeper and more active bond market in the region," said Craig Stoehr, Doha-based counsel in a statement.

Qatar is being tipped as the next jurisdiction of choice for law firms, as attention moves from Dubai and forecasts predicted the Qatari economy will achieve significant growth this year.