Pinsent Masons has launched its flexible lawyer service in the Middle East.
The service, Vario, is led out of the firm’s Dubai office by Britta Spachtholz, senior legal counsel, who has relocated to the emirate as part of the roll-out to engage with clients and build a team of consultant lawyers.
“The market for innovative legal and professional services across the region is developing at a rapid pace,” said Catherine Workman, partner and head of Middle East at Pinsent Masons in Dubai. “Expanding the firm’s Vario offering into the UAE and into our Dubai office will play an important role in enabling us to meet the evolving needs of our clients and further strengthen our position in the legal services arena.”
Nearly two decades on from when it launched in Dubai, Pinsent Masons announced it had set up a representative office in Abu Dhabi in January 2024. In November last year, the UK-headquartered law firm obtained a licence to practise law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Vario was launched just over a decade ago in 2013 and has since expanded from the UK to Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, and most recently, Ireland.
The service matches in-house legal teams with experienced flexible lawyers at the firm, who provide support on specific projects or during busy times. It also offers clients professional services including project management and consulting.
Demand is growing among in-house legal teams for flexible solutions to bridge resource gaps and manage workloads. At the same time, lawyers are attune to different ways of working and the flexibility a career in legal consultancy can afford. Other flexible lawyer services in the UAE include Allen & Overy’s Peerpoint, which launched in Dubai in 2021.
