Mr Tabbaa will be assisted by two lawyers from Baghdad, the location of the first Eversheds Iraqi office. These two lawyers will be relocating. The firm already has clients who need help in Erbil in the oil service company sector, telecoms, construction and financial services.

Mr Tabbaa told The Lawyer: 'In terms of lifestyle, Erbil is more appealing than Baghdad, it’s more secure and safer but finding good Iraqi lawyers with experience with international clients is difficult. We look for those that have left to work in international firms outside the region and get them to relocate back.'