DLA Piper, an international law firm, is to double its presence in the Gulf. The US-based practice announced plans to open in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. The firm has a consistent reputation for investing in emerging markets. The Abu Dhabi office will open at the end of this year and this will be followed by Qatar during the first quarter of 2008. Jayshree Gupta, former Dubai managing partner is leading the firm's Gulf/India cross-border development, linking its Indian and UAE client bases. DLA Piper opened its office in Dubai in January 2006 and will have full-service capabilities in its new UAE offices, covering core practice areas such as real estate, corporate, IT and telecoms, Islamic finance and regulatory. Oliver Agha, Clifford Chance's former alliance partner in Saudi Arabia, was joined by DLA Piper and its affiliate Abdulaziz H Al-Fahad to head its global Islamic finance practice group.