Defamation lawyer Paul Tweed has officially opened the Belfast office of his new international boutique law firm, TWEED, following a £500,000 investment which was part supported by Danske Bank.

Having worked as a senior partner in Johnsons Solicitors for over 30 years, Mr Tweed will now practise under the TWEED brand.

The firm has taken over a 1,200 sq. ft. office on the Dublin Road with plans to expand the office space in January. Eight new jobs have been created with plans to hire a further eight staff over the next 12 months.

As well as operating from London and Dublin offices, a consultancy arm for overseas business, TWEED International Ltd., has been set up in response to demand from Mr Tweed’s Middle Eastern clients.

With an existing clientèle of A-list celebrities and large UK and American corporates, the company is targeting rapid expansion, particularly in the Middle East and African markets.

Mr Tweed said: “Our new office space marks an exciting start to the TWEED brand. We have invested in a space where the business can continue to grow to support our global work.

“We will be doubling our staff over the next year and the roles will be across a number of different aspects of the business. Danske Bank have been excellent in their support of the firm and we are delighted they chose to back us in this new venture.”

Michelle Wilson, business banking manager at Danske Bank, said: “Paul’s extensive experience in the legal sector has made him one of the most well-known media lawyers in the world. As social media overtakes print media as the largest publisher, the company is working globally with aggressive growth plans for the first year of business. We are delighted to be able to provide working capital requirements and assist Paul in activating the TWEED brand.”