Global law firm Ashurst announced the opening of a new office in Casablanca, Morocco, welcoming a team of lawyers to further strengthen its capabilities in the region and significantly expand its existing practice in Africa by establishing a local presence.
The Casablanca team includes senior associates Meriem Komiha and Youssef Tork, and associate Yasmine Hitane. They will all be led by Morocco partner and head Ouns Lemseffer, who joined Ashurst in September.
The multilingual team in Casablanca, complemented by Ashurst’s strong Africa team in London, Paris, Madrid, and the Middle East, will support clients operating or investing in the continent on a wide range of matters relating to project development, project finance, structured finance, capital markets, and M&A/private equity. The team brings an additional level of capability in project finance, structured finance, and the mobilization of private capital of all kinds, both in Morocco and across the wider French-speaking African region.
Commenting on the opening of the office and the addition of the team, Ashurst’s partner and director in Morocco, Ouns Lemseffer, said she was “delighted to inaugurate the firm’s newest office now that we are opening in Casablanca, and I am excited to do so with this team. The Casablanca office is a key component of our strategy in Africa, and our team brings an unmatched combination of the highest international standards with deep knowledge of local law and close working relationships with regulators in the markets where we operate.”
“There are many opportunities for the firm and for our clients, and being on the ground means we can continue to take advantage of them,” Ouns added. “I look forward to continuing to advise our clients throughout the region and globally on the most complex and innovative transactions in Africa.”
“The opening of our first office in Africa and the excellent team in Casablanca mark a new phase of growth for Ashurst and an important milestone,” said David Charlier, Co-Head of Projects and Energy Transition for EMEA at Ashurst. “Expansion into Africa is the natural next step, given Ashurst’s 120-year history in the region. I have every confidence in Ouns’ leadership and capabilities to expand our market share in Africa and deliver excellent service to clients in this rapidly evolving market.”
