The news comes as growing numbers of law firms are looking to establish international networks of offices to boost their appeal to their ever-more-multi-jurisdictional clients.
Clifford Chance said its new office in Casablanca, which will be its first on African soil, would open “by the end of 2011”, as part of its plan to extend its “existing, strong Africa practice” managed elsewhere.
Its announcement, on its website, followed by days a similar statement by Allen & Overy that it was also planning to set out its stall in Casablanca, beginning in September.
"Morocco is rapidly establishing itself as a key hub for international companies and investors looking to build a presence in Africa,” Allen & Overy global managing partner Wim Dejonghe said.
“It also has strong trade links with other markets in our network, particularly France, the Middle East and Spain, with growing interest from China, India and Japan. It’s the perfect match for our global network and our emerging markets strategy and offers a fantastic platform to build on our extensive Africa-focused work."
Moroccan national to head CC office
The Clifford Chance office will be headed up by Mustapha Mourahib, a Moroccan national who is currently a partner in the firm’s Paris office. He cited Morocco’s “strategic position in the African continent” as one of its appeals for a legal enterprise.
Anthony Giustini, another Paris partner who, like Mourahib, has been looking after African clients on behalf of Clifford Chance, also said the continent held “enormous potential” both for the firm and for its clients. The firm currently has offices in 26 countries, including India, Qatar, the UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.
“Major African corporates are looking to extend their footprint regionally and internationally, and our multinational clients are increasingly focused on building their business in the continent.
"As a result, clients need to be able to draw on firms such as ours with a well-established track record of working in every African nation, and which combine deep local knowledge with a strong international capability and an outstanding reputation for cross-border work."
