IFLR 1000
The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms

	CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Ghellal & Mekerba Gide Loyrette Nouel
	Aidoud Law Firm Law Office of Yamina Kebir Lefèvre Pelletier & Associés
	Bouchaib Law Firm Cabinet Hadj-Hamou et Djouadi Chemloul & Associés Goussanem & Aloui Law Firm
	Cabinet d'Avocats Samir Hamouda Cabinet Mustapha Hamdane Cabinet Sator Hamza Law Office SCP Boudiaf & Boudiaf Thompson & Knight

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre has developed its brand to the extent that it is consistently recognised as one of the best options for corporate and finance law at international standards with an office in Algeria.The firm has further developed its practice in the last year and now offers litigation capacity under Leulmi Benkhaled, who with 17 years of litigation experience joined the firm in December 2011.... [more]

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre has developed its brand to the extent that it is consistently recognised as one of the best options for corporate and finance law at international standards with an office in Algeria.

The firm has further developed its practice in the last year and now offers litigation capacity under Leulmi Benkhaled, who with 17 years of litigation experience joined the firm in December 2011. The move means that it is the only foreign firm that can offer litigation.

Another competitive advantage is the firm's tax department, managed by Mourad Nabil Abdessemed.

Partner Samir Sayah leads the team of 14, handling matters in corporate, finance, tax, litigation and arbitration (often handled with CMS Cameron McKenna in London). Amine Sator heads the firm's legal department on the ground.

Deals
Samir Sayah was advising a financial advisory and private equity firm focussed on MENA (Middle East & North Africa) on a range of corporate, debt, shareholder agreement and dispute resolution matters. He also acted for a domestic automotive group on a restructuring involving foreign investors and provided corporate and tax support to a hotels group.

One of the firm's highlight mandates was to act as counsel to a large industrial company on its investments into the country through public-private partnership (PPP) and private acquisitions. Amine Sator acted for a global energy logistics company in a dispute and was retained by a global retail company in relation to domestic partnerships.

Mourad Nabil Abdessemed was in high demand for tax advice, both advisory and litigation. He has been advising a global construction company on the formation of a consortium with Algerian partners and tax matters and along similar lines, a Portuguese construction company on tax law and other matters, as well as a number of other clients in the oil & gas sector, communication and transport.

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	Naciri & Associés – Allen & Overy
	Gide Loyrette Nouel Kettani Law Firm Lefèvre Pelletier & Associés Norton Rose UGGC
	Clifford Chance CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Morocco Garrigues Maroc Sarl Hajji & Associés Mernissi-Figes
	Bennani & Associés Benzakour Law Firm Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira CWA – Eversheds
	August & Debouzy Baker & McKenzie El Amari & Associés Fraikech Associés JeantetAssociés

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre is best known in the market for its expertise in tax, where it is often recommended as having the top team in town. "For fiscal advice, for pure fiscal work, I would choose them every time for their expertise," says a client.... [more]

CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre is best known in the market for its expertise in tax, where it is often recommended as having the top team in town. "For fiscal advice, for pure fiscal work, I would choose them every time for their expertise," says a client.

Through this the firm has established a good reputation among clients. "It is good to see they have a strong footprint in Morocco," says one, "they are very professional and a very good company".

Aside from tax, about half the firm's work covers corporate transactions and the team has been moving into the corporate finance market with clients such as INEXIA and EDF Energies Nouvelles. The head of the Morocco office, Marc Veuillot (who took over from Wilfried Le Bihan in 2011), also has good expertise in the Algerian market.

Deals
In terms of infrastructure and public-private partnerships (PPP), Marc Veuillot was advising SNCF subsidiary INEXIA on tax, contract, corporate and public law aspects of the construction of a high speed train line between Tangiers and Kenitra, launched by the National Office for Railways of Morocco. The project would be the first high speed train line in Africa.

The firm was also working on substantial energy transactions, advising an energy company on a series of wind and solar projects involving a number of international companies, while the firm also provided advice on tax matters to Alstom in relation to various projects and investments in Morocco.

In other work, the firm was advising a client in relation to the Casablanca Financial City project and a Portuguese company on the corporate aspects of a takeover bid of a Moroccan company.

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