Al Tamimi & Company, a top law firm in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), announced on April 1st, 2022, its new office in Casablanca, Morocco. The expansion will see the law firm grow its footprint in the MENA region to 17 offices across 10 countries.
Al Tamimi and Company’s move into Morocco builds on its strategic expansion plans for the African continent and follows a successful 2021 office opening in Port Said, Egypt.
Also as of April 1, Nesrine Roudane, Managing Partner of Roudane & Partners Law Firm, became a partner of Al Tamimi & Company and acts as Head of the Morocco office.
In an exclusive interview with Samer Qudah, Managing Partner at Al Tamimi & Company, we asked:
What was Tamimi’s vision when the office in Sharjah was established 33 years ago, and how has your long-term vision changed since then?
The firm has evolved from one office, in the UAE, to now 17 offices across 10 countries. Our vision has always been – and still is – to be the leading law firm in the region and our expansion strategy reflects our commitment to provide clients with access to quality legal support. The culture we have created here and the people that represent the firm are two consistent factors over the years, that ensure we operate to the highest international standards, collaborate with each other, and align to provide our clients with the highest quality service.
Can you tell us about the fabric of businesses you deal with in the MENA region, and how they manage to survive and thrive, including your own experiences with this?
Opening our new offices during the pandemic is down to the commitment of our people. Their dedication through the pandemic ensured that our clients continued to receive uninterrupted service, and without their support, we would not have opened new offices and expanded our footprint across the region. Like many organizations, we were challenged and had to adapt to a changing landscape over the last two years. We responded by implementing a new working model and using technology to collaborate with each other and continue servicing our clients.
Why are you now expanding into North Africa? In your opinion, is it the right time today for businesses to expand?
Africa is a significant part of our firm’s long-term expansion strategy; we have remained committed to growing our footprint in the continent by opening offices and developing our network. The new office in Morocco is our third in Africa and follows successful openings in Cairo and Port Said, Egypt. We identified Morocco as a destination due to its position as a gateway for investment into Africa, and it acts as a strategic base for law firms and international businesses that are looking to operate in the continent. These factors combined with a well-developed market, and the opportunity to support clients across a variety of African territories made Morocco an attractive location for us.
Why is Nesrine Roudane the choice to head your new Morocco office? What does she bring that others don’t?
As Partner and Head of our Morocco office, Nesrine has the ideal mix of experience and expertise. She was the best candidate with the most relevant know-how to lead us in Morocco. Nesrine has been a lawyer with the Casablanca Bar since 2002 and was Managing Partner of Roudane & Partners Law Firm since 2008. She is also a trained mediator and commercial arbitrator. Nesrine also brings to Al Tamimi & Company an unrivaled understanding of the Moroccan market. This insight is vital to us progressing not only in Morocco but across the African continent.
Which countries are making concerted efforts to streamline their rules, laws and regulations and elevate them to international standards?
As a regional law firm with a growing footprint across the Middle East and North Africa, we see a resilient, open, and forward-thinking market. An example of this is our growing presence, with 17 offices across 10 countries. As a region, the MENA comprises countries that boast exciting market conditions, vibrant economies, and favorable commercial opportunities. We see local and international businesses taking advantage of the ease with which a business can set up, operate, and flourish, and this is particularly true from the UAE to KSA, Qatar, Egypt, and across our coverage. With its location, infrastructure, and alignment to global standards regarding regulation, the region has become a necessity for organizations that want to expand their footprint.
Please tell us more about Tamimi. Are you more about providing legal advice than representing clients in courts? What makes Tamimi a top Law firm in the region and countries where it operates?
As a full-service firm, we specialize in advising and supporting major international corporations, banks and financial institutions, government organizations, and local, regional, and international companies.
What makes us a top law firm is the deep knowledge of the regional commercial and regulatory environment that, in our opinion, no other firm in the region can match. Our lawyers are qualified to practice local law in all jurisdictions we operate in, and we have local litigation capabilities and rights of audience before the courts in all 10 jurisdictions.
Fundamentally, our lawyers and teams set us apart. They provide quality legal advice and support clients across all our practice areas.
