By: African law & business

Ashurst has officially launched its inaugural African office in Casablanca, Morocco, marking a strategic expansion into the continent. The London-headquartered firm appointed former Clifford Chance finance partner Ouns Lemseffer to lead the new Morocco operation in September.

Lemseffer is joined by a three-lawyer team from Clifford Chance, comprising Meriem Komiha and Youssef Tork—both elevated to senior associate—and Yasmine Hitane. The multilingual Casablanca team will work alongside Ashurst’s Africa-focused lawyers in London, Paris, Madrid, and the Middle East. The office will focus on advising clients on energy, project development, financing, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity transactions across Francophone and sub-Saharan Africa.

The team previously worked together at Clifford Chance, where they advised on the pioneering financing for Morocco's Al Wahda 990 MW gas-fired power plant. In a statement, Lemseffer noted the office is a key part of Ashurst's Africa strategy, combining international standards with deep local market expertise.