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

	Ghellal & Mekerba Gide Loyrette Nouel (legal consultancy)
	Cabinet d'Avocats Samir Hamouda CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Hamza Law Office
	Aidoud Law Firm Cabinet Hadj-Hamou et Djouadi Law Office of Yamina Kebir
	Bouchaib Law Firm Cabinet Sator

Gide is the current market leader in Algeria. The name at the firm is Samy Laghouati, who has vast experience in the Algerian market.... [more]

Gide is the current market leader in Algeria. The name at the firm is Samy Laghouati, who has vast experience in the Algerian market. In 2011 the team also added a new senior associate in Rym Loucif, who joined from the Paris office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

One client says of the firm: "They were very helpful, particularly given their knowledge of the market and their relationships with public entities. We were negotiating with state owned companies and it is critical to know which decisions are taken internally and what decisions to expect, and they did."

The firm's responsiveness is lightly questioned by another client, who qualifies the criticism saying that "when the situation is urgent they are very responsive [...] and someone in the team was always reachable".

In recent transactions, the firm advised Axa in setting up two insurance companies in partnership with the National Investment Fund (the Algerian sovereign fund) and the state owned bank BEA (Banque d'Exterieur d'Algerie). It is the first time a sovereign fund has set up a joint-venture with a foreign investor.

In July 2011 the firm was busy advising AABAR (the UAE sovereign fund) on three joint-ventures in the automotive sector with a German consortium and the Algerian Ministry of Defence.

Gide also advised Saint Gobain in its acquisition of a 100% stake in two state owned glass manufactures: Alver and a branch of Sovest. The deal was notable as the government was forced to concede to the 100% sale despite the new foreign investment rules limiting ownership to 49%. The reason was that the privatisation documents had been agreed upon in 2007, prior to the rule change, and the government was obliged to accept the original terms of the contract.

Another deal saw the firm act for Aéroports de Paris Management on negotiating, drafting and a renewing a public-private partnership agreement (PPP) for managing Algiers airport.

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	Gide Loyrette Nouel Kettani Law Firm Naciri & Associés
	Bennani & Associés CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Garrigues Maroc Sarl Lefèvre Pelletier & Associés UGGC & Associés
	August & Debouzy Benzakour Law Firm Hajji & Associés
	Clifford Chance JeantetAssociés Norton Rose

Gide Loyrette has had an office in Casablanca since 2005 in partnership with local firm Naciri & Associés and in 2011 it suffered a big blow when Naciri & Associés announced it would leave to form a partnership with the incoming Allen & Overy. The move has depleted Gide's number on the ground.... [more]

Gide Loyrette has had an office in Casablanca since 2005 in partnership with local firm Naciri & Associés and in 2011 it suffered a big blow when Naciri & Associés announced it would leave to form a partnership with the incoming Allen & Overy. The move has depleted Gide's number on the ground.

The announcements were made in July 2011 and commentators could only speculate as to the effects.

The firm has had a dominant position in the Moroccan market for a number of years as well as in the neighbouring Algerian and Tunisian markets. In September 2010, the firm (with Hicham Naciri at the helm) advised the FinanceCom group of companies on the sale of its 40% stake in Médi Télécom, owned with Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG), to France Télécom for €640 million.

Also in September 2010, a team led by Moroccan partner Julien David and Tunisian partner Kamel Ban Salah acted for Ennakl Automobiles, the Tunisian Volkswagen distributor, on its cross listing on the Casablanca and Tunis stock exchanges. Of the IPO, 10% of the shares were listed in Casablanca and 40% in Tunis.

Naciri, Mariam Rouissi and Assia Atlassi advised Technopolis Rabatshore on the financing and construction of a €73 million offshore business park.

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	Adly Bellagha & Associates Cabinet Maître Donia Hedda Ellouze Ferchiou & Associés
	Abdelly & Associés Caid Essebsi & Partners (CE&P) Gide Loyrette Nouel Meziou Knani & Associés
	Jurismed Kallel & Associates Malouche Law Firm Mili & Associates
	Achour Law Firm
	Jaziri & Associates

Gide Loyrette has had a solid presence in the market for a number of years under leading lawyer Kamel Ben Salah. Other key names at the firm include Amina Larbi, Imed Tanazefti and Inés Zafour.... [more]

Gide Loyrette has had a solid presence in the market for a number of years under leading lawyer Kamel Ben Salah. Other key names at the firm include Amina Larbi, Imed Tanazefti and Inés Zafour. The firm acts as a legal consultancy.

In recent deals the firm advised Zitouna Telecom on its acquisition of Orascom Telecom's Holdings' share in Tunisie Telecom with acquisition financing of $230 million from the Arab Banking Corporation.

Other key clients of the firm include Gulf Finance House, which it was advising with Vision 3 on the 260 hectare Tunis Telecom City, Qatari Diar and Airbus Tunisia.

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