Eversheds Launches African Law Institute and Boosts Development of African Operations

LONDON, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Eversheds announces a new Pan-African strategy which will focus on creating five key hub offices and setting up the Eversheds African Law Institute (EALI), an organisation designed to share best practices and promote the highest standards of legal service across Africa

As part of the firm's Pan-African strategy, the firm has confirmed that it is in discussions to establish offices in the key markets of Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya over the coming months.

At the same time, it announced plans for growth of its international operations in Africa, with the launch of the Eversheds African Law Institute (EALI), creating a unique entity in the region which will allow member law firms in Africa to access training and knowledge sharing programmes while fostering commercial opportunities on a regional and international basis. Firms in 14 countries (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Tunisia) have so far signed up as members of EALI. The Institute will enable clients and contacts to keep abreast of legal developments in Africa through regular monthly updates on legislative changes impacting business in Africa, webinars and training and will launch an African Prize for law students, as well as host an annual client-facing summit in the region.

The Eversheds African Law Institute will be headed by partner Boris Martor, head of the firm's Africa Group based in Paris, supported by Julie Stobart, the firm's client services director, with executive responsibilities in Eversheds for developing its African operations.

Bryan Hughes, chief executive of Eversheds, said:

"Having firmly established our operations in Europe, Middle East and Asia we are keen to deliver further growth by investing in and establishing the Eversheds brand in five key locations in Africa. We are committed to delivering the highest standard of quality of work in Africa and all other jurisdictions where we do business."

Boris Martor said:

"We are extremely pleased by the enthusiasm received from both EALI member firms and from our clients to this innovative new venture for Africa. This model, which is the result of longstanding thoughts on our common knowledge with our relationship firms in Africa for more than a decade, will provide means for the spread of best practices and further African laws developments. It is new thinking and training on African laws combined with strong commercial focus to accompany the growing demand from our clients within Africa.

"It is exciting to be at the heart of creating a new and dynamic organisation that will allow us to strengthen collaboration with our relationship firms in Africa, to set new standards of service across the continent and to bring the skills and drive of African firms to a wider international market. I am sure there will be many things that we can learn from each other through this unique forum."

The founding member organisations are AG Advogados, Basma & Macaulay, Cabinet 2S, Cabinet Ba&Tian, Cabinet Brizoua-Bi Bile-Aka, Cabinet Djogbenou, Cabinet Sylla & Associes, Cabinet Yezid El yezid, CWA Morocco, CWA Tunisia, El Hussein Ahmed Salih Law Firm, EVC Advogados, JLD&MB, Perchstone & Graeys and SCP Ngassam Njike & Associes.

Notes to editors

About Eversheds LLP

Eversheds LLP and its world wide offices have over 4,500 people who provide services to the private and public sector business and finance community. Access to all these services is provided through 44 international offices in 26 jurisdictions. Eversheds combines local market knowledge and access with the specialisms, resources and international capability of one of the world's largest law firms.

http://www.eversheds.com

SOURCE Eversheds LLP