The firm offers its clients quality services of international standards, combining knowledge of law and practicality of business.
Moroccan and Foreign Investments
Morocco remains one of the preferred destinations of foreign investors in Africa and is the best location for companies wanting to reach African markets which makes the Kingdom the natural gate for investors who believe in the African potential.
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra assists clients in establishing their businesses in Morocco (setting up appropriate legal structures: joint ventures, subsidiaries, holding companies, branches, representative offices, etc.). Dentons Sayarh & Menjra handles all the legal aspects of the transactions including negotiations, drafting of agreements, and any procedures and formalities involving the Moroccan authorities.
The Firm has also acquired extensive experience in the matter of exchange control regulations, negotiating investment and development agreements with the Moroccan State, including for tourism, real estate development, telecommunications and energy projects.
Mergers & Acquisitions - Corporate
The Firm has advised both Moroccan and international companies in relation to numerous public and private sector corporate acquisitions in a wide variety of areas including banking, finance, insurance, industry, agriculture and food, services and real estate.
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra’s lawyers have worked on most of the major Moroccan domestic and African M&A transactions over the past 10 years, whether in connection with market consolidation, financial investments or privatizations.
The corporate team also advises on mid-sized transactions, including M&A, divestitures and asset sales, as well as joint ventures.
Real Estate - Construction - Tourism and hostelry
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra assists companies throughout the various phases of their construction projects including issuing invitations to tender, setting up structures for construction works and preparing various services, management, construction, architect and lease agreements.
The Firm also assists clients on the sale and purchase of real estate assets, especially in the context of large-scale projects. The Firm has developed wide experience in tourism, including hotels building and entertainment.
Our real-estate litigation team comprises lawyers specifically specialised in handling all types of disputes relating to real-estate transactions before the civil or arbitral courts.
Financing
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra offers a wide range of services and experience in the field of financing transactions, principally acting for borrowers and issuers.
The Firm advises Moroccan and foreign banks and borrowers, in relation to credit transactions, finance restructuring, syndicated loans and in establishing security interests.
Our lawyers also regularly advise on financial restructuring involving recapitalisation, debt-to-equity swaps, as well as the issuance of complex debt instruments.
Competition and International Trade
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra advises companies on all aspects of the Moroccan competition law (merger control, cartels and abuse of dominant position, etc.). The Firm also advises on matters involving distribution law and the liberalization of regulated sectors.
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra assists clients on all WTO and international trade aspects related to the African continent. The Firm is involved in high-profile trade cases representing the interests of the Moroccan industry against unfair competition from abroad. The Firm also represents companies which are targeted by trade defence actions in third countries. In addition, our international trade team advises clients in the context of their export/import activities in Africa on all trade and customs aspects (customs duties, non-tariff barriers, etc.).
Employment law
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra’s employment practice covers all facets of employment law including non-contentious and contentious matters.
The Firm advises its clients in all areas of labor law and social protection, both on individual aspects (labor contracts) and collective (restructuring, layoffs, etc.) and has particularly extensive experience in M&A/strategic reorganisations and assists clients from conception of the project to its implementation.
As regards contentious matters, in proceedings involving employees collectively or individually, our lawyers regularly represent employers before the Moroccan courts and the Moroccan labor authorities.
Commercial law
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra regularly advises on the drafting and negotiation of all types of contracts, including sale/purchase contracts, distribution agreements, franchise agreements, commercial agency agreements, intermediary agreements, service agreements, subcontracting agreements, outsourcing agreements, third-party application maintenance agreements, etc.
We also assist our clients with drafting and negotiating IT agreements such as license and maintenance agreements.
The Firm also assists its clients with the practical performance of such contracts and with any pre-litigation or disputes which may arise.
Public and administrative law
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra advises mainly on public business law.
Our lawyers advise various economic on the law applicable to their activities having an environmental impact, regardless of whether or not they are part of a wider transaction calling for advice in other areas.
The Firm also advises its clients on all aspects of administrative law and represents them before administrative courts and Moroccan administrations.
Litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra has an extensive expertise in litigation, and particularly in civil litigation, commercial litigation as well as criminal business law litigation.
The Firm represents its clients before all Moroccan administrations and courts and assists them in connection with arbitral procedures and dispute resolution.
Energy - Mining, Oil and gas
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra advises several companies in the energy business, notably companies operating in the oil and gas sector: acquisition of oil and gas rights/interests, negotiating exploration and concession agreements, legal opinions relating to exploration licenses, environmental issues, incentive measures, etc.
OHADA Law - Africa
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra assists and accompanies its Moroccan and international clients in establishing their businesses in Africa and particularly in countries members of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).
Our lawyers have deep knowledge and proven expertise in the practice of OHADA Law and the Firm has also built strong relationships with local law firms throughout Africa (Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Togo).
Legal advocacy and government relations
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra benefits from a strong network among the regulators, government departments, investors and leading corporations across the Kingdom of Morocco. The Firm has also developed key relationships within the European institutions (EU Commission, EU Parliament), Member States and EU delegations.
The Firm is dedicated to ensuring that its clients’ positions are taken into account in any proposed measure/draft legislation that may affect directly or indirectly their business. To that end, we monitor issues and undertake lobbying actions to safeguard the interests of our clients.
Intellectual Property
Morocco is at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and America, while being an integral part of the Arab region, thus positioning itself as a major and essential player in economic exchanges, both for goods and services for the EMEA zone.
This perspective reinforces the need to protect the intangible assets of the various stakeholders in this global economy, for both local and foreign companies.
In this context, Dentons Sayarh & Menjra perfectly understands the resulting needs and offers to its clients personalised services in terms of intellectual property (i.e. trade marks, D&M, copyright, patents, domain names, protection of trade secrets, franchise, distribution, licensing, data protection, advertising, etc.) both at the level of strategy counselling, prosecution, valuation and exploitation, pre-litigation assistance, enforcement, litigation alternative dispute resolution and portfolio management of these rights.
To provide you with a seamless service, we work closely with our colleagues in our M&A, competition and regulatory departments.
Trust our Firm to enforce or defend your intellectual property rights, keeping you on track for meeting your business objectives. From protecting intellectual property rights to advising on data security issues, technology licensing and sourcing strategies, we offer practical and informed guidance.
Tax
Dentons Sayarh & Menjra’s expertise extends to all areas of taxation: the provision of tax advice; the tax aspects of corporate restructuring; assisting with tax audits; and obtaining tax approvals and discharges.
The Firm also assists its clients in their relationships with the tax authorities at every stage of a tax audit or dispute.
Investment banking
The Firm provides M&A, strategy and financing advice, as well as investment and wealth management solutions to institutions, corporations, family offices and high net worth individuals on the African continent.
We can rely on an unrivalled global network of trusted professionals and decision makers. We base our work on in-depth market intelligence, bringing us closer to current issues than any other operators in the market.
It is this combination of scale, local knowledge and intellectual capital that allows us to provide a distinct perspective and effective long-term solutions for our clients.