The Legal 500

Tim Scales’ multinational team at Allen & Overy LLP has been particularly busy in North Africa, especially since opening its Casablanca office, and often advises international clients on regulations governing investment in Algeria.

Clifford Chance is a key player, acting for international businesses considering investments in Algeria and advising clients such as Pfizer on Algerian foreign investment legislation.

Herbert Smith LLP’s Algeria-qualified energy and infrastructure partner Medhi Haroun is based in Paris and is well connected in Algeria. He advised Petrofac Engineering & Construction on a $1.2bn engineering, construction and procurement contract for a new gas facility, and Maersk Oil on its upstream activities.

Shearman & Sterling LLP’s Paris-based head of international arbitration Emmanuel Gaillard was joined by projects expert Christophe Asselineau, formerly of Simmons & Simmons LLP. The firm has a busy practice representing Algerian state-owned entities, and acts for Sonatrach in energy and investment disputes, recently including an $11bn arbitration. The firm also acts for the Algerian government on acquisitions. Philipe Pinsolle in Paris and Nicholas Buckworth in London are also recommended.

Simmons & Simmons LLP may have lost Christophe Asselineau to Shearman & Sterling LLP, but Yves Barratte advises clients on large infrastructure projects, particularly in the power and water sectors. Highlights included advising Singapore’s Hyflux and Malaysia’s Malakoff Berhad on desalination projects.

Under the guidance of Christophe von Krause, White & Case LLP’s international arbitration, energy, infrastructure, project and asset finance teams are an active presence in Algeria’s natural resources, power, telecoms and chemicals sectors. Paris-based Paule Biensan advised Sofert Algeria on a €1bn joint venture between Orascom Construction and Sonatrach.

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP is representing the Algerian government in a pending multibillion-dollar ICSID arbitration, and Sonatrach in operational matters as well as in its largest arbitration to date. Galileo Pozzoli and David Hesse are highly experienced.

Boris Martor’s team at Eversheds LLP provides ‘very high levels of service with efficient and sound advice’ to international businesses investing in Algeria, often in the oil and gas sector. Newly hired associate Imene Boukadoum, who arrived from White & Case LLP, holds dual French/Algerian nationality and has extensive Algerian projects experience.

Simon Ratledge leads Linklaters LLP’s North African desk, which is well connected in the Maghreb region. Clients include a large petro-chemicals company.

Michael Lequien leads Ashurst LLP’s energy, transport and infrastructure team in Paris, which is advising a member of ALMET consortium on a methanol plant joint venture with Sonatrach.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s prominence in African M&A deals saw it advise Wind Telecom on due diligence and the restructuring of its holding in Algerian subsid-iaries of Orascom Telecom as part of Wind Telecom’s merger with VimpelCom. Jean-Pierre Vignaud and Barthélemy Faye are recommended.

SNR Denton is formally affiliated with local firm Hadj-Hamou/Djouadi.

Kamal Shah recently led Stephenson Harwood’s Africa team on a large restructuring in the energy sector.