A member of the DLA Piper Africa group, GENI & KEBE is a full-service law firm that frequently handles cross-border transactional matters, with sector-specific expertise in energy and mining. Experienced arbitrator Mouhamed KEBE advises on a wide-range of commercial issues, particularly in the mining sector. Mohamed Abdallah Dieng leads the litigation team, and Mame Ngone Sow is an aviation specialist as well as head of the banking and finance team. The group also includes Boubacar Diakite who specialises in corporate, M&A and tax, and Yankhoba Ndiaye who focuses on litigation and employment. Soraya Imani who advises on corporate, construction and hospitality projects, and commercial disputes-focused Aissatou NDONG are also key contacts.
Leading firms in Senegal
GENI & KEBE
Practice head(s):
Mouhamed Kebe; Mohamed Abdallah Dieng; Boubacar Diakite; Mame Ngone Sow; Yankhoba Ndiaye
Other key lawyers:
Soraya Imani; Aissatou Ndong; Ismaël Itoua
Key clients
Malicounda
Convergis
GIM UEMOA
Lewek Chancellor Shipping PTE Ltd
Citibank
Fonds Oyass Capital Procap
Carlyle – Air Senegal
China Development Bank
Casa Orascom
FERA
Mitrelli group
Syngenta Foundation
SANIA Cie
BBC
Cummins Afrique de L’ouest
Government of Burkina Faso
Makabingui Gold Operation
Work highlights
- Advised Malicounda on the negotiation of its PPA with SENELEC (120 MW Dual Fuel Project – Senegal).
- Advised Convergis in demand of the claim against the company in charge of the asset of Regional Express Train.
SCP HOUDA & ASSOCIES
Praised by clients as being ‘ideal advisors for greenfield projects’, SCP HOUDA & ASSOCIES
advises on a wide-range of matters both domestically and in the OHADA region, and has sector-specific knowledge in areas including mining, construction, agriculture and real estate. Managing partner Khaled Abou El Houda is a seasoned business law practitioner and arbitrator who advises on matters relating to banking and finance, oil and gas, mining, infrastructure and energy in particular. The group also includes litigation specialist El Hadji Daouda Seck who has extensive experience assisting clients in matters pertaining to financial fraud, the repair of economic and financial damage and the responsibility of managers therein, and Malick Lo who advises on business law, M&A assignments and project finance. Tax law specialist Khadijietou Kane, who also assists on matters in corporate law, is also a key practitioner.
Practice head(s):
Khaled Abou El Houda; Malick Lo; El Hadji Daouda Seck
Other key lawyers:
Khadijietou Kane; Chadi Safieddine; Rym Saleh; Laurence Bockel
Testimonials
‘Diversified and complete, the team covers all scope of legal process, making it easier to deal with a full project. Proactivity and constant interaction allows the finetuned team to save time. Ideal advisors for greenfield projects.’
‘All of the carefully chosen employees function as a team – they are open and transparent, quick and responsive.’
Habibatou Touré
Habibatou Touré assists on a wide-range of matters relating to business law, especially in the energy, renewables and natural resources sectors. The team has additional expertise in public-private partnerships and public procurement matters. Practice lead Habibatou Touré ‘exhibits very strong leadership and professionalism’ and advises across the range of matters with support from ‘excellent' counsel in the team. Touré's areas of expertise include financing projects, international investment disputes and international public cases, particularly in the sectors of construction, infrastructure and energy.
Practice head(s):
Habibatou Touré
Other key lawyers:
Virginie Turpin
Testimonials
‘Good capacity understanding our problems.’
‘Habibatou Touré exhibits very strong leadership and professionalism.’
‘Habibatou Touré provides excellent local counsel. She has great technical skills – good oil and gas, mining and PPP industry knowledge – particularly strong in financings.’
‘Habibatou Touré has been practicing in Senegal, France and the USA, is fluent in English and knows the Senegalese environment very well.’
‘Habibatou Touré is familiar with vendor finance and M&A processes and she guided us through the difficult local administrative process therein. We were relieved to have found her firm.’
‘Habibatou Touré and Virginie Turpin are quick to respond and proactive. They were always present when we needed them, and their advice as well as their presence was a security for us.’
‘They master the local environment and were a key link between Senegal, our European company, and our financial partners.’
Key clients
Nexcentury
Clifford Chance
Standard Chartered Bank
DFC
John W Ffooks & Co
John W Ffooks & Co assists on general business law matters and has noteworthy cross-border capabilities. The firm advises across a variety of industry sectors including employment, aviation, banking and finance, natural resources and renewables. Newly appointed practice head Adrien Rangira leads the firm’s OHADA group and specialises in telecoms, banking and all aspects of commercial and business law. The group also includes Vanja Ramanandraitsiory who leads the natural resources and banking teams, and Papa Mor Dieng who focuses on general corporate law, tax, public procurement, banking and finance, and regulatory work.
Practice head(s):
Adrien Rangira
Other key lawyers:
Vanja Ramanandraitsiory; Papa Mor Dieng