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CMS expands in Africa

South African and Kenyan law firms added to CMS’s global presence

7 October 2019

Frankfurt, 7 October 2019. CMS announces that RM Partners and Daly & Inamdar Advocates, based in South Africa and Kenya respectively, have today joined the leading global law firm. Going forward, they will be known as CMS RM Partners and CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates.

The addition of these firms considerably strengthens CMS’s presence in Africa, already encompassing Angola, Algeria and Morocco. For over 50 years, CMS has developed a track record of significant deals in Africa, showcasing its deep knowledge of the legal systems across the continent. CMS now has 75 offices in 43 countries and more than 4,800 lawyers worldwide.

Duncan Weston, Executive Partner, CMS said, “Our clients see Africa as a major growth opportunity, and many are looking to expand into key markets on the continent. South Africa and Kenya are both sizable economies, but they’re also gateways into other sub-Saharan markets. RM Partners and Daly & Inamdar Advocates have outstanding reputations thanks to their local market knowledge and the overall quality of service they provide to clients.” 

With this expansion, CMS is unveiling a dedicated organisation that brings together our African firms and experts in a unique model and aligned practices to provide our clients with the best support in Africa. CMS Africa has a presence in the most dynamic regional hubs – Casablanca, Johannesburg and Nairobi – providing us with a strong footprint, sustained by offices in Algiers, Luanda and Mombasa. CMS Africa offers the ideal alternative for tax and legal services in Africa, a position that is being reinforced through the addition of the new firms.

CMS RM Partners

CMS RM Partners specialises in providing practical and innovative legal, tax and transaction advisory services. It is committed to developing young African talent and is accredited as a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Level 1 law firm. Founded by senior lawyers with exceptional track records from top international and local firms, the firm is based in Johannesburg and comprises more than 20 lawyers. Its clients include local private and public institutions, listed companies and numerous global enterprises.

Riza Moosa, Founder and Director at CMS RM Partners, said, “We are on a journey to transform and modernise the South African legal market, but we also recognise the importance of an African and international footprint. Joining CMS is the right step for our firm because they recognise the importance of growing an African business from Africa, and have a clear, regionally-focused growth plan for Africa which aligns with our own strategies.”

CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates

CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates is one of the top-ranking law firms in Kenya. It was formed via the merger of two of Kenya’s oldest law firms and comprises more than 35 lawyers working out of offices in Nairobi and Mombasa. The firm’s partners have handled numerous ground-breaking commercial transactions and contentious civil disputes.

Hamish Keith, Senior and Managing Partner at CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates, said, “Kenya is East and Central Africa’s epicentre of tech innovation and its economic expansion has been supported by a government that is committed to implementing business reforms. Our decision to join CMS follows a period of close collaboration on client work and a shared commitment to service. This will only deepen as Kenya becomes increasingly attractive as a destination for foreign investment.”

Pierre-Sébastien Thill, Chairman, CMS, said, “This is an exciting time in the development of CMS. Our clients have a global mindset, and when they come to CMS, they need to know that they can access quality advice and service delivery in every major jurisdiction. One of our primary objectives for the next four years is to further grow our geographical reach. This is a significant expansion in our journey to becoming a genuinely global law firm.”

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