Mishcon de Reya adds Tanzania to international dispute reach

The firm has taken Karel Daele from Mkono & Co Advocates in Tanzania as it expands its East African presence.

Daele will be based in London, but adds his practice to the firm’s existing international arbitration team of 16 lawyers, who have acted on cases in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Egypt, Kenya and Zambia, as well as Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the US.

The team is part of the wider dispute resolution practice with lawyers bases in the UK and New York.

Daele has represented the Government of Tanzania and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company in a number of investment treaty arbitrations. He has worked in energy, construction and telecoms and also advised foreign investors coming to the African continent. He spent 10 years as a commercial litigator in Brussels.

Kas Nouroozi, head of litigation at Mishcon de Reya, said: “Karel’s appointment is an important step in developing our international expertise. His extensive experience of international arbitration will help us to expand our growing offering and his standing in the African legal community will be a clear asset to our international client base.”

Tanzania is one of a number of African countries being targeted by firms for its wealth of natural resources deals and opportunities in the energy sector (26 November 2012).

In October, Norton Rose expanded its Tanzanian footprint by opening its own office in the country (23 October 2012). Linklaters formed an exclusive alliance with South African firm Webber Wentzel, which is associated with the Africa Legal Network, which has members in multiple African nations including Tanzania. However, a spokesperson for Linklaters said that its relationship with Webber Wentzel does not give the firm access to the wider network.

Alliances have also given DLA Piper a presence there and Daele’s former firm Mkono & Co Advocates in Tanzania has an association with the SNR Denton Africa network.