Corporate Law | Projects & Infrastructure Law

Dr Zineb Idrissia Hamzi is the Managing Partner of DS Hamzi Law Firm (DS‑HLF). Admitted to the Casablanca Bar in 1996 and accredited before the Moroccan Court of Cassation, she holds a Doctorate in Law from Aix‑Marseille III (France). For nearly three decades, she has advised corporates, investors and public entities on complex corporate, finance and infrastructure matters.

Recognised for cross‑border execution, Dr Hamzi advises on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and reorganisations across civil‑law and common‑law contexts, including European Union Law, OHADA Law and Moroccan Law. She has led transactions across five continents and is regularly trusted to close sophisticated, multi‑jurisdictional deals.

She also leads on the structuring and negotiation of market‑shaping infrastructure projects across energy (including renewables), aerospace, IT, mining and large‑scale industrial developments, supporting assets that are central to Morocco’s economy and the wider EMEA region.

DS HAMZI LAW FIRM

Founded in 1999, DS Hamzi Law Firm is one of the first independent Moroccan business law firms with a truly international outlook. For more than two decades, the firm has been a trusted partner to Moroccan and foreign investors, recognised for full‑service coverage of business law in both advisory and disputes.

Operating at human scale with senior‑led teams, DS‑HLF delivers practical, tailored solutions with clear execution. The firm combines sector insight with multi‑disciplinary capability to navigate complex, cross‑border matters with efficiency and rigour.

CORPORATE & BUSINESS LAW

DS‑HLF’s Corporate practice advises on the full corporate lifecycle and high‑stakes transactions, including:

• M&A and joint ventures — share and asset deals, minority and control transactions, strategic alliances.
• Corporate governance and compliance — boards and committees, shareholder arrangements, policies and investigations.
• Commercial contracts — distribution, supply, agency and complex services agreements; competition and restrictive practices.
• Restructuring and insolvency — solvent reorganisations, turnarounds and distressed solutions.
• Tax and customs — structuring of cross‑border investments, optimisation and contentious matters.

Our teams conduct legal and regulatory due diligence, design contractual and corporate architectures, and steer cross‑border closings to ensure transactions are secure, compliant and aligned with Moroccan and international standards.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS — CORPORATE

• Cross‑border carve‑out and JV (industrial) — Advised the sponsor on outsourcing an activity in Morocco and forming a joint venture with a European partner: corporate structuring, shareholders’ agreement, transitional services, IT carve‑out and long‑term supply agreements. *Amount confidential.*
• Acquisition of a Moroccan distributor (capital goods) — Counsel to the foreign buyer: multi‑site due diligence, transfer of assets, selective distribution contracts, competition and FX compliance. *Signed in 2024.*
• Regional reorganisation (retail & logistics) — Redesign of contractual and tax flows for an international brand operating via Moroccan hubs: logistics contracts, shared‑services, customs and VAT compliance, group governance. *Project running 2023–2025.*
• Technology master services agreement (TMT) — Negotiated a master services agreement and local schedules (SLAs, data processing, security) for a global provider with North African operators. *MENA footprint; Moroccan law & common law.*
• Management incentive & governance — Set up a management package for executives of a Moroccan subsidiary of a listed group: phantom shares, remuneration policy, committees and delegations. *Combined OHADA and Moroccan frameworks.*
• Exclusive distribution arrangements (FMCG) — Structured agency/distribution, performance provisions, termination and indemnity mechanics; compliance with restrictive practices. *Multi‑country portfolio.*
• Sensitive corporate dispute — Defended a Moroccan issuer in a high‑stakes shareholder conflict: interim relief, court‑appointed expert proceedings and negotiation of a settlement protocol. *Favourable outcome.*

PROJECTS & INFRASTRUCTURE LAW

The Projects & Infrastructure group acts for sponsors, lenders and public entities on complex, large‑scale and cross‑border projects. We advise throughout the project lifecycle on:

• Project finance and structured finance
• Public‑private partnerships (PPP) and concessions
• EPC/EPCM and O&M contracting
• Regulatory, permitting and compliance

We are active across energy (including renewables), natural resources, telecommunications and transport. Representative mandates involve national champions, development finance institutions and strategic investors in Africa and the MENA region.

Our work spans feasibility and structuring, bankability and risk allocation, negotiation and execution, and operational compliance — ensuring projects are legally robust and financially optimised.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS — PROJECTS & INFRASTRUCTURE

• ~200 MW wind farm (Morocco) — Sponsor counsel on PPP/concession framework, FIDIC EPC/O&M package, security package and intercreditor arrangements. *Commercial banks and DFIs; document close in 2024.*
• ~300 MW solar PV plant — Adviser to a Moroccan public entity on structuring and tendering EPC/EPCM, risk assessment and regulatory framework. *Kick‑off 2023.*
• National fibre backbone & data centres — Negotiation of rollout contracts, easements, hosting SLAs and cybersecurity framework; multi‑regulator coordination. *Nationwide coverage.*
• Industrial greenfield (aerospace, Had Soualem) — End‑to‑end support to a European Tier‑1: land/urban planning, incentives, subcontracting, HSE compliance and international mobility. *Phase 1 delivered; phase 2 ongoing.*
• Development bank infrastructure financing — Borrower counsel in a non‑sovereign loan: financial covenants, ESG undertakings, local security and legal opinions. *Closed 2023.*
• Mining & supply chain (phosphates) — Contract suite (offtake, transport, insurance) and export compliance; customs and FX optimisation. *Multi‑jurisdiction coordination.*
• Multi‑energy industrial complex — Long‑term agreements (private e‑PPAs, utilities, industrial water) and indexation/force majeure mechanics. *Commodity‑linked indexation.*

OTHER AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

• Banking & Finance
• Arbitration & Mediation
• Employment & International Mobility
• Tax & Compliance
• Intellectual Property & IT
• Competition Law
• Insurance & Transport
• Real Estate & Construction
• Environmental & Energy Law
• International & OHADA Law

RECOGNITION & RANKINGS

• Listed in the Chambers Global Guide as a leading business lawyer in Morocco.
• Named among the Top 10 Most Influential Business Lawyers in Morocco (2023) by Business Today.
• Public‑Private Partnerships Law Firm of the Year — Morocco (2025) by Lawyers Network.
• Recognised by Global Law Experts as the exclusive Project Finance Law expert in Morocco