Pan-African law firm Bowmans has announced the opening of a new office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with effect from January 2017.

It will bring the number of Bowmans’ offices in East Africa to three and will be its seventh office on the African continent – the firm already has offices in Kenya and Uganda as well as in Madagascar and South Africa.

"The launch of our office in Tanzania is another step in the fulfilment of our African growth strategy and is critical to our success on the continent. This move will enable us to serve our clients in Tanzania and in East Africa more effectively. Having an expert local team will ensure that we meet the increasing demands of our clients and better support the needs of international investors," said Bowmans Chairman and Senior Partner Robert Legh.

The new office will focus on serving corporates, financial institutions and the public sector, both domestic and international, which are investing in or have operations in Tanzania – areas in which Bowmans is a leading African legal adviser.

The office has a founding team of three partners: leading local legal practitioners Wilbert Kapinga and Audax Kameja, and Chris Green, a South African partner who relocates from Johannesburg. The new office will be led by Wilbert Kapinga.

Kapinga and Kameja are both leading lawyers in Tanzania. According to Chambers and Partners, Kapinga is ranked Tier 1 in General Business Law and “is highly praised by market commentators for his breadth of experience and strength in the market”. Kameja “is valued for his expertise advising on dispute resolution proceedings, in respect of both commercial and intellectual property matters”.

Green is a South African corporate partner who specialises in mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets. His relocation will promote the seamless integration of the new office into the Bowmans fold and demonstrates commitment to its pan-African strategy.

"Dar es Salaam is increasingly attractive to foreign investors," said Kapinga. "Tanzania has a fast growing economy with a GDP forecast to grow at around 7% in 2016 and 2017. The calibre and experience of our local team, plus having Chris with us to further boost our capability, will allow us to better service some of the largest national and international corporates operating in this region."