The new African office will open in September and follows the firm's merger with South African firm Deneys Reitz, which went live on 1 June. 

The firm already has four offices in Africa, including Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and an associate office in Dar Es Salaam.

Earlier this week, Clifford Chance announced plans to open in the Moroccan city, and just last week A&O revealed is Casablanca launch. 

Norton Rose deputy managing partner Tim Marsden said in a statement: "The Casablanca proposal is not in reaction to recent market announcements, but has been some months in development. 

"This move is not accelerated but is a natural progression of our number one Africa business. We are in a unique position to develop Africa’s international business ties with the rest of the world.”

The move provides Norton Rose with more offices in Africa than any other international law firm. The practice now has 40 African jurisdictions. 

Norton Rose Group has long been established in North Africa particularly through the Paris office. The Casablanca office will further develop the growing Francophone practice developed by Norton Rose Group and leading Paris based corporate partner, Alain Malek, for over 10 years.

The practice is the only law firm ranked a tier 1 foreign firm in Morocco in the 2011 edition of Legal 500 for Europe, Middle East and Africa and is recognised as the ‘the leading international firm in the Moroccan market’. Additionally, it is tier 1 for General Business Law: Lawyers Based Abroad: Morocco in Chambers Global 2011.