The right expertise and mindset in a vital hub: French-Mauritian firm LEGALYS joins Alliott Global Alliance

Today’s admission to the Alliott Global Alliance of LEGALYS, a leading Francophone law firm in the Indian Ocean region, followed an extended search for a law firm with the right mindset, alongside the right expertise and experience, says Giles Brake.

“We are delighted to have reached agreement with LEGALYS, enhancing AGA’s presence in this vital jurisdiction that connects Africa and Asia as a regional trade and investment hub,” says Brake, the CEO of Alliott Global Alliance (AGA), as LEGALYS was introduced as the official AGA law firm representative in Mauritius.

LEGALYS was formed in 2023 through the merger of two well-established legal practices, Mahorese law firm YSyS and Franco‑Mauritian firm G&P Legal, and now has four partners and their respective teams operating across offices in Mauritius (Port Louis), Mayotte, and La Réunion. It has positioned itself as the French leader in the Indian Ocean in corporate litigation and legal and tax advice.

The addition of LEGALYS to the AGA stable strengthens the alliance’s presence in East Africa and reinforces the alliance’s commitment to providing a truly global alliance of offices delivering cross-border legal, tax, audit, advisory, and accounting services to internationally focused companies and private clients, says AGA.

LEGALYS maintains a broad practice encompassing both corporate and litigation services, with its Mauritius office benefiting from dual expertise in French and Mauritian law, which is particularly valuable given that Mauritian contract law is governed by the Mauritian Civil Code and is largely based on French legal principles.

““We are delighted to have been appointed as AGA’s legal representative on the island,” says Olivier Guerin-Garnier, a founding partner of LEGALYS who has been a member of the Paris Bar since 1999 and a foreign lawyer in Mauritius since 2016. “Our clients, including those locally, in the French territories, South Africa, and across several jurisdictions in Asia, have multi-jurisdictional service needs and will undoubtedly benefit from our expanded international reach. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues across AGA to build those important relationships that ultimately can lead to expanded and collaborative opportunities.”

LEGALYS maintains an active and engaged presence within the French business and wider communities in Mauritius, as a member of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mauritius, and through Guerin-Garnier’s role as President of the Association of French Citizens Abroad in Mauritius, the leading organization representing the French expatriate community in the jurisdiction.

Founded in 1979, AGA has 240 member firms operating out of 340 offices in over 100 countries. It also recently welcomed Ghanaian firm Oaks Legal, and ranks among the largest multidisciplinary alliances in Africa, operating in 18 countries: Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania (& Zanzibar), Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

“Each of our members share a common goal: to learn and share knowledge, resources, and opportunities to make the world smaller and their businesses stronger,” says the AGA, which is expanding fast, with further opportunities available for independent firms in specific nations in Africa and across other continents. “We work with a spirit of generosity and openness — so that together, we can continue to fulfil our ambitions, gain greater experience, and drive mutual success.”