Secretariat adds dispute resolution boutique Lsquare Consulting

Secretariat has strengthened its capabilities in dispute resolution through the purchase of Lsquare Consulting, a boutique consultancy with three offices in the EMEA region.

Established in 2022 by Khalid Lachheb and Taoufik Lachheb, Lsquare Consulting specialises in the management and resolution of disputes for large and complex projects in the built environment. The firm is headquartered in Paris, and has further offices in Casablanca (Morocco) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).

This morning, Secretariat and Lsquare Consulting confirmed in a joint release that the boutique will be merged into the global consultancy. “With this integration, Lsquare Consulting will cease to operate as a standalone entity. We are thrilled to welcome its clients and capabilities into our growing organization,” stated Secretariat.

US-headquartered Secretariat is one of the global leaders in disputes, litigation, and economic advisory in the context of disputes. The company, which has more than 600 staff and offices across five continents, works for law firms (over 90% of the top 100 global law firms are a client), corporations and financial institutions. The consulting firm has one of the largest benches of arbitration experts in the industry.

As part of the deal, Co-Founder Taoufik Lachheb will join Secretariat as a Managing Director, with the circa 10-strong Lsquare Consulting team also making the cross.

“After years of building Lsquare Consulting with care and conviction, I’m proud to take this next step – bringing our clients and passion for complex projects and high-stakes challenges into a firm I deeply respect. Secretariat represents the best of what I believe in: technical excellence, integrity, and a global outlook grounded in trust and collaboration.”

Fellow Co-Founder Khalid Lachheb has meanwhile decided to embark on a different adventure. “As the team joins Secretariat, our paths gently part. I have decided to take a different direction, one focused on helping corporate teams better structure their projects, prevent disputes, and manage claims with foresight and strategy.”