Eversheds is set for an assault on Africa after entering talks to open five offices across the continent.

The firm's new African strategy could see it reopen in South Africa, after it split with its practice in the jurisdiction last year over client conflicts.

Its Johannesburg arm returned to trading under its old name of Routledge Modise, although at the time the two firms said they would continue to work together.

Eversheds has now confirmed it is in talks to set up bases in Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana and Kenya over coming months, as well as the proposed move back to South Africa.

It is also forming an organisation, the Eversheds African Law Institute (EALI), designed to allow participating law firms to access training and knowledge sharing programmes while promoting commercial opportunities. So far firms in 14 countries have signed up to the venture.

In addition to offering access to training, the body will send clients and contacts regular monthly updates on legislative changes impacting the African market. It will also launch a prize for students and host an annual client-facing summit.

The initiative will be led by projects partner Boris Martor, who heads up the firm's Africa group, with support from client services director Julie Stobart.

Martor said that participating firms and client have given positive feedback to the forum, adding that he hoped the venture would strengthen ties with Eversheds' relationship firms in the continent as well as provide a way to spread best practice and further local law development.

EALI's founding member firms are: Sierra Leone's Basma & Macaulay, Senegal's Cabinet 2S, fellow Senegal firm Cabinet Ba&Tian, Cote d'Ivoire firm Cabinet Brizoua-Bi Bile-Aka, Cabinet Djogbenou in Benin, Cabinet Yezid El yezid in Mauritiana, Mali's Sylla & Associ