Bowman Gilfillan, DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr And Webber Wentzel Among Contenders For African Law Firm Of The Year

Bowman Gilfillan, DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr and Webber Wentzel are among the leading South African firms to be shortlisted for the second annual African Legal Awards. Other African firms competing for the accolade of African Law Firm of the Year are Aluko & Oyebode (Nigeria) and Kenya-based firms Anjarwalla & Khanna and Hamilton Harrison & Mathews, with the winner to be announced at a glittering awards ceremony taking place at The Wanderers Club in Johannesburg on Friday 31 October.

Jointly hosted by leading UK publisher Legal Week and the Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA), the awards will bring together the African legal and business community to celebrate excellence and innovation across Africa's legal profession.

The awards are open to law firms and in-house legal teams operating throughout the continent, with winners chosen by a panel of independent judges comprised of leading in-house counsel.

Firms shortlisted for International Law Firm of the Year are Allen & Overy, Baker & McKenzie, Eversheds, Norton Rose Fulbright and White & Case.

The in-house attorney awards see Bruce Campbell (GE Africa), Kevin Lester (Anglo American), Kurt Drieselmann (Aspen Pharmacare), Luche Joubert (British American Tobacco), Madeleine Truter (Growthpoint Properties) and Mark Stafford (Life Healthcare Group) vying for the General Counsel of the Year award while Anglo American, Aspen Pharmacare, First National Bank, GE Africa, MultiChoice Africa and Siemens are all in contention for the Legal Department of the Year - large team award.

There are also a series of sector-based awards to celebrate the achievements of law firm teams working across the continent with the evening culminating with the CLASA Achievement Award recognising the outstanding contribution of an individual to the region's legal market.

Legal Week's publishing director John Malpas said: “Now in its second year, the quantity of entries was higher than last year and the judges will have a difficult task to select the winning entries.” He added: “We are delighted to be working closely with CLASA again and look forward to another successful event”.

The full awards shortlist has been published at www.africanlegalawards.com

The African Legal Awards 2014 Shortlist
Web: http://www.africanlegalawards.com/static/2014-shortlist

International Law Firm of the Year - Sponsored by Chadwick Nott

Allen & Overy
Baker & McKenzie
Eversheds
Norton Rose Fulbright
White & Case

African Law Firm of the Year
Aluko & Oyebode, Nigeria
Anjarwalla & Khanna, Kenya
Bowman Gilfillan, South Africa
DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, South Africa
Hamilton Harrison & Mathews, Kenya
Webber Wentzel, South Africa

General Counsel of the Year - Sponsored by Eversheds

Bruce Campbell, GE Africa
Kevin Lester, Anglo American
Kurt Drieselmann, Aspen Pharmacare
Luche Joubert, British American Tobacco
Madeleine Truter, Growthpoint Properties
Mark Stafford, Life Healthcare Group

Legal Department of the Year - large team
Anglo American
Aspen Pharmacare
First National Bank
GE Africa
MultiChoice Africa - regulatory affairs team
Siemens

Legal Department of the Year - small team - Sponsored by Whipping the Cat

AFGRI
Absa Corporate and Investment Banking - Africa and regulatory legal team

Eskom - construction team
Life Healthcare Group

Legal Counsel of the Year
Bridget van der Bijl, Anglo American
Gabriela Palacios-Flusk, Eskom Holdings
Grace Muthoni Mwenda, County Assembly of Laikipia, Kenya

Vickie Govender, Eskom Holdings
Winilie Madonsela, Eskom Holdings

Innovation Award - Sponsored by LexisNexis
AFGRI
Bowman Gilfillan
Ride-Africa Legal Aid Services Department Project
Whipping The Cat

CSR Award
AFGRI
Bowman Gilfillan
Clifford Chance
Gabinete Legal de Moçambique/PLMJ
Hogan Lovells
Miranda Correia Amendoeira/ Solege
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans

Diversity Initiative of the Year
Ride-Africa Legal Aid Services Department Project
Van Rensburg Attorneys
Werksmans

M&A Team of the Year – Sponsored by without prejudice

Allen & Overy
Aluko & Oyebode
Bowman Gilfillan
DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Fasken Martineau
Gabinete Legal Moçambique/PLMJ
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel

Banking, Finance and Restructuring Team of the Year

Allen & Overy
Aluko & Oyebode
Bowman Gilfillan
Herbert Smith Freehills
Linklaters
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans

Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year
Aluko & Oyebode
Baker & Mckenzie
Bowman Gilfillan
Webber Wentzel
White & Case

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year
Akin Gump
Allen & Overy
DLA Piper
Eversheds
Hogan Lovells
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel
White & Case

Energy and Natural Resources Team of the Year
Allen & Overy
Baker & McKenzie
Bracewell & Giuliani
DLA Piper
Herbert Smith Freehills
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel
Winston & Strawn

TMT Team of the Year
Allen & Overy
Bowman Gilfillan
ENSafrica
Mayer Brown
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans

Commercial Team of the Year
Bowman Gilfillan
Gabinete Legal Moçambique /PLMJ
Herbert Smith Freehills
Slaughter and May
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans

Property and Construction Team of the Year
Bowman Gilfillan
DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Hogan Lovells
White & Case

Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year
Eversheds
Herbert Smith Freehills
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel
-Ends-
For more information please contact:
Duncan Campbell
Marketing manager EMEA, Legal Week
Tel +44 (0)20 7004 7426
Email: [email protected]
Notes to editors
About The African Legal Awards
Hosted by Legal Week (organisers of The British Legal Awards) and the Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA), The African Legal Awards 2014 will celebrate legal excellence and are open to in-house legal teams and law firms operating throughout the continent. The full awards shortlist has been published at www.africanlegalawards.com

For table bookings contact call Anthony Epega on +44 20 7316 9092 or email [email protected], or book online at www.africanlegalawards.com

About Legal Week
Legal Week is essential reading for business lawyers, offering clear reporting and hard-hitting analysis of news and events affecting the legal profession in the UK and around the world. Legal Week Events manages high-profile events, creating unrivalled programmes and networking opportunities while legalweek.com provides an indispensable online resource with daily news bulletins and an archive of over 27,000 news stories.

www.legalweek.com
www.legalweekevents.com
About the Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA)

The Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA) was formed in 1982 to promote the common interests of corporate lawyers (in-house counsel) in South Africa.

CLASA is a non-profit association managed by a Board which is annually elected by CLASA's members. The Association is funded by members' subscriptions and by revenue generated by educational courses and other activities. CLASA currently has approximately 500 individual members mainly comprising of corporate lawyer representatives of more than 60 companies and other organizations.

It aims to improve and promote the proficiency and competency of its members and to encourage professional and ethical conduct. CLASA provides a forum for the exchange of views and mutual liaison on matters of common interest to corporate lawyers in South Africa, and liaises with representative national and international organizations in the interests of its members.

www.clasa.co.za