Department profile
Bowmans

Competition/Antitrust

Global Guide 2026 : South Africa


Bowmans

Rankings

About

Provided by Bowmans

Bowmans provides commercially minded competition law advice in the African context based on an intricate understanding of the law and with respect for local and regional dynamics and cultures.

Our competition law experts pool their diverse expertise and leverage their collective institutional knowledge to deliver innovative, pragmatic and business-centric solutions. The team provides constructive, strategic and results-oriented advice.

We have advised on complex and ground-breaking matters in numerous African competition regimes, including regional competition regimes such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), the East African Community (EAC) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).

We have significant depth of experience in a broad range of sectors. Our clients include local and international businesses operating in Africa as well as multi-national operations investing in Africa. We have also advised several African regulators and government departments.

We provide a full range of competition and anti-trust law services in relation to: merger control, cartels and markets, abuse of dominance and other restrictive practices, and trade issues such as the implications of commercial and exclusivity agreements, joint ventures and strategic alliances. We also provide competition law compliance training and conduct competition law audits.

Clients (10)

  • Du Pont
  • Anglo Gold Ahanti
  • AT&T Time Warner
  • AB InvBev
  • British Airways
  • GE
  • Afrox
  • Nestle
  • Pfizer
  • Sasol

Industries (16)

  • Aerospace & Defence
  • Banking
  • Charities/ Not for Profit
  • Consumer Product Manufacturing
  • Financial Services
  • Food & Drink Producers
  • Forestry & Paper
  • Government
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences
  • Private clients/individuals
  • Transportation
  • Travel and Leisure
  • Digital markets
  • Technology, media and telecommunications
  • Energy

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Competition/Antitrust - South Africa

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

Bowmans is a market-leading law firm with competition specialists based in Cape Town and Johannesburg. It is sought out for its deep subject matter expertise and its involvement in some of the largest matters in the domestic market, and works with the firm's offices in Kenya and Nigeria to advise on matters across the African continent. The practice advises blue-chip domestic and multinational clients on the competition aspects of high-value M&A transactions. The group houses a respected contentious practice with notable experience representing clients in Competition Commission market investigations, as well as investigations into alleged cartel conduct, price fixing and abuse of dominance.

Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Bowmans advised Groupe Canal+ on the competition law aspects of its acquisition of MultiChoice valued at USD3 billion.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The Bowmans team actively looks to solve problems.

    Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • The Bowmans team comes across as very well informed and authoritative on matters and is always available within a reasonable notice period.

    Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • The team is very pragmatic and is able to advise on complex transactions, taking into account interdependencies from other projects and areas of law.

    Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • Bowmans' biggest strength is the team's strategic thinking and ability to keep an open-minded engagement with clients.

    Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • From an academic knowledge perspective, the lawyers are top notch, but also the advice is very practical. I can go to anyone in the team and they look for a practical approach.

    Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Derek Lötter
    Band 1Derek Lötter

    Derek Lötter

    Practice co-head Derek Lötter has a wealth of experience in the space and is routinely instructed to advise on SACC and COMESA investigations into allegations of anti-competitive behaviour, particularly in the technology sector. He is based in the firm's Johannesburg office.

    • I regard Derek Lötter as the best competition lawyer in South Africa.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • Derek Lötter is one of our go-to people for competition law.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • Band 2Heather Irvine
    Band 2Heather Irvine

    Heather Irvine

    Heather Irvine is a highly respected lawyer who frequently advises on high-profile behavioural investigations, as well as assisting clients with merger control filings. Based in Johannesburg, she is particularly noted for her representation of financial services organisations and TMT companies.

    • Heather Irvine is a seasoned competition lawyer with good political acumen, excellent stress management skills and a very pleasant personality.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • Band 3Claire Reidy
    Band 3Claire Reidy

    Claire Reidy

    Johannesburg-based partner Claire Reidy has wide-ranging experience of prohibited practices in South Africa. She regularly represents her clients before the Competition Tribunal in complaints of anti-competitive behaviour in the technology sector.

    • Claire Reidy is really excellent and diligent on competition matters.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • Claire Reidy has detailed knowledge of submissions and legal intricacies.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • Claire Reidy is very bright and knows the arguments.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • Claire Reidy's strength is academic excellence and applying that knowledge in a practical manner. I find her very accessible and down to earth.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • Band 3Rudolph Labuschagne
    Band 3Rudolph Labuschagne

    Rudolph Labuschagne

    Rudolph Labuschagne is noted for his representation of clients in Competition Commission investigations relating to issues such as collusive conduct. Based in Cape Town, he often acts on behalf of international clients from the finance sector.

  • Band 3Tamara Dini
    Band 3Tamara Dini

    Tamara Dini

    Co-head of the practice group, Tamara Dini is sought out for her counsel on the merger control aspects of high-value international transactions before both the South African authority and COMESA. She additionally represents clients in investigations into allegations of anti-competitive behaviour.

    • Tamara Dini gives really pragmatic and commercial advice.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • Tamara Dini is a very strong lawyer, she has a good sense for business needs and is very agile. She has great knowledge of, and offers practical guidance to, processes in South Africa.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • She is very pragmatic, business friendly, experienced and always comes up with inventive solutions.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
    • She is really approachable and clearly an expert in her field. She takes the time to explain things that might be a bit more complex.

      Competition/Antitrust respondentGlobal
  • Band 5Judd Lurie
    Band 5Judd Lurie

    Judd Lurie

    Johannesburg-based Judd Lurie has recent experience in assisting clients with the notification of multi-jurisdictional acquisitions to competition authorities in South Africa.

  • Band 5Xolani Nyali
    Band 5Xolani Nyali

    Xolani Nyali

    Xolani Nyali is involved in high-profile behavioural investigations in the technology sector. He also has a strong focus on the competition aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

Ranked Individuals at Bowmans (7)

South Africa

Members

Provided by Bowmans

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