
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr

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Firm profile for Global 2022

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FinTech 2022About
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Managing Partners: Brent Williams (South Africa) and Sammy Ndolo (Kenya)
Chairperson: Tim Fletcher
Number of partners: 140 (approximately)
Number of lawyers: 330 (approximately)
Languages: Afrikaans and English
FIRM OVERVIEW:
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) is one of the largest full-service business law firms in South Africa, with more than 350 lawyers and a track record spanning 169 years. The firm provides experienced legal support and an authentic knowledge-based legal service for clients looking to do business in key markets across Africa.
CDH’s Africa practice leverages resources and expertise of leading business law firms across the continent, tapping into a wealth of experience, particularly when it comes to acting for governments, state agencies and multinational organisations. Our Nairobi office, Kieti Law LLP, is a leading Kenyan law firm that provides personalised legal services of the highest quality in key specialist areas of practice.
The strategic network ensures an extensive African capability. The firm also partners with other professional disciplines such as audit firms, business consulting houses and corporate financial institutions to provide a seamless and integrated solution for multi-disciplinary projects. CDH focuses on a number of key sectors which are active and thriving in Africa, including M&A, competition, mining and minerals, telecommunications, construction, projects and energy, oil and gas, banking and finance, hospitality and leisure, and arbitration.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE
Capital Markets - Debt & Equity
12 partners, 15 fee-earners based in South Africa
Advised clients on a high proportion of the top cross-border capital markets connected to the firm’s geography
Instrumental in changing the landscape of South Africa’s Stock Exchange Market
Led work for the JSE and Luxembourg Stock Exchange, EPP N.V, on its equity raise implemented through an accelerated bookbuild process
Key Clients: 4AX, A2X Markets, Bank of China, Development Bank of Southern Africa Limited, Transnet, Echo Polska Properties N.V, BKB Limited, Pioneer Foods Limited, Quantum Foods Limited
Debt Capital Markets and Equity Capital Markets Contact:
Peter Hesseling (Equity) Jacqueline King(Debt)
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
Competition
5 partners, 11 fee-earners based in South Africa
A consistently high share of local merger filings
An exceptional success rate in South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, COMESA and its member states
Advisers in a number of high-profile mergers and prohibited practice litigation
Key Clients: Coca-Cola, Walmart, Vodacom, Parmalat, Mediclinic, Sinopec Group, Remgro, Roche, and Computershare
Contact: Chris Charter
Tel: +27 11 562 1053
Email: [email protected]
Corporate & Commercial
40 partners, 115 fee-earners based in South Africa
Recognised by DealMakers as the M&A Legal DealMakers of the Decade 2010 – 2019 (Deal Flow), and winners of Deal Flow for 11 of the last 12 years
Advisers to the most impactful private equity funds in South Africa and to a number of South Africa’s top 20 largest listed companies by market capitalisation
Key Clients: Naspers, Richemont, Anglo American, FirstRand, Standard Bank, Vodacom, Sanlam, Old Mutual, Burger King, Sun International, Nedbank, ABSA Ethos, Actis, Metier and Capital works
Contact: Willem Jacobs
Tel: +27 11 562 1555
Email: [email protected]
Dispute Resolution
19 partners, 60 fee-earners based in South Africa
The principal focus is on commercial arbitration and high court litigation, with growth, as in the local market, into international arbitration and mediation
Trusted advisers to major corporations and financial institutions on some of their most demanding and highly sensitive disputes in the country
Key Clients: Nedbank, City of Cape Town, Sun International, Vodacom, Sasol, Astral Foods, Liquid Telecommunications, Industrial Development Corporation.
Contact: Tim Fletcher
Tel: +27 11 562 1061
Email: [email protected]
Employment
11 partners, 15 fee-earners based in South Africa
Offers equal strength in contentious and non-contentious employment law; workplace health and safety; immigration; and - unusually for law firms in South Africa - pensions
Key Clients: Uber, Coca Cola, British American Tobacco South Africa, City of Cape Town, Anglo Platinum, Old Mutual, Absa Bank, Cricket South Africa, Nedbank
Contact: Aadil Patel
Tel: +27 11 562 1107
Email: [email protected]
Finance & Banking
9 partners, 16 fee-earners based in South Africa
Exceptional client following, working with leading lenders, alternative capital providers and borrowers with substantial investments in South Africa
A strong mix of domestic and cross-border expertise, in-depth experience in guiding the leading lenders, sponsors and borrowers in their headline financings
Key Clients: Nedbank, FirstRand Bank, Standard Bank, Rand Merchant Bank, Vodacom Group, Investec Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa Limited
Contact: Deon Wilken
Tel: +27 11 562 1096
Email: [email protected]
Mining & Minerals
14 partners, 20 fee-earners based in South Africa
One of most extensive and enduring mining client followings in South Africa
Recent landmark black economic empowerment transactions, mining mergers and acquisitions, mining sector restructurings and funding transactions.
Key Clients: Northam Platinum, Anglo American, Sibanye Gold, De Beers, Lonmin, Platinum Group Metals, Africa Rainbow Minerals
Contact: Allan Reid and Fiona Leppan
Tel: +27 11 562 1222
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
Pro Bono & Human Rights
1 partner, 6 fee-earners based in South Africa
Committed to facilitating access to justice for the disadvantaged and vulnerable and providing legal services to NPOs
Key Clients: Anglo American, Sibanye Stillwater, De Beers, Harmony Gold, Trafigura, Platinum Group Metals, Africa Rainbow Minerals, South32, Samancor
Contact: Jacquie Cassette
Tel: +27 11 562 1036
Email: [email protected]
Projects & Energy
7 partner
The leading role on many of the most significant, high-profile energy and infrastructure projects, across the African continent.
Renowned for its work on large-scale power generation projects and specialised embedded generation projects.
Key Clients: Exxaro Energy (Pty) Ltd, Busamed (Pty) Ltd, Newcastle Energy (Pty) Ltd, Vutomi Energy (Pty) Ltd, Red Rocket (Pty) Ltd, Industrial Development Corporation, Lead EPC (Pty) Ltd, FATA EPC, Nedbank.
Contact: Andrew van Niekerk
Tel: +27 21 481 6491
Email: [email protected]
Real Estate
9 partners, 31 fee earners based in South Africa
Pioneered the development of residential property ownership on the basis of a long-term lease basis
At the forefront of Real Estate Investment Schemes (REITS) assisting clients in reaping tax benefits through the conversion of property companies into REITS
Handled some of the largest and most high-profile deals in the real estate sector in South Africa, involving a wide range of challenging real estate financings, demanding, highly technical structured finance and securitisation techniques
Leaders in the field of commercial and residential property Shariah financing
Key Clients: Standard Bank, Investec, Nedbank, Absa, HBZ Bank, Albaraka Bank, Balwin Properties, Firstrand, Mia Group, Equites Property Fund, Attacq, Transcend and SA Corporate Real Estate Limited, Texton Property Fund, Galencia Properties
Contact: Muhammad Gattoo
Tel: +27 11 562 1174
Email: [email protected]
Tax & Exchange Control
9 partners, 17 fee-earners based in South Africa
First choice tax counsel of market leaders across all of the most active sectors of the South African economy
Equal strength in both contentious and non-contentious representation at the highest levels
Key Clients: Confidential
Contact: Emil Brincker
Tel: +27 11 562 1063
Email: [email protected]
Technology, Media & Telecommunications:
3 partners, 6 fee-earners based in South Africa
Advisers to major South African corporates including ICT service providers and customers of ICT services
Choice counsel for major technology projects in highly regulated sectors, such as banking and insurance
Market-leading advisers to the financial services and telecoms sectors in South Africa
Advise major South African corporates and international clients on complex data protection issues.
Advise on corporate & commercial transactions in the ICT sector.
Key Clients: Old Mutual, Absa Bank, Capitec Bank, Vodacom, Wesbank
Contact: Preeta Bhagattjee
Email: [email protected]
OFFICES
JOHANNESBURG
Tel. +27 (0)11 562 1000
Fax. +27 (0)11 562 1111
Email. [email protected]
1 Protea Place, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2196
CAPE TOWN
Tel. +27 (0)21 481 6300
Fax. +27 (0)21 481 6388
Email. [email protected]
11 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, 8001
STELLENBOSCH
Tel. +27 (0)21 481 6400
Email. [email protected]
14 Louw Street, Stellenbosch Central, Stellenbosch, 7600
NAIROBI
Tel. +254 710 560114
Email. [email protected]
Merchant Square, 3rd floor, Block D, Riverside Drive, Kilimani, Nairobi

This firm is also ranked in:
FinTech 2022Contributions
Total 2 contributions
Articles, Highlights and Press Releases
Total 2 Articles, Highlights and Press Releases
Article
“To set-off or not to set-off?”Authors: Tim Fletcher and Zanele Ngakane, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Article
Ruling on unitised incentive scheme does not provide much clarityAuthors: Ben Strauss, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
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Ranked Offices
Head Office




Johannesburg Regional Office
1 Protea Place
Sandown
Sandton
Gauteng
South Africa
2196