Ranking tables
Global South Africa Dispute Resolution
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
Band 4
Adams & Adams
Allen & Overy (South Africa) LLP- Baker McKenzie
Fasken- Herbert Smith Freehills
- Knowles Husain Lindsay Inc
Senior Statespeople
- Des Williams Werksmans Attorneys
Stuart McCafferty Webber Wentzel
Tim Gordon-Grant Bowmans- Errol KnowlesKnowles Husain Lindsay Inc
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
- Corlett Manaka Werksmans Attorneys
Dario Milo Webber Wentzel- Darryl Bernstein Baker McKenzie
Sue Hayes ENSafrica- Colin Jeffrey StrimeFluxmans
- Mohamed HusainKnowles Husain Lindsay Inc
Band 4
Clive Rumsey Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr- George van Niekerk ENSafrica
James McKinnell Bowmans
Jane Andropoulos Bowmans- John Bell Norton Rose Fulbright
- Jones Antunes Werksmans Attorneys
Kirsty Simpson DLA Piper South Africa Services (Pty) Ltd
Lucinde Rhoodie Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr- Peter van Niekerk Eversheds Sutherland
Priyesh Daya Webber Wentzel
Rakhee Bhoora Fasken
Vlad Movshovich Webber Wentzel- Jonathan Ripley-EvansHerbert Smith Freehills
- Lungile MazwaiLedwaba Mazwai Attorneys
- Sharon WapnickTugendhaft Wapnick Banchetti
- Veronica VurgarellisLawtons Africa
Band 1
1 Webber WentzelDispute Resolution2023 | Band 1 |One of South Africa's legal powerhouses, Webber Wentzel houses a broad disputes practice that excels in commercial matters as well as constitutional and public law litigation. The firm's examples of truly ground-breaking work include cases concerning transgender rights, government broadcasting and tax policy. The group handles commercial disputes across a range of industries, including construction, media, healthcare, financial services and shipping, with a number of sector-specific investment fund clients. Its cross-border work rounds off the firm's abilities, with considerable experience handling disputes touching on the African continent and further afield, including international arbitration.
1 Werksmans AttorneysDispute Resolution2023 | Band 1 |Werksmans is a market-leading law firm with an impressively broad practice which encompasses considerable commercial litigation expertise, with further experience in cases concerning IP, tax and business rescues. The team acts for both public and private sector entities from sectors as diverse as banking, energy, mining, heavy industry and telecommunications, with public clients including provincial government bodies and regulators. It is a founding member of the legal alliance Lex Africa, which provides the firm's clients with an extensive network of allied law offices across the continent.
Band 2
2 BowmansDispute Resolution2023 | Band 2 |Bowmans houses a well-regarded team and a rounded contentious practice. The firm has long-standing experience in a broad spectrum of commercial disputes, with the team showing notable expertise in medical negligence claims, public procurement disputes, issues relating to the South African Revenue Service and construction disputes. In addition to its litigious prestige, the group maintains excellent standing for its ADR practice, with notable experience in arbitrations across Africa. Its offices throughout the country and beyond give it excellent reach and high visibility in such cross-border disputes, which include matters in the natural resources sector.
2 Cliffe Dekker HofmeyrDispute Resolution2023 | Band 2 |Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is a prominent player in significant disputes in South Africa, acting for local and global clients. In addition to commercial litigation, the firm also advises on contentious corporate investigations and white-collar criminal matters. The group's clients are drawn from sectors as diverse as energy and natural resources, telecommunications, retail, gaming and financial services, with highly regulated industries a particular area of expertise. The team possesses expertise in alternative dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation.
2 ENSafricaDispute Resolution2023 | Band 2 |ENSafrica is experienced working with international clients and law firms, with strengths across Africa and notable successes in the mining, transportation and financial services sectors. The team is as comfortable dealing with regulatory cases as with commercial disputes. It continues to bolster its bench with litigators adept in a range of practice areas, featuring lawyers with considerable expertise in construction, insurance and banking disputes. Other cases of note for the firm concern administrative law and shareholder disputes, and its impressive client following also includes healthcare service providers, educational bodies and corporate executives.
Band 3
3 Clyde & CoDispute Resolution2023 | Band 3 |Dispute resolution is a core competency for this high-profile international law firm. Clyde & Co is celebrated for its experience in the insurance sector, where it has a global profile and is regularly involved in multi-jurisdictional mandates on behalf of some of the biggest names in the industry. Its litigation skills are complemented by significant experience in arbitration. The construction, aviation, shipping and mining sectors are other frequent sources of work for the team in South Africa, where it also offers litigious capabilities concerning constitutional issues and professional indemnity cases in the financial sector.
3 Norton Rose FulbrightDispute Resolution2023 | Band 3 |Norton Rose Fulbright is a multinational law firm with a global profile which attracts a range of well-known international clients, notably in the financial services and energy sectors. From retail outlets and power companies to banks and mining firms, the firm's clients include major names in the country and its neighbours in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to general commercial disputes, the group is well versed in advising on regulatory compliance and medical malpractice disputes, as well as dispute avoidance and class actions. The department additionally has considerable experience advising on high-profile sexual harassment cases.
Band 4
4 Adams & AdamsDispute Resolution2023 | Band 4 |Adams & Adams is a notable South African law firm with a growing presence in the disputes market. The group is particularly active representing domestic firms including significant names in the banking and telecoms industries, with a developed practice acting for government agencies, municipalities and other public sector clients. The team possesses expertise in both single-plaintiff and class action disputes, as well as judicial review proceedings, handling constitutional matters, tax and construction disputes, as well as all manner of contractual cases. The firm maintains offices in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, with associate offices across the African continent.4 Allen & Overy (South Africa) LLPDispute Resolution2023 | Band 4 |Allen & Overy is a high-profile multinational law firm with a well-established presence in South Africa. It has a particularly developed client following among the jurisdiction's banking and financial institutions, with a swathe of domestic and international clients derived from the private equity, construction and mining sectors, among others. The group is well positioned to assist with disputes stemming from insolvency and business rescue proceedings, as well as instances of corporate fraud and professional negligence, with further experience in corporate and commercial mandates. The firm has deep expertise across its network of offices, in addition to its capabilities in South Africa.4 Baker McKenzieDispute Resolution2023 | Band 4 |Baker McKenzie is an international law firm with a solid presence in South Africa. The team is familiar handling a diverse range of disputes, from environmental authorisations to shareholder issues and matters related to tender processes. The firm is additionally notable for its involvement in disputes resulting from or related to insolvent entities and companies under business rescue, and is sought out for its skills in sectors such as aviation, mining, engineering, construction and financial services. Mining and power have been particularly fruitful sources of work, where the firm has been able to show its domestic and international strengths.4 FaskenDispute Resolution2023 | Band 4 |Fasken houses an established disputes practice in South Africa with considerable experience across a range of contentious matters. The team is recognised for its experience in product and professional liability litigation, significant arbitration mandates and alternative dispute resolution, with notable expertise across the pharmaceutical, construction and media sectors. It continues to expand its litigation remit with work on contentious IT mandates and matters of public infrastructure. It is active on mining and energy-related disputes domestically and abroad.