Big Five (law firms) in South Africa
The Big Five law firms is a term informally used in South Africa to refer to those law firms which, collectively, are perceived to be the leading law firms based in South Africa.
The following firms are usually seen as comprising the "Big Five" (listed alphabetically):[1][2][3]
Name | Date founded | Offices | Lawyers |
---|---|---|---|
Bowmans | 1885 | Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg | 400+ |
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr1 | 1853 | Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch | 350+ |
Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, trading as ENSafrica | 1905 | Alexandra (pro bono office), Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Mitchells Plain (pro bono office), Stellenbosch | 600+ (2016) |
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa2 | 1922 | Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg (3) (2017) | 188 (2017)[4] |
Webber Wentzel in alliance with Linklaters3 | 1868 [5] | Cape Town and Johannesburg (2) (2017)[6] | 393 (2017)[7] |
Note1: Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr was formerly allied with DLA Piper. Its affiliation with DLA Piper ended at the end of August 2015.[8]
Note2: On 1 June 2011, Deneys Reitz Inc joined UK based firm Norton Rose.[9]
Note3: Webber Wentzel is an associate of ALN.[10] On 1 February 2013, the firm entered into a collaborative alliance with global law firm Linklaters.[11]
Rankings
Chambers and Partners Global Rankings
Chambers and Partners Global Rankings of the number of lawyers recognised as leaders in their respective fields.
Rank | Name | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Webber Wentzel | 38[12] | 40[13] | 46[14] | ||||
2 | ENSafrica | 25 | 37[15] | 45[15] | Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr | 21 | 23[16] | 25[16] |
5 | Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa1 | 16 | 21[17] | 26[17] |
Who's Who Legal Global 100
Law firms included in the Global 100 aren't assigned a specific ranking.
Year | Firm3 |
---|---|
2013 | ENSafrica[18] |
2013, 2014[19] | Webber Wentzel[20] |
Note3: firms listed alphabetically
Who's Who Legal South African Law firm of the year
Year | Firm |
---|---|
2015 | Webber Wentzel[20][21][20] |
2013 | Webber Wentzel |
2012 | Webber Wentzel[22] |
2011 | Webber Wentzel[22] |
Mergermarket M&A Awards: Legal Advisor of the Year - Sub-Saharan Africa
Other major law firms
Firms with more than 50 attorneys are generally viewed as midsize law firms.[23][24]
Name | Founded (South Africa) | No. of offices (South Africa) | No. of attorneys (South Africa) |
---|---|---|---|
Adams & Adams | 1908[25] | 4 (14 associated offices in the rest of Africa) (January 2017)[26] | 151 (2017)[7] |
Baker McKenzie1 | 2012 [27] | 1 (2017) | 58 (2017)[7] |
Fasken Martineau South Africa (formerly Bell Dewar) | 1901 [28] | 1 (2017)[29] | 59 (2017)[7] |
Hogan Lovells South Africa (formerly Routledge Modise)2 | 1892[30] | 1 (2017)[31] | 125 (2017)[7] |
Shepstone & Wylie | 1872[32] | 6 (2017)[33] | 70 (2017)[7] |
Spoor & Fisher | 1920[34] | 4 (2017)[35] | 59 (2017)[7] |
STBB - Smith Tabata Buchanan Boyes | 1900[36] | 11 (2017)[37] | 94 (2020)[38] |
Werksmans | 1917[39] | 4 (2017)[40] | 201 (2017)[7] |
Note1: Baker & McKenzie opened its office in South Africa with lawyers, staff and partners from Dewey & LeBoeuf’s defunct Johannesburg office following that firm's bankruptcy.[27]
Note2: Routledge Modise was formerly part of Eversheds from 2008 to 2012.[41]
See also
- List of law firms in Uganda
- Magic Circle (law)
- Silver Circle (law)
- Big Six law firms
References
- Law Firms of South Africa: Webber Wentzel, Spoor and Fisher, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENSafrica). Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
Big Five Law Firms
- "Africa's top Corporate Lawyers Retrieved 4 March 2010". Africanbusinessreview.co.za. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
- "Assets" (PDF). Dnaeconomics.com.
- "Norton Rose Fulbright - London - Law Firm Profile - Global Guide 2018 - Chambers and Partners". Chambersandpartners.com.
- "The Firm: a Biography of Webber Wentzel Bowens" (PDF). Sabar.co.za. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Webber Wentzel Retrieved 31 December 2010
- "South Africa Best Lawyers and Law Firms - Global Guide - Chambers and Partners". Chambersandpartners.com. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- Michael West (7 August 2015). "DLA Piper ends South African alliance as it eyes Jo'burg launch for first foray into Africa". Legal Business. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Ogilvy Renault and Deneys Reitz to join Norton Rose Group Retrieved 31 December 2010
- "Webber Wentzel". Webberwentzel.com.
- "Webber Wentzel". Webberwentzel.com.
- Webber Wentzel Retrieved 21 March 2012
- "Webber Wentzel Retrieved 27 May 2013". Chambersandpartners.com.
- "Webber Wentzel Retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014". Chambersandpartners.com.
- "ENSafrica - Johannesburg - Law Firm Profile - Global Guide 2018 - Chambers and Partners". Chambersandpartners.com.
- "Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr - Sandton - Law Firm Profile - Global Guide 2018 - Chambers and Partners". Chambersandpartners.com.
- "Werksmans Attorneys - Johannesburg - Law Firm Profile - Global Guide 2018 - Chambers and Partners". Chambersandpartners.com.
- "The Latest Legal News, Research and Legal Profiles - Who's Who Legal". Whoswholegal.com.
- "Who's Who Legal: 100 - The Latest Legal Community News, Research and Legal Profiles - Who's Who Legal". Whoswholegal.com.
- "Country Awards - The Latest Legal News and Law Firm Information - Who's Who Legal". Whoswholegal.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- "Webber Wentzel". Webberwentzel.com.
- "Cambrient Contentsuite Login". Webberwentzel.com. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- Michael H. Trotter, Profit and the Practice of Law: What's Happened to the Legal Profession (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1997), 46.
- "THE 2010 MIDSIZE HOT LIST - National Law Journal". Law.com.
- "Our Heritage". Adams.africa.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 May 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Baker & McKenzie launches Johannesburg base with Dewey team – The Lawyer - Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs". Thelawyer.com. 29 May 2012.
- "Our History Retrieved 6 March 2011". Belldewar.com.
- "Contact Retrieved 6 March 2011". Belldewar.com.
- "Law Firm Office Information for Routledge Modise Attorneys". Martindale.com.
- "Johannesburg". Hoganlovells.com.
- "Expert Guides - Page moved". Expert Guides.
- "Contact us Updated 7 January 2017". Wylie.co.za. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
- "History of Spoor & Fisher Retrieved 6 March 2011". Spoor.com.
- "Our offices Updated 7 January 2017". Spoor.com.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "General Enquiries - Werksmans Attorneys". Werksman.com.
- "Eversheds parts company with South African ally over conflicts – The Lawyer - Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs". Thelawyer.com. 22 October 2012.