Big Five (law firms) in South Africa explained

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]

NameDate foundedOfficesLawyers
Bowmans1885Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Johannesburg, Kampala, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Moka, Nairobi (9) (July 2020)[4] 400+ (July 2020)[5]
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr11853Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch (3) (July 2020)[6] 350+ (July 2020)[7]
Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, trading as ENSafrica1905Accra, Alexandra (pro bono office), Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Mitchells Plain (pro bono office), Nairobi, Port Louis, Stellenbosch, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Windhoek (14)[8] 600+ (July 2020)[9]
Webber Wentzel in alliance with Linklaters21868[10] Cape Town, Johannesburg (2) (July 2020)[11] [12] 450+ (July 2020)[13]
Werksmans31917[14] Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch (3) (July 2020)[15] 175+ (July 2020)[16]

Note1: Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr was formerly allied with DLA Piper. Its affiliation with DLA Piper ended at the end of August 2015.[17]

Note2: On 1 February 2013, the firm entered into a collaborative alliance with global law firm Linklaters.[18]

Note3: Deneys Reitz Inc, and then Norton Rose Fulbright, was formerly considered to form part of the big five law firms. Due to its decline, Werksmans, which was not part of the big five law firms, took its place.

Rankings

Chambers and Partners Global rankings

Chambers and Partners Global Rankings of the number of departments recognised as leaders in their respective fields in South Africa in 2020. This list is non-exhaustive.

Rank1NameBand 1Band 2 Band 3Band 4
113[19] 34None
2Bowmans12[20] 4[21] 21
39[22] 82None
4Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr6103None
5Werksmans3[23] 742
Allen & Overy South Africa1[24]
Clyde & Co South Africa1[25] None2None
1[26] NoneNoneNone
Norton Rose Fulbright South AfricaNone[27] 623
None[28] 213
None[29] 1None4
None[30] 1NoneNone
Baker McKenzie South AfricaNone[31] None44
None[32] None2None
None[33] NoneNone3
None[34] NoneNone1
None[35] NoneNoneNone
Note1: Based on Band 1 rankings.

Who's Who Legal Global 100

Law firms included in the Global 100 aren't assigned a specific ranking.

YearFirm3
2013ENSafrica[36]
2013, 2014[37] Webber Wentzel[38]
Note3: firms listed alphabetically

Who's Who Legal South African Law firm of the year

YearFirm
2015Webber Wentzel[39]
2013Webber Wentzel
2012Webber Wentzel[40]
2011Webber Wentzel

Midsized law firms

Firms with more than 50 attorneys are generally viewed as midsize law firms.[41] [42]

NameFounded (South Africa)No. of offices (South Africa)No. of attorneys (South Africa)
1812[43] 2 (July 2020)[44] 51 (July 2020)[45]
Fasken Martineau South Africa (formerly Bell Dewar)1901[46] 1 (July 2020)[47] 67 (July 2020)[48]
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa119223 (July 2020)[49] 75 (July 2020)[50]
1872[51] 5 (July 2020)[52] 69 (July 2020)[53]
1920[54] 4 (July 2020)[55] 94 (July 2020)[56]
1900[57] 13 (September 2022)[58] 111 (September 2022)[59]
Strauss Daly Incorporated 19849 (October 2021)https://www.straussdaly.co.za/52 (October 2021)https://www.straussdaly.co.za/

Note1: On 1 June 2011, Deneys Reitz Inc joined UK based firm Norton Rose.[60] Deneis Reitz, and then Norton Rose Fulbright, was formerly considered to form part of the big five law firms. Due to its decline, Werksmans, which was formerly outside of the big five law firms, took its place.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Law Firms of South Africa: Webber Wentzel, Spoor and Fisher, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENSafrica). Big Five Law Firms. .
  2. Web site: Africa's top Corporate Lawyers Retrieved 4 March 2010. Africanbusinessreview.co.za. 4 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20101114042242/http://www.africanbusinessreview.co.za/business-features/finance/africa%E2%80%99s-top-corporate-lawyers. 14 November 2010. dead.
  3. Web site: Assets . Dnaeconomics.com.
  4. Bowmans Contact Us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.bowmanslaw.com/contact-us/
  5. Bowmans Who we are Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.bowmanslaw.com/our-firm/company-profile/
  6. Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Contact Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com/en/contact/
  7. Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr About Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com/en/about/
  8. Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Contact Us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.ensafrica.com/contact-us/
  9. Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs About Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.ensafrica.com/about-us/
  10. Web site: The Firm: a Biography of Webber Wentzel Bowens. Sabar.co.za. 31 December 2010.
  11. Web site: Archived copy . 31 December 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110601045724/http://www.leadingmanagers.co.za/profiles/SALM10_WebberWentzel.pdf . 1 June 2011 . Webber Wentzel Retrieved 31 December 2010
  12. Webber Wentzel Contact Us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.webberwentzel.com/Pages/Contact-us.aspx
  13. Chambers and Partners Webber Wentzel Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/webber-wentzel-global-2:3753
  14. Web site: Careers | About Us | Werksmans Attorneys - Werksmans Attorneys . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110303194943/http://www.werksmans.co.za/43/about-us . 3 March 2011 . dead .
  15. Werksmans Contact Us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.werksmans.com/contact/
  16. Werksmans Our People Retrieved 9 July 2020https://www.werksmans.com/our-people/?rl=0&pr=0&lc=0&tl=&sw=ALL
  17. Web site: Michael West . DLA Piper ends South African alliance as it eyes Jo'burg launch for first foray into Africa . Legal Business . 7 August 2015 . 18 July 2018.
  18. Web site: Webber Wentzel. Webberwentzel.com. 25 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130204100201/http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww/ww-in-the-news?oid=38298&sn=Detail-2011&pid=32438. 4 February 2013. dead.
  19. Chambers & Partners Webber Wentzel Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/webber-wentzel-global-2:3753
  20. Chambers & Partners Bowmans Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/bowmans-global-2:2677
  21. Chambers & Partners Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/cliffe-dekker-hofmeyr-global-2:3733
  22. Chambers & Partners ENSafrica Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/ensafrica-global-2:132639
  23. Chambers & Partners Werksmans Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/werksmans-attorneys-global-2:3754
  24. Chambers & Partners Allen & Overy Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/allen-overy-llp-global-2:7
  25. Chambers & Partners Clyde & Co Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/clyde-co-llp-global-2:85
  26. Chambers & Partners Spoor & Fisher Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/spoor-fisher-global-2:22363558
  27. Chambers & Partners Norton Rose Fulbright Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/norton-rose-fulbright-global-2:309
  28. Chambers & Partners Fasken Martineau Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/fasken-global-2:3695
  29. Chambers & Partners Herbert Smith Freehills Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/herbert-smith-freehills-global-2:189
  30. Chambers & Partners Shepstone & Wylie Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/shepstone-wylie-global-2:2889
  31. Chambers & Partners Backer Mckenzie Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/baker-mckenzie-global-2:2692
  32. Chambers & Partners DLA Piper Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/dla-piper-llp-global-2:22401592
  33. Chambers & Partners Fluxmans Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/fluxmans-global-2:1914
  34. Chambers & Partners Knowles Husain Lindsay Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/knowles-husain-lindsay-inc-global-2:131820
  35. Chambers & Partners Lawtons Africa Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/lawtons-africa-global-2:23190829
  36. Web site: The Latest Legal News, Research and Legal Profiles – Who's Who Legal. Whoswholegal.com.
  37. Web site: Who's Who Legal: 100 – The Latest Legal Community News, Research and Legal Profiles – Who's Who Legal. Whoswholegal.com.
  38. Web site: Country Awards – The Latest Legal News and Law Firm Information – Who's Who Legal . Whoswholegal.com . 18 July 2018.
  39. Web site: Webber Wentzel. Webberwentzel.com. 22 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151223013813/http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww-who-we-are. 23 December 2015. dead.
  40. Web site: Cambrient Contentsuite Login. Webberwentzel.com. 20 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174352/http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/accolades. 18 July 2018. dead.
  41. Michael H. Trotter, Profit and the Practice of Law: What's Happened to the Legal Profession (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1997), 46.
  42. Web site: THE 2010 MIDSIZE HOT LIST – National Law Journal. Law.com.
  43. Fairbridges Wertheim Becker About us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.fwbattorneys.co.za/about-us/#history
  44. Fairbridges Wertheim Becker Contact Us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.fwbattorneys.co.za/contact-us/
  45. Fairbridges Wertheim Becker People Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.fwbattorneys.co.za/our-people/
  46. Web site: Our History Retrieved 6 March 2011. Belldewar.com.
  47. Fasken Martineau Offices Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.fasken.com/en/offices#contact-us
  48. Fasken Martineau People Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.fasken.com/en/people/lawyer#sort=%40flastname75392%20ascending&f:_48DFBF78-54F8-4FEC-9C91-A346C4EAB4B0=[Johannesburg]
  49. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-nl/global-coverage Norton Rose Fulbright Global Coverage
  50. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-nl/people#sort=%40cvpositionpriority%20descending&f:location=[Johannesburg] Norton Rose Fulbright People Search
  51. Web site: Expert Guides – Page moved. Expert Guides.
  52. Shepstone & Wylie Contact Us Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.wylie.co.za/contact/
  53. Shepstone & Wylie All Lawyers Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.wylie.co.za/lawyers
  54. Web site: History of Spoor & Fisher Retrieved 6 March 2011. Spoor.com.
  55. Spoor & Fisher Offices Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.spoor.com/en/offices/
  56. Spoor & Fisher People Retrieved 9 July 2020 https://www.spoor.com/en/people/#slide-414=0
  57. Web site: Welcome to STBB - We deal with every legal matter . 28 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180628125132/https://www.stbb.co.za/ . 28 June 2018 . dead .
  58. STTB Contact Retrieved 14 September 2022 https://stbb.co.za/contact/
  59. STTB People Retrieved 14 September 2022 https://stbb.co.za/find-a-lawyer/
  60. Web site: Norton Rose Group - Ogilvy Renault and Deneys Reitz to join Norton Rose Group . 31 December 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110122133103/http://www.nortonrose.com/aboutus/ogilvyrenaultanddeneysreitz/default31995.aspx?lang=en-gb . 22 January 2011 . Ogilvy Renault and Deneys Reitz to join Norton Rose Group Retrieved 31 December 2010

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