 |
- Allen & Overy
- Bowman Gilfillan
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
- Clifford Chance
- Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs
- Eversheds
- Herbert Smith Freehills
- Hogan Lovells
- Linklaters
- Norton Rose
- Shearman & Sterling
- Stephenson Harwood
- Trinity Law Firm
- Webber Wentzel
- Werksmans
- White & Case
|
 |
- Addleshaw Goddard
- Ashurst
- Baker & McKenzie
- Baker Botts
- Chadbourne & Parke
- Clyde & Co
- CMS
- Curtis Mallet-Prevost Colt & Mosle
- DLA Piper
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
- Gide Loyrette Nouel
- Hunton & Williams
- Mayer Brown
- Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
- Miranda Correia Amendoeira & Associados
- Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Simmons & Simmons
- SNR Denton
- Vinson & Elkins
|
Africa - financial and corporate
Over recent years there has been a huge growth in interest in the African continent and international law firms have reflected this by creating dedicated Africa practice groups, investing in networks on the ground and opening offices in key jurisdictions. This is no surprise considering foreign investment inflows are predicted to increase from $80 billion to $150 billion by 2015.
Among the biggest headlines in 2011 – 2012 saw Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance and Norton Rose open offices in Morocco, Norton Rose merge with South African firm Deneys Reitz (June 2011) and Baker & McKenzie launch an office in South Africa. Markets were also discussing the news that Linklaters may be approaching a tie-up in South Africa, while in late 2012 Herbert Smith Freehills announced it would open an office in Guinea, West Africa, in 2013.
US and European international firms continue to dominate the big-ticket deals in the continent, however markets are evolving in a number of ways, with greater deal flow between African countries, the presence of non-EU and US economies such as China and Brazil and an effort by African governments across the continent to secure greater control over key economic drivers in a so called trend of 'resource nationalisation'.
Regional bodies such as OHADA (the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa), which is dominant in West Africa, and economic treaties and agreements in East Africa and Southern African regions are also modernising and strengthening ties. Such developments create opportunities for continent wide networks, often managed by local firms, and local legal markets.
In terms of market trends, while finance for energy and infrastructure still creates the bulk of mandates for firms, a number of practitioners point to the growth in private equity participation, especially in infrastructure projects, and the relaxing of rules in a number of countries which may allow large pension fund reserves to be more widely invested. Debt markets are also a growth sector and notably in 2012 the International Finance Corporation (IFC) issued a series of bonds in domestic markets in local denominations.