Allen & Overy is the first magic circle firm to launch in South Africa. The new office will open in Johannesburg later this month, led by banking partners Lionel Shawe and Michael Duncan.
A&O have been gearing up for the launch all summer, poaching Shawe and six other partners from independent South African firm Bowman Gilfillan. Duncan said that their availability was “key” to the launch, but added that the firm had been looking at options in Joburg for some time. Perhaps he took inspiration from this Norton Rose Fulbright video, where anything is possible in the stabby capital of the world.
Global managing partner Wim Dejonghe describes Johannesburg as a “key hub” for international banks, investors and funds. Of course it also has the additional benefits of operating in pretty much the same time zone to the UK (plus cheap cheap labour) and in recent years a slew of major players have jumped on it. Baker & McKenzie launched there in 2012, Linklaters formed a local alliance in the same year and as recently as August Simmons allied with Joburg firm Fasken Martineau.
But A&O hopes it will top them all and forecasts growth to 40 lawyers in 2015. Dejonghe said in a statement Johannesburg offers “a fantastic opportunity to take our Africa platform to the next level”.
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A&O have been gearing up for the launch all summer, poaching Shawe and six other partners from independent South African firm Bowman Gilfillan. Duncan said that their availability was “key” to the launch, but added that the firm had been looking at options in Joburg for some time. Perhaps he took inspiration from this Norton Rose Fulbright video, where anything is possible in the stabby capital of the world.
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A South African in need of a good lawyer recently |
Global managing partner Wim Dejonghe describes Johannesburg as a “key hub” for international banks, investors and funds. Of course it also has the additional benefits of operating in pretty much the same time zone to the UK (plus cheap cheap labour) and in recent years a slew of major players have jumped on it. Baker & McKenzie launched there in 2012, Linklaters formed a local alliance in the same year and as recently as August Simmons allied with Joburg firm Fasken Martineau.
But A&O hopes it will top them all and forecasts growth to 40 lawyers in 2015. Dejonghe said in a statement Johannesburg offers “a fantastic opportunity to take our Africa platform to the next level”.
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