Big Five (law firms)

Location of 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]

Name Founded No. of offices No. of attorneys No. of employees
Bowman Gilfillan 1885 8 400+ (2015) [3] 550+ (2015) [4]
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr1 1853[5] 2[6] 250+ (2015) [7] 600+ (2015) [8]
Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, trading as ENSafrica 1905[9] 14 (including two pro bono offices)[10] 600+ (2015)[11] 1020+ (2014) [12]
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa2 1922[13] 3[14] 200+ (2015)[15] 500+ (2015)[16]
Webber Wentzel in alliance with Linklaters3 1868 [17] 2[18] 450+ (2015)[19] 800+ (2015)[20]

Note1: Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr was formerly allied with DLA Piper. Its affiliation with DLA Piper ended at the end of August 2015.[21]

Note2: On 1 June 2011, Deneys Reitz Inc joined UK based firm Norton Rose.[22]

Note3: Webber Wentzel is an associate of ALN.[23] On 1 February 2013, the firm entered into a collaborative alliance with global law firm Linklaters.[24]

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[25] 40[26] 46[27]
2 ENSafrica 25 37[28] 45[29]
3 Bowman Gilfillan 26 27[30] 31[31]
4 Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr 21 23[32] 25[33]
5 Werksmans 16 16[34] 17[35]
Norton Rose South Africa 16 212 262[36]

Note2: No individual ranking is available for Norton Rose South Africa. Thus, not all South African ranked attorneys may be part of Norton Rose South Africa, but are part of Norton Rose Global.

Who's Who Legal Global 100

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

Year Firm3
2013 ENSafrica[37]
2013, 2014[38] Webber Wentzel[39]

Note3: firms listed alphabetically

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

Year Firm
2015 Webber Wentzel[40] [41]
2014 Webber Wentzel[42]
2013 Webber Wentzel
2012 Webber Wentzel[43]
2011 Webber Wentzel[44]
2010 Bowman Gilfillan [45]
2009
2008 Bowman Gilfillan [46]
2007 Webber Wentzel
2006 Webber Wentzel

Mergermarket M&A Awards: Legal Advisor of the Year - Sub-Saharan Africa

Year Firm
2013 Webber Wentzel[47]
2012 ENSafrica[48]
2011 Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr[49]
2010 ENSafrica[50]

Other major law firms

Firms with more than 50 attorneys are generally viewed as midsize law firms.[51][52][53]

Name Founded No. of offices No. of attorneys No. of employees Revenue
Adams & Adams 1908[54] 16[55] 145+ (2014)[56]
Fasken Martineau South Africa (formerly Bell Dewar) 1901 [57] 1[58] 65+ (2011)[59]
Hogan Lovells South Africa (formerly Routledge Modise) 1892[60] 1[61] 120+ (2014)[62]
Shepstone & Wylie 1872[63] 6[64] 74+ (2014)[65]
Spoor & Fisher 1920[66] 4[67] 50+ (2014)[68] 310+ (2011)[69]
Werksmans 1917[70] 4[71] 180+ (2014)[72] 400+ (2011)

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Law-Firms-South-Africa-Sonnenbergs/dp/1157393721 Law Firms of South Africa: Webber Wentzel, Bowman Gilfillan, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENSafrica), Big Five Law Firms Retrieved 4 March 2011
  2. ↑ http://www.africanbusinessreview.co.za/business-features/finance/africa%E2%80%99s-top-corporate-lawyers Africa’s top Corporate Lawyers Retrieved 4 March 2010
  3. ↑ http://www.bowman.co.za/ Who are we Updated 4 September 2014
  4. ↑ http://www.bowman.co.za/ Who are we Updated 4 September 2014
  5. ↑ http://www.martindale.com/Cliffe-Dekker-Inc/1266536-law-firm-office.htm CDH Retrieved 6 March 2011
  6. ↑ "Contact us - Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr". www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com. Retrieved 2015-09-28.
  7. ↑ http://www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com/en/people/?pg=1 DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Retrieved 4 September 2014
  8. ↑ http://www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com/en/people/?pg=1 DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Retrieved 4 September 2014
  9. ↑ http://www.hrfuture.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2605&return=L2luZGV4LnBocD9vcHRpb249Y29tX2NvbnRlbnQmdmlldz1jYXRlZ29yeSZsYXlvdXQ9YmxvZyZpZD0xMTQmSXRlbWlkPTY5Mw== ENS Retrieved 6 March 2011
  10. ↑ http://www.ensafrica.com/contact Contact Us Retrieved 21 February 2014
  11. ↑ http://www.ensafrica.com/about-us Retrieved 25 July 2014
  12. ↑ http://www.top-employers.com/en/companyprofiles/ZA/ENS/ Retrieved 31 July 2014
  13. ↑ http://www.deneysreitz.co.za/index.php/index/content/profile Profile Retrieved 6 March 2011
  14. ↑ http://www.nortonrose.com/za/about-us/about-norton-rose-south-africa/ Norton Rose South Africa Retrieved 24 June 2011
  15. ↑ http://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/za/about-us/ Norton Rose South Africa Retrieved 4 September 2014
  16. ↑ http://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/za/about-us/ Norton Rose South Africa Retrieved 4 September 2014
  17. ↑ http://www.sabar.co.za/law-journals/2007/august/2007-august-vol020-no2-p46.pdf The Firm: a Biography of Webber Wentzel Bowens Retrieved 31 December 2010 2010
  18. ↑ http://www.leadingmanagers.co.za/profiles/SALM10_WebberWentzel.pdf Webber Wentzel Retrieved 31 December 2010
  19. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww/ww-who-we-are Webber Wentzel Retrieved 31 December 2010
  20. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww/ww-who-we-are Webber Wentzel Retrieved 31 December 2010
  21. ↑ http://www.legalbusiness.co.uk/index.php/lb-blog-view/4525-dla-piper-ends-south-african-alliance-as-it-eyes-launch-in-jo-burg
  22. ↑ http://www.nortonrose.com/aboutus/ogilvyrenaultanddeneysreitz/default31995.aspx?lang=en-gb Ogilvy Renault and Deneys Reitz to join Norton Rose Group Retrieved 31 December 2010
  23. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww/ww-africa-overview Africa Overview Retrieved 6 May 2012
  24. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww/ww-in-the-news?oid=38298&sn=Detail-2011&pid=32438 Webber Wentzel in alliance with Linklaters Retrieved 25 December 2012
  25. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/UK/Firms/3753-40029 Webber Wentzel Retrieved 21 March 2012
  26. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/UK/Firms/3753-73632 Webber Wentzel Retrieved 27 May 2013
  27. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/UK/Firms/3753-73632 Webber Wentzel Retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014
  28. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/132639-73565 Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Retrieved 23 May 2013
  29. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/132639-73565 Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014
  30. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/2677-73565 Bowman Gilfillan retrieved 4 June 2013
  31. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/2677-73565 Bowman Gilfillan retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014
  32. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/3733-73565 Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr retrieved 4 June 2013
  33. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/3733-73565 Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014
  34. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/3754-73565 Werksmans retrieved 4 June 2013
  35. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Global/Firms/3754-73565 Werksmans retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014
  36. ↑ http://www.chambersandpartners.com/firm/309/2 Norton Rose Fulbright retrieved 26 March 2014 - updated 5 November 2014
  37. ↑ http://whoswholegal.com/wwl100/
  38. ↑ http://whoswholegal.com/news/community/article/31470/whos-legal-100/
  39. ↑ http://whoswholegal.com/awards/countrystate/
  40. ↑ http://whoswholegal.com/awards/countrystate/
  41. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/ww-who-we-are Who we are Retrieved 22 December 2015
  42. ↑ http://whoswholegal.com/awards/countrystate/
  43. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/accolades Accolades Retrieved 6 May 2012
  44. ↑ http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/content/en/accolades Accolades Retrieved 6 May 2012
  45. ↑ http://www.legal500.com/c/south-africa/developments/15772 Accolades Retrieved 6 May 2012
  46. ↑ http://www.hg.org/attorney/Bowman-Gilfillan/56503 Accolades Retrieved 6 May 2012
  47. ↑ http://www.mergermarket.com/info/2013/12/12/winners-announced-for-the-financial-times-and-mergermarket-european-ma-awards-2013/ Retrieved 23 December 2013
  48. ↑ http://mergermarketgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/FT-mergermarket-Awards-Winners-Press-Release-Europe-2012.pdf Retrieved 13 June 2013
  49. ↑ http://www.mergermarket.com/pdf/European-MA-Awards-winners-2011-press-release.pdf Retrieved 13 June 2013
  50. ↑ http://www.mergermarket.com/pdf/European-MA-Awards-winners-2010-press-release-FINAL.pdf Retrieved 13 June 2013
  51. ↑ Michael H. Trotter, Profit and the Practice of Law: What's Happened to the Legal Profession (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1997), 46.
  52. ↑ http://research.lawyers.com/Understanding-How-Law-Offices-Do-Business.html Understanding How Law Offices Do Business Retrieved 6 March 2010
  53. ↑ http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202463361909&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1 THE 2010 MIDSIZE HOT LIST Retrieved 6 March 2010
  54. ↑ http://www.adamsadams.com/index.php/about/history/ History Retrieved 6 March 2011
  55. ↑ http://www.adamsadams.com/index.php/contact/ Contact Retrieved 4 September 2014
  56. ↑ http://www.adamsadams.com/index.php/about/our_people/P135/ People Retrieved 4 September 2014
  57. ↑ http://www.belldewar.co.za/our_history.html Our History Retrieved 6 March 2011
  58. ↑ http://www.belldewar.co.za/contact.html Contact Retrieved 6 March 2011
  59. ↑ http://www.legal500.com/firms/12226-bell-dewar/offices/13382-johannesburg/profile Bell Dewar Retrieved 6 March 2011
  60. ↑ http://www.martindale.com/Routledge-Modise-Attorneys/law-firm-987929.htm Routledge Modise Retrieved 6 March 2011
  61. ↑ http://www.hoganlovells.com/johannesburg/ Johannesburg Retrieved 4 September 2014
  62. ↑ http://www.hoganlovells.com/johannesburg/ Johannesburg Retrieved 4 September 2014
  63. ↑ http://www.expertguides.com/default.asp?page=2&egaBOBID=&CountryID=98&ExpertOfficeID=30500&GuideID=236&fcIndex=3583&fIndex=2543 Shepstone 4 Wylie Retrieved 6 March 2011
  64. ↑ http://www.wylie.co.za/ContactUs.aspx Contact us Updated 4 September 2014
  65. ↑ http://www.wylie.co.za/Attorneys/0/All Find a Lawyer Retrieved 4 September 2014
  66. ↑ http://www.spoor.com/home/index.php?ipkContentID=128&ipkMenuID=118 History of Spoor & Fisher Retrieved 6 March 2011
  67. ↑ http://www.spoor.com/home/index.php?ipkContentID=142&ipkMenuID=147 Our offices Retrieved 6 March 2011
  68. ↑ http://www.spoor.com/home/Overview_of_Firm-114.html Overview of Firm Retrieved 4 September 2014
  69. ↑ http://www.spoor.com/home/index.php?ipkContentID=142&ipkMenuID=147 Our offices Retrieved 6 March 2011
  70. ↑ http://www.werksmans.co.za/43/about-us/ About Us Retrieved 6 March 2011
  71. ↑ http://www.werksmans.com/contact-us/general-enquiries/ General Enquiries Retrieved 4 September 2014
  72. ↑ http://www.legal500.com/firms/11982-werksmans-attorneys/13253-johannesburg Werksmans Updated 4 September 2014
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