ENSafrica

ENSafrica (Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs)
No. of offices 15 (including two pro bono offices)[1]
No. of attorneys over 600 (2016)[2]
No. of employees 1020+ (2014)[3]
Major practice areas law, tax, forensics and IP
Key people Michael Katz (Chairman), Mzi Mgudlwa (Chief executive)
Date founded 1905
Company type Legal
Website www.ensafrica.com

ENSafrica (Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs) is Africa's largest law firm.[4] ENSafrica currently has over 620 practitioners and was established over 100 years ago. The firm specialises in all commercial areas of law, tax, forensics and IP. The firm is a level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) contributor.[5] ENSafrica is one of the traditional "Big Five" law firms in South Africa.

History

Edward Nathan & Friedland was formed in 1905. In 1999, Edward Nathan & Friedland was bought by Nedbank for R400 million. After an exodus of clients and lawyers, as well as deeming the investment non-core, in 2004, Nedbank sold Edward Nathan & Friedland back to 47 directors for R50 million. [6]

The firm was formed after a 2006 merger between Cape Town based law firm Sonnenberg Hoffmann & Golombik (formed in 1936), and the Johannesburg based law firm Edward Nathan & Friedland.

Offices

In August 2012 ENSafrica became the first African headquartered law firm with fully integrated offices across different African jurisdictions, with the opening of offices in Rwanda and Burundi, which has since closed.[7] This was shortly followed by another office opening in the Ugandan capital of Kampala in December 2012.[8] In December 2013 ENSafrica announced a merger with Mauritius’ largest and oldest firm, De Comarmond & Koenig.[9]

On 1 November 2014 the firm announced the opening of two offices in the Namibian capital and town of Windhoek and Swakopmund respectively, with a third Namibian office, in Walvis Bay, opening soon. This was done through a merger with local Namibian law firm Lorentz Angula, adding a further nine directors to ENSafrica.[10]

Former CEO, Piet Faber, is quoted (31 March 2014) as saying that ENSafrica will open offices in at least six other African jurisdictions over the next two years.[11]

On 1 May 2015 the firm announced the opening of its 13th office on the African continent, following a merger with local Tanzanian law firm, Rex Attorneys.[12]

In 2015, ENSafrica closed its Burundi office.[13]

The most recent office to come online was formed through a merger with local Ghanaian firm Oxford & Beaumont Solicitors, and formally opened as ENSafrica Ghana on 1 December 2015. Oxford & Beaumont Solicitors was the first Ghanaian firm to open offices in London.[14]

The company has offices in several countries and cities:[1]

References

  1. 1 2 locations
  2. ↑ Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs. ENSafrica https://www.ensafrica.com/about-us. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ "Certified Top Employers 2014". Top Employers Institute.
  4. ↑ http://www.bdlive.co.za/companies/2012/11/26/sas-biggest-law-firm-expands-footprint-in-africa – Retrieved on 19 February 2013
  5. ↑ "ENSafrica.com South Africa page". 21 February 2014.
  6. ↑ http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Nedcor-pays-for-ENF-mistake-20041222
  7. ↑ "ENS eyes pan-African domination with launches in Rwanda and Burundi". TheLawyer.com. 8 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "ENS expands its footprints into Africa". property24.com. 27 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "ENSafrica opens doors in Mauritius". Polity.org.za. 3 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "ENSafrica expands into Namibia with 11-partner merger". TheLawyer.com. 6 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "South Africa: Down and clout". TheLawyer.com. 31 March 2014.
  12. ↑ "ENSafrica grows into Tanzania". iflr1000.com. 5 May 2015.
  13. ↑ https://www.ensafrica.com/contact ENSafrica: locations
  14. ↑ "ENSafrica merges with Oxford & Beaumont to enter Ghana market". Legal Week. 1 December 2015.


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