Leading Pan-African law firm, Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group, has welcomed three new partners to its expanding teams in South Africa.

Bonnie Steyn has been appointed as a partner in the firm’s Cape Town Dispute Resolution Practice. Warren Hamer joins its Real Estate Practice and will be operating from a new satellite office in Durbanville. He brings a team of eight people with him. Zano Nduli has been appointed as a partner in the firm’s Johannesburg Mergers & Acquisitions Practice.

Hamer is considered an expert in property development and commercial conveyancing both in South Africa and Namibia. He also has considerable expertise in the context of renewable energy projects and acts for various developers of renewable energy projects. During his career Hamer spent 17 years at the Cape Town Deeds Registry where he served as acting assistant registrar of deeds. He has an LLB and a National Diploma in Registration of Deeds from Unisa and is a qualified notary and conveyancer. He is also a lecturer with the Law Society’s School for Legal Practice in respect of conveyancing subjects and a member of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Examination Board.

Nduli specialises in corporate transactions, particularly in the banking, gambling, insurance and mining industries. These transactions have involved both private and public companies, but he has recently developed a depth of experience in transactions involving state-owned entities such as the Public Investment Corporation and Transnet. He is knowledgeable about the process and procedures of various regulatory bodies including the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, JSE and Registrar of Banks. His experience extends to commercial transactions including corporate administration, corporate structures and restructuring and drafting agreements. Nduli has an LLB from the University of KwaZulu-Natal as well as certificates in environmental and sustainable development law and the law of banking and financial markets from the Mandela Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Steyn focuses on litigation and dispute resolution with particular emphasis on medical law and malpractice, professional indemnity insurance and personal injury. She has represented major hospital groups in inquest proceedings; defended medical professionals and hospitals in civil claims; assisted insurers with preliminary investigations; defended insureds in civil claims on behalf of insurers; and instituted subrogated  recovery actions. Her expertise extends to advising leading insurance companies on policy response, interpretation and wording. Steyn has B.Com and LLB degrees from the University of Stellenbosch and a Certificate in Medicine and Law (awarded with distinction) from Unisa.

Chairman and senior partner, Robert Legh, says, "It’s a pleasure to welcome three very talented young lawyers as partners in the firm. Each has a particular strength - from medical malpractice and professional indemnity insurance law, to complex real estate matters to corporate transactions, particularly those involving state-owned-enterprises – which we believe will be of benefit to our clients. It’s also gratifying to see evidence that we’re growing as a firm notwithstanding the difficult economic environment."

These appointments follow the recent appointment of Ulla Murphy, an African tax specialist and various lateral hires last year including David Forfar, appointed as head of the firm’s Oil & Gas Sector Group; John Bellew, appointed as head of its Private Equity Sector Group; James Westgate appointed as a partner in its Private Equity Sector Group; and international restructuring expert, Lyndon Norley, who joined the firm as a consultant.

Submitted by Bowman Gilfillan