Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group partners Derek Lötter and Virusha Subban have received Client Choice Awards for 2016.

Lötter, who heads the firm’s Competition Practice, won the Client Choice Award for Competition & Antitrust, while Subban, who is a partner in the firm’s Tax Practice, won the award for Corporate Tax in South Africa.

According to Client Choice, the “awards recognise those partners around the world that stand apart for the excellent client service they provide”.

Lötter and Subban are among the 383 winners from 68 jurisdictions worldwide who were selected from more than 2 000 individual client assessments.

Client Choice explains that their research methodology begins with a survey of senior corporate counsel who are requested to rate individual lawyers and law firms. The results of this survey are used to draw up shortlists for each work area with shortlisted candidates subsequently being invited to submit up to five referees. The research team conducts follow-up interviews and additional research where necessary.

Lötter has advised clients across a range of industry sectors on all aspects of South African competition law and has been involved in a large number of prominent mergers and behavioural competition matters before the competition authorities in the country.

His experience extends to the competition law implications of activities in a number of other African countries. His expertise is recognised by various international rankings organisations including Best Lawyers, Chambers & Partners,Global Competition Review, IFLR 1000 and Legal 500.

Subban specialises in customs and excise and international trade. She has advised a variety of clients on issues ranging from how to optimally structure their business operations from a customs and excise duty perspective to customs-related risks in the context of cross-border transactions and the rights and obligations of importers and exporters in terms of the customs and excise legislation.

She also conducts customs reviews and health checks and provides training on customs and excise regulations. Her expertise in indirect tax has been recognised by the International Tax Review and she was included in the International Tax Review's Women in Tax Leaders Guide for 2015.

This is also the second time she has received the Client Choice Award for Corporate Tax in South Africa.

Submitted by Bowman Gilfillan