Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group has announced that 57 of its lawyers and 17 practice areas from across Africa have been recognised by leading international legal research organisation, Chambers & Partners .
These results, particularly the inclusion of its Africa-Wide expertise in Corporate/ Mergers and Acquisitions in Band 3, reaffirm the firm’s position as a leading Pan-African legal services provider.

Chambers & Partners is an independent legal directory which identifies and ranks law firms and lawyers in over 180 jurisdictions throughout the world. The organisation’s credible research process involves more than 140 researchers holding in-depth interviews with lawyers and clients before collating their findings.

According to Chambers & Partners, Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group is, “a high-quality firm acting on some of the largest and most significant corporate transactions”, has “significant experience in assisting multinational clients across Sub-Saharan jurisdictions”, “[o]ffers depth of experience in M&A, restructuring, private equity, TMT, mining and energy mandates” and is “[s]imilarly adept when advising on complex, cross-border matters through its extensive network of offices and 'best friend' affiliations across the continent”.

Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group chairman and senior partner, Rob Legh, says, “We are delighted that our expertise has again been recognised by the leading legal research organisation. This is proof that our strategy of offering integrated legal solutions to corporate and institutional clients in selected jurisdictions in Africa is not only working, but is being recognised on a global scale."
 
In South Africa, the firm's expertise was rated in Band 1 for 10 of the practice areas researched (including Capital Markets - Debt and Equity, Competition, Construction, Corporate Investigations, Corporate/ M&A, Employment, Environment, IT/ Telecommunications and Projects & Energy) with its Banking & Finance, Dispute Resolution, Media & Broadcasting and Tax expertise ranked in Band 2. In addition, 37 lawyers were recognised, up from the 32 lawyers recognised last year.

In Kenya, the firm's expertise in Banking and Finance and Corporate/ Commercial was ranked in Band 1 and 13 of the firm's lawyers were rated, up from the 11 lawyers recognised last year. Chambers & Partners notes that the firm is, “well respected for its ability to handle the full range of banking and finance mandates, with particular strengths in debt capital markets transactions and complex structured financings”.

In Uganda, the firm was ranked in Band 1 for General Business Law, with three partners achieving individual recognition. According to Chambers and Partners, “The firm is widely recognised with a prominent presence in the market”.
 
The firm's Madagascar office was ranked in Band 2 for General Business Law, while its managing partner was ranked in Band 3 and was recognised for his Foreign Expertise in Chad.

In Botswana, the firm was ranked in Band 3 for General Business Law, with its managing partner included in Band 1. The firm's Tanzania office was ranked in Band 4 for General Business Law, with its managing partner included in Band 3.

Jonathan Lang, who is responsible for the firm’s African growth strategy, notes, "Our firm provides an integrated legal service across Africa, which is an attractive option for local and foreign investors alike because it means they do not have to source legal advice from multiple firms. We now have eight offices in six African countries with legal specialists focused on delivering relevant services across Africa in all sectors including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, mining, oil and gas, ports, terminals corridors and logistics and private equity.

"It’s an exciting time to be a lawyer in Africa, with growth in demand for legal services driving competition in the market and a demand for specialist skills at an all-time high. To be recognised and ranked on this scale in this important African market is exactly where we want to be as firm," he adds.

Submitted by Bowman Gilfillan