Leading African law firm, Bowmans, has appointed Lusanda Raphulu to head its Dispute Resolution Department across its eight offices. She joins the firm’s Management Board.

Raphulu, an employment law specialist, has spent her entire career with Bowmans. She became a partner in 2012 and has led the firm’s Employment and Benefits Practice in South Africa since 2018.

She takes over from Chris Todd who remains with the firm as a partner, while Helen Wilsenach has taken over as head of the firm’s Employment and Benefits Practice in South Africa.

Managing partner Alan Keep says ‘Our disputes practice is a key part of the firm, and has been very successful during the challenging pandemic years. Lusanda has proved herself as the type of modern leader that our practice needs to take it to the next level. She is a natural successor to Chris, and enjoys the full support of all of our disputes teams.’

Chairman and senior partner, Ezra Davids says, ‘These appointments have been made after careful consideration and are part of our proactive approach to succession planning and transformation at Bowmans.’

With Raphulu’s appointment, Bowmans now has female department heads across the board – she joins Ashleigh Hale, in Corporate and Shamilah Grimwood-Norley in Banking and Finance.

She says, ‘This new role broadens my focus and responsibilities to include litigation, shipping and logistics and corporate investigations, in addition to employment and benefits. The increased scope is something I find very interesting and exciting, and really look forward to.’

Davids concludes, ‘We wish Lusanda and Helen continued success in their new positions and look forward to the further contributions they will make to the growth and development of Bowmans.’