Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr > Johannesburg, South Africa > Firm Profile

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr > The Legal 500 Rankings

South Africa > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

The ‘very practical‘ corporate team at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr has ‘a deep understanding of the South African legal, regulatory and commercial landscape‘, and also garners praise for having ‘an immense amount of experience in closing M&A transactions across various jurisdictions‘. Practice head Ian Hayes handles the full gamut of corporate and commercial work, and advises a roster of blue-chip clients in the telecoms, retail and mining sectors on corporate finance, M&A, takeovers, private equity transactions and restructurings, to name a few areas of expertise. Willem Jacobs is highly regarded for his M&A expertise, and is well known for advising on complex, cross-border transactions. The ‘well-informed‘ Vivien Chaplin acts for mining sector clients, and Jaco Meyer has ‘in-depth knowledge and understanding of his field and provides insightful, expert advice‘. Dane Kruger and Roxanna Valayathum also play important roles in the practice group.

South Africa > Dispute resolution Tier 1

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s dispute resolution team garners praise for its ‘professional approach and sound advice, and has a pragmatic approach to managing disputes‘. Practice head Rishaban Moodley regularly advises on commercial litigation and forensic investigations; Lucinde Rhoodie stands out as ‘an exceptional and formidable litigator‘ with expertise in banking litigation, insolvency litigation, shareholders disputes and commercial disputes. The ‘very knowledgeable and professional‘ Clive Rumsey specialises in engineering and construction litigation, while Mongezi Mpahlwa is very experienced in handling commercial arbitrations. Corné Lewis is ‘a straight shooter who manages client expectations well and is incredibly strategic in his approach‘. Tim Fletcher, Jackwell Feris  and Anja Hofmeyr are also star names in the department.

South Africa > Employment Tier 1

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s employment team reports an uptick in matters involving allegations of discrimination, and has also been kept busy handling disputes relating to strike management, a key area of expertise for Hugo Pienaar. Department head Aadil Patel represents prominent private and public sector employers in a wide range of employment issues, and Fiona Leppan is highly regarded for acting for engineering, mining and metals, financial services and retail clients. Imraan Mahomed is very experienced in handling employment litigation, compliance and transactional work. Anli Bezuidenhout and Phetheni Nkuna are key figures in the practice. Faryn Nana joined the team in July 2023.

South Africa > Real estate Tier 1

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr‘s prominent real estate practice houses a team ‘well-versed in property matters and able to provide holistic advice on transactions‘. Practice head Muhammad Gattoo has extensive experience in commercial property finance matters, and regularly acts for prominent financial institutions and international financiers in high-value transactions. Gattoo is also noted for his strength in advising on sectional title registers and property transfers. Simóne Franks stands out for her work in relation to property-related transfers, and Fatima Gattoo handles sectional title developments and the registration of complex securities. John Webber‘s extensive experience in the real estate sector includes advising on land use conversions and land developments. Samantha Kelly and Bridget Witts-Hewinson are also singled out for their contributions. Lucia Erasmus and William Midgley have retired from practice.

South Africa > Tax Tier 1

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr‘s leading tax and exchange control practice has a solid track record in assisting prominent domestic and international clients with contentious, regulatory and transactional tax work. Practice head Emil Brincker is highly regarded for his expertise in advising on the tax aspects of corporate restructurings and reorganisations. Director Gerhard Badenhorst, a chartered accountant, is sought after for his excellent track record in handling VAT work, while Stephan Spamer focuses on assisting major industry leaders with the tax structuring of cross-border transactions. Howmera Parak is a key name for international tax and exchange control matters, and Jerome Brink‘s workload includes handling dispute resolution and tax controversy issues, the taxation of trusts and transfer pricing cases. Lance Collop left the firm in January 2023.

South Africa > Banking and finance Tier 2

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s banking and finance team stands out for being ‘commercial and pragmatic with excellent industry knowledge‘. Cross-border mandates form a key pillar of the practice, and the group is well known for its strength in handling debt and equity capital markets and financial restructuring matters. Mashudu Mphafudi, who heads the department, represents financial institutions in corporate and project finance matters, and is well-versed in acting for agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy and mining clients. Pitso Kortjaas has experience advising on structured and leveraged finance, securitisations and sustainability-linked facilities. Ludwig Smith, Jess Reid, and Michael Bailey play important roles in the practice. Jenni Darling left the firm in March 2023.

South Africa > Competition Tier 2

The competition practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr has an established track record in assisting with market inquiries and investigations brought by the Competition Commission, and is also strong in advising on the competition law aspects of prominent mergers. Led by Chris Charter, the team has been kept especially busy assisting clients in the financial services, energy, healthcare and food and beverages sectors. Susan Meyer is well versed in representing healthcare entities in complex cross-border mergers, and competition law specialist Albert Aukema regularly advises on prohibited practices proceedings. Lara Granville‘s varied workload includes advising on cartel investigations and merger control matters. Andries le Grange and Reece May are other key figures in the department.

South Africa > Construction Tier 2

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s team has ‘very specialized knowledge of construction‘. Clive Rumsey leads the practice, which stands out for its expertise in handling complex, high-profile disputes in the space. The group has been kept busy advising energy and natural resources companies on cross-border litigation. The department leverages the expertise of the firm’s  projects and infrastructure group to assist with related public procurement matters; Andrew van Niekerk is the key practitioner to note for this line of work. Joe Whittle, Timothy Baker and Krevania Pillay are also singled out for their contributions to the team.

South Africa > Investment funds Tier 2

At Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, the investment funds team has established strength in advising managers and investors on fund formation, investments, structuring matters and regulatory issues. Department head John Gillmer is ‘a highly experienced attorney who offers efficient, pragmatic and legally sound advice; he is always available and an effective communicator.’ Gillmer has a solid track record in assisting international and domestic financial institutions with the formation of investment funds, which is also a key area of expertise for Wayne Murray. Structuring mandates are prominent in Nuhaa Amardien‘s workload.

South Africa > Mining Tier 2

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s mining and minerals practice ‘has a deep talent pool‘ with a ‘qualified, attentive and efficient‘ team. Department head Allan Reid ‘has many years of experience and is well respected in the mining industry.’ Vivien Chaplin has a strong reputation for assisting clients in the manganese and aluminium mining space with supply and offtake agreements - she also advises on regulatory issues. Burton Meyer is a key name for contentious matters. Ian Hayes, Fiona Leppan, and Rachel Kelly are key figures in the department.

South Africa > Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

At Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, oil and gas work remains a key area of instruction for the energy team, which continues to handle M&A, project finance, PPAs, IPP procurement and construction contracts pertaining to embedded and large-scale power generation projects. Infrastructure expert Andrew van Niekerk jointly leads the practice with Megan Rodgers, who specialises in upstream oil and gas matters. Tessa Brewis brings experience in handling M&A and project development matters in relation to renewable energy projects. Anita Moolman advises on public-private partnerships and public sector procurement matters. Amore Carstens also stands out for her contributions.

Kenya > Commercial, corporate and M&A

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr incorporating Kieti Law LLP is predominantly involved in regulated industries including renewable energy, fintech, healthcare, and environment, assisting with a variety of cross-border corporate and M&A transactions. Practice head Sammy Ndolo specialises in banking, finance, and capital markets work, working alongside private equity and venture capital expert Njeri Wagacha. Martha Mbugua of boutique firm Law3sixty joined the team following a merger in September 2022.