ENSafrica > Cape Town, South Africa > Firm Profile

ENSafrica > The Legal 500 Rankings

South Africa > Banking and finance Tier 1

Led by structured trade and commodity finance expert Craig Saven, the banking and finance practice at ENSafrica is very well known for advising on cross-border mandates, and counts debt finance as the core strength of the department. The team is regularly instructed by domestic and international banks, large corporates and development finance institutions, and acts for borrowers, lenders, issuers and sponsors. Sean Lederman is highly regarded in the banking and finance space, with an excellent track record in advising on asset and leveraged finance and debt restructurings, with specialist expertise in aircraft financings. Anina Boshoff and Jessica Blumenthal are star names in the practice. Deborah Carmichael left the firm in March 2023.

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

The corporate practice at ENSafrica has established strength in advising on prominent domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, private equity deals, and joint ventures. Doron Joffe has over two decades of experience in handling corporate restructurings, equity capital markets, corporate finance, and takeovers; he jointly heads up the department with M&A specialist Julius Oosthuizen. Michael Katz is a highly regarded practitioner in corporate law, and Matthew Morrison acts on listed and unlisted mergers for clients in the financial services sector. Practice group co-head Sanjay Kassen  is a key contact for BEE matters. Gosego Moroka regularly assists with commercial agreements. Madison Liebmann is another notable name in the team, as is Brad Serebro. Julius Oosthuizen is now in-house at SanlamAllianz.

South Africa > Competition Tier 1

ENSafrica‘s team stands out for its ‘excellent knowledge and expertise in competition law, and ability to advise on strategy on complex competition issues‘. Led by Jocelyn Katz, the group handles the full spectrum of competition law matters for prominent clients drawn from a wide range of sectors. Justin Balkin assists financial services, insurance, mining, healthcare, private equity and retail companies with merger control matters, abuse of dominance claims, prohibited practice issues and cartel investigations. Natalia Lopes‘ workload includes merger filings and leniency applications; Derushka Chetty is well-versed in advising on prohibited practices litigation and merger notifications; Aidan Scallan acts on horizontal prohibited practices proceedings; and Lizél Blignaut specialises in competition economics. Aziza Mdee, Jessica de Kock and Lameez Mayet are singled out for their contributions to the practice group.

South Africa > Dispute resolution Tier 1

ENSafrica’s expansive dispute resolution practice has an excellent track record in handling high-profile commercial disputes, insurance litigation and cross-border mandates. George van Niekerk, who heads up the practice, specialises in representing large private companies in commercial litigation. Aslam Moosajee advises state-owned entities and clients in the media, financial services, education and telecoms sector on financial and commercial litigation and arbitrations. John Zieff‘s practice includes contractual, administrative and constitutional litigation; Sue Hayes garners praise for ‘her thoroughness and expansive thinking when considering options and angles in combative situations‘. Rob Scott and Deon Lambert are also notable names.

South Africa > Employment Tier 1

ENSafrica‘s employment law practice continues to act for prominent mining, retail, aviation and financial sector clients on a broad spectrum of matters. Dion Masher, who is the national head of the employment department, has a solid track record in handling work for public sector entities, and counts pension fund issues, collective bargaining, corporate restructurings, restraints of trade and industrial action matters as key areas of expertise. Brian Patterson specialises in compensation work, and Muzi Khoza is especially active in labour litigation. Fritz Malan is a key contact for sports-related employment issues, and Joe Mothibi  regularly acts for telecoms and technology clients. Balindile Shezi, Audrey Johnson, Stuart Harrison and Ross Alcock are key practitioners to note.

South Africa > Mining Tier 1

At ENSafrica, Ntsiki Adonisi-Kgame leads the firm’s natural resources and environmental practice, and covers all areas of mining law. Pieter Colyn heads the mining and occupational health and safety department; the combined practices assist across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious mining matters. Adonisi-Kgame has established experience in advising on mining M&A, environmental issues and dispute resolution in the mining industry, and Colyn has an excellent track record in handling work concerning high-profile safety incidents in the sector. In addition to his role as firm COO, Otsile Matlou is well known for assisting throughout the life cycle of a mine, from exploration to decommissioning. Celeste Coles, Willem le Roux  and Warren Hendricks are further key practitioners to note.

South Africa > Projects and infrastructure Tier 1

ENSafrica’s ‘highly experienced‘ project development and project finance department is led by Eric le Grange, who garners praise for bringing ‘a wealth of experience in power and infrastructure financing’ to the practice. The team continues to handle a high volume of renewable energy projects, as well as assisting sponsors, contractors, lenders, borrowers and developers with infrastructure development matters within the rail, oil and gas, mining and roads sectors. Lauren Petersen brings expertise in public private partnerships, while Noma Modise advises international financial institutions on the financing of projects within South Africa. Kumeshnie Naidoo acts on infrastructure and project development matters. Loren Tibshraeny, John Ferraz and Sasha Singh are singled out for their contributions. Venetia Govender left the firm in May 2023.

South Africa > Tax Tier 1

Led by Peter Dachs, ENSafrica’s prominent tax practice assists major multinational and domestic clients with the whole range of tax work. Dachs brings considerable international tax expertise, as well as advising financial institutions and corporates on the tax implications of M&A and group reorganisations. Kristel van Rensburg specialises in mining taxation, while Andries Myburgh and Robert Gad have expertise in assisting corporates and B-BBEE shareholders with the tax aspects of B-BBEE transactions. Charles De Wet is highly regarded for his excellent track record in advising on VAT, and Jens Brodbeck is sought after for his strength in transfer pricing matters. Simon Weber has experience in tax controversy matters and mineral royalties tax disputes.

South Africa > Intellectual property Tier 2

ENSafrica‘s intellectual property practice ‘provides a world-class service‘ and ‘an unparalleled level of efficiency in navigating through the complex and ever-evolving world of intellectual property‘, and the team garners praise for its ‘in-depth knowledge of patent laws and regulations‘. Practice head Gaelyn Scott has a strong reputation for her expertise in advising on strategic portfolio and brand management, the enforcement of intellectual property rights and IP disputes. Waldo Steyn  leads the commercial IP group, and counts licensing and franchising as core strengths. Joanne van Harmelen specialises in pharmaceutical, life sciences and biotechnology patents matters. Rowan Forster focuses on assisting agrochemical sector clients with trade mark and patent issues; he co-leads the trade mark prosecution team with the ‘detail-oriented and extremely professional‘ Ilse du Plessis. Liézal Mostert and Tevin Jones are also singled out for their contributions.

South Africa > Real estate Tier 2

With experience in restitution law, land rights, and commercial property transactions, particularly those involving immovable and movable property issues, Andrew Bembridge leads ENSafrica’s multidisciplinary real estate and property team. The department has established expertise in handling a wide spectrum of real estate and property matters for traditional communities and prominent domestic and international banking, corporate and financial services clients. Len Vorster fields over three decades of experience in the space, and counts conveyancing, sectional title schemes, notarial matters and residential and commercial property transactions as key areas of strength. Fritz Schulz specialises in property law, and regularly advises on commercial property finance matters. Lee-Anne Hopley brings experience in conveyancing matters.

South Africa > Shipping and transport Tier 2

ENSafrica‘s department has established strength in handling a broad range of contentious and non-contentious shipping matters. Practice head Tony Norton is a specialist in maritime law and acts for marine insurers, agents, and owners and operators of vessels in cases involving maritime casualties, as well as defending maritime claims before the High Court. Jacqui Kaufmann is highly regarded for her expertise in handling litigation arising from ship attachments and arrests, and Kate Pitman‘s workload includes assisting with bills of lading, contracts of affreightment, and charterparty matters. Marine insurance and defence disputes are key areas of instruction for Michael Tucker. Bibi Motala and Angelique Barroso-Cordier are key names in the team.

South Africa > Construction Tier 3

ENSafrica‘s construction group operates from within the firm’s project development and finance practice, led by Eric le Grange. Loren Tibshraeny, who leads the construction team, is well known for his expertise in front-end matters, and is regularly instructed by developers, contractors and lenders in the space. Armando Aguiar specialises in construction litigation, and has been kept busy advising on contractual disputes on a domestic and international scale. Grange fields experience in project procurement, finance and regulatory matters, and Carol Makutu is active on contentious construction mandates.

South Africa > Investment funds Tier 3

Head of banking and finance Craig Saven leads the investment fund practice at ENSafrica; the practice leverages the expertise of the corporate and tax departments, as well as the banking and finance group, to advise on a broad range of funds work. Johan Loubser has a solid track record in assisting with fund formation and regulatory matters, particularly venture capital and private equity funds, and advises managers, pension funds, collective investment schemes and hedge funds on regulatory issues. Alternative investment structures are a key area of strength for Jessica Blumenthal, Magda Snyckers specialises in tax issues, and Cheri Young advises on private equity and registered investment funds.