The corporate team at DLA Piper is ‘exceptionally knowledgeable’ and routinely advises on complex cross-border M&A transactions. Practice head Peter Bradshaw advises on public and private M&A, equity capital markets, and commercial law, with experience spanning the financial services, media, hospitality, food and beverage, and property sectors. Johannes Gouws has assisted with some of the foremost corporate transactions across the banking, insurance, agriculture, and retail industries, while Amy Eliason is skilled in equity capital markets, Marita van der Walt in corporate finance, Lorica Elferink in listings and public offerings, and Brian Malcomess in private and public mergers.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- The DLA team in South Africa consistently provides us with an outstanding service. Technically excellent, commercially aware, relevant to our industry needs, and reliably responsive against challenging timelines.
- Andrew Lewis and Brian Malcomess lead the DLA South Africa service delivery for us on M&A transactions across Africa, and not only ensure excellent service delivery but are a pleasure to work with.
- The individuals we work with are exceptional for their technical expertise and commercial insight, always delivering advice that is practical and strategic. They are highly responsive, collaborative, and proactive, often anticipating challenges before they arise. Partners like Johannes Gouws and Lorica Elferink demonstrate outstanding leadership and bring precision and attention to detail that consistently adds value. Their client-first mindset makes them trusted advisors.
- This firm consistently delivers clear, practical advice and handles complex transactions with speed and precision. We value their responsiveness and deep expertise. Compared to others, they offer global reach with personalized service, giving us confidence in every engagement and making them a trusted partner for strategic projects.
- 'Brian Malcomess leads the DLA Piper South Africa service delivery for us on M&A transactions across Africa, and not only ensures excellent service delivery, but is also a pleasure to work with.'
- 'This firm consistently delivers clear, practical advice and handles complex transactions with speed and precision. We value their responsiveness and deep expertise. Compared to others, they offer global reach with personalised service, giving us confidence in every engagement and making them a trusted partner for strategic projects.'
- 'The individuals we work with are exceptional for their technical expertise and commercial insight, always delivering advice that is practical and strategic. They are highly responsive, collaborative, and proactive, often anticipating challenges before they arise.'
- 'Partners like Johannes Gouws and Lorica Elferink demonstrate outstanding leadership and bring precision and attention to detail that consistently adds value. Their client-first mindset makes them trusted advisors.'
- ‘The DLA Piper team is practical, commercial and responsive. Their strong mix of technical knowledge and commercial acumen sets them head and shoulders above the rest of the market.’
- ‘Johannes Gouws and Peter Bradshaw are excellent at what they do. They are certainly our go-to practitioners for complex, cross-border public M&A matters. With their unique styles, they are both solution-oriented, knowledgeable and great to work with.’
Key clients
- Barloworld
- FirstRand Limited
- Kleoss Capital
- Shoprite Checkers Proprietary
- Sanlam Life Insurance Limited
- Multichoice Group Limited
- Brait PLC
- Dogstar Mauritius
- Kanu Equipment (Pty) Limited
- ASPI
- Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd Yes
- Community Investment Holdings Limited
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Peter Bradshaw
Other key lawyers
Johannes Gouws; Amy Eliason; Marita van der Walt; Lorica Elferink; Brian Malcomess