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Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc

Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc

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South Africa

2

Employment

Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc‘s ’personable’ employment team is well known for handling the employment aspects of complex transactional and compliance issues, union disputes, investigations, and senior-level dismissals. Practice head Karen Ainslie boasts extensive litigation experience and routinely advises on restructurings, executive dismissals, and employment matters regarding transfers and mergers. Jason Whyte has experience representing clients in the CCMA, industry councils, and Labour Courts. Murray Alexander is adept in organisational rights matters and collective bargaining, and Brian Denny, Mohammed Chavoos, and Gillian Lumb  further strengthen the team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘They are highly qualified and specialists in their own fields.'
  • 'They are made of a diverse race group which represent the different race populations in South Africa.'
  • 'They work exceptionally well as a team and they collaborate in such way that they maximise their resources and their strength.'
  • 'Mohammed Chavoos really stands out.'
  • 'The team is practical, has a deep understanding of the business and its needs and deliver practical legal solutions with quick turn arounds.'

Key clients

  • PepsiCo Inc, specifically Pioneer Foods (Pty) Ltd
  • KAL Group, specially Agrimark Operations Limited
  • National Brands Limited
  • Hillside Aluminium (Pty) Ltd
  • Astrapak Manufacturing Holdings (Pty) Ltd
  • South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
  • Passenger Rail Agency Of South Africa
  • South African Custodial Management Services (Pty) Ltd
  • National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry
  • Travel Counsellors (Pty) Ltd

Work highlights

Advised the Commission for Gender Equality in Van Wyk and Others v Minister of Employment and Labour2024(1) SA 545 (GJ), where the client successfully had sections of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997 and Unemployment Insurance Fund Act, 2001 declared unconstitutional by reason of inconsistency with the right to equality and dignity.
Advising South African Custodial Management (Pty) Ltd and its shareholders, the GEO Group, in the United States of America, and Kensani Corrections Management (Pty) Ltd in defending a class action brought by prisoners incarcerated at its maximum-security prison for its alleged failure to feed and medicate prisoners during a prison riot orchestrated by a trade union which hijacked the central control room of the prison.
Advising Hillside Aluminium on an application to the Labour Court, brought by 38 ex-employees of the Company, to review and set aside the ruling of the Bargaining Council in an unfair dismissal dispute.

Lawyers

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Karen Ainslie
Karen Ainslie
Leading associates

Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Michael Balie
Michael Balie
Practice head

Karen Ainslie

Other key lawyers

Jason Whyte; Murray Alexander; Brian Denny; Mohammed Chavoos; Gillian Lumb; Michael Balie