OVER 400 STAFF OVER 180 LAWYERS NATIONAL FOOTPRINT AFRICAN REACH LEX AFRICA RANKED TIER 1 LEGAL NETWORK BY CHAMBERS GLOBAL 2015 WERKSMANS ATTORNEYS Established in the early 1900s, Werksmans Attorneys is a leading South African corporate and commercial law firm serving multinationals, listed companies, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and government. REPRESENTATION IN OVER 20 AFRICAN COUNTRIES THROUGH THE WERKSMANS LEX AFRICA LEGAL ALLIANCE Keep us close The corporate & commercial law firm www.werksmans.com A member of the LEX Africa legal network
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OVER
400 STAFF
OVER
180 LAWYERS
NATIONAL FOOTPRINT
AFRICANREACH
LEX AFRICA RANKED
TIER 1 LEGAL NETWORK BY
CHAMBERS GLOBAL 2015
WERKSMANS ATTORNEYS
Established in the early 1900s, Werksmans Attorneys is a leading South African corporate and commercial law firm serving multinationals, listed companies, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and government.
REPRESENTATION IN OVER 20
AFRICAN COUNTRIES
THROUGH THEWERKSMANS LEX
AFRICA LEGAL ALLIANCE
Keep us close
The corporate & commercial law firm
www.werksmans.com
A member of the LEX Africa legal network
ABOUT US With a formidable track record in mergers &
acquisitions, banking & finance, and commercial
litigation & dispute resolution, we are
distinguished by the people, clients and work that
we attract and retain.
FOCUS AND APPROACH
As a corporate and commercial law firm, we
focus specifically on the needs of businesses/
commercial agendas. We make it our
responsibility to understand the full impact of our
advice on all facets of our clients’ businesses.
AGILE, EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE
We are geared for agility, efficiency and
accessibility through our geographic footprint, the
range of services we offer, the way we structure
our teams and how we interact with our clients.
INNOVATION
Our pursuit of innovation has been relentless. Ever
since Mr Jan S. De Villiers opened his law practice
in Cape Town in the early 1900s and Mr Nathan
Werksman founded Werksmans in Johannesburg
in 1917, the firm has been at the cutting edge of
corporate and commercial law in South Africa.
COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK
A strong culture of teamwork and collaboration
exists across the diverse skills base of our
organisation, ensuring that skills are deployed to
match each client’s requirements and that our
clients receive the best and most comprehensive
advice possible.
“Very good - Werksmans stays one of the favourites” Banking and Finance practice area
Chambers Global 2015
Our lawyers are a powerful team of independent-
minded individuals who share a common service
ethos. Our success is built on a solid foundation
of insightful and innovative deal-structuring and
legal advice; a keen understanding of business
and economic imperatives; and a strong focus on
achieving the best legal outcome for clients.
PRACTICE AREASAfrica
Insolvency, Business Rescue & Restructuring
Intellectual Property
Investments & Private Equity
Labour & Employment
Media & Communications
Mining & Resources
Pro Bono
Property & Real Estate
Sport & Entertainment
Technology
Tax
Banking & Finance
Arbitration
Business Crime & Forensics
Competition
China
Construction & Engineering
Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions
Dispute Resolution
Energy
Environmental
Financial Services Regulation
Healthcare & Life Sciences
LEADERSHIP AT WERKSMANS ATTORNEYS
1 March 2015 marked the beginning of a new chapter for Werksmans with David Hertz commencing his four year tenure as the firm’s Chairman. We also welcomed a new Head of Commercial, Kevin Trudgeon, who has been a Director at Werksmans since 1998 and our new Head of Litigation, Corlett Manaka, who has been a Director with Werksmans since 2006. Under their combined leadership we are confident that the firm will continue to cement its status as a premier corporate law firm in the country.
DAVIDHERTZ
CORLETT MANAKA
CHAIRMAN
David joined Werksmans as a Candidate Attorney in 1989 and has been a part of the firm’s DNA ever since. He has been a leading lawyer in numerous independently-conducted ratings of the legal profession locally and internationally, led Werksmans Dispute Resolution & Litigation Practice for ten years to its current pre-eminent position, and all the while has contributed enormously to the firm’s success and strategic vision. His passion and dedication to the firm are highly valued by both colleagues and clients.
HEAD OF LITIGATION
Corlett joined the firm following its merger with Nalane Manaka, a leading black law firm, which he co-founded in 1999. Corlett is a skilled litigator and serves on the boards of various companies and institutions.
He has represented private and government entities on matters relating to constitutional & administrative law, corporate law, competition law, local government law, gambling law and aviation law.
“Very quick turnaround. Always available, day or night” Corporate M&A practice area
Chambers Global 2015
KEVINTRUDGEON
HEAD OF COMMERCIAL
Kevin joined Werksmans as a Canditate Attorney in 1994. He specialises in corporate finance and M&A transactions. He has advised on a number of the most significant markets and M&A transactions undertaken in South Africa. He also has vast financial experience having worked on numerous groundbreaking financial transactions.
AFRICA REACHAfrica is a continent of great opportunity, but also one of diverse challenges and legal risks. It is important, then, to have a comprehensive understanding of applicable laws, business etiquette and cultural practices when doing business in Africa. Our in-depth expertise and years of experience enables us to anticipate challenges and mitigate risks.
Since the beginning, Werksmans has been Africa’s pioneering law firm. A founding member of LEX Africa, we have an enviable track record and experience in advising on multi-jurisdictional transactions, dispute resolution and other regulatory matters both commercial and corporate. Africa is integral to all we do and all our lawyers are proudly African. Our fully integrated and seamless services work across Africa to provide innovative solutions and legal advice.
LEX Africa’s primary focus is to provide sound legal advice through reputable legal experts, minimising risk and maximising benefits from African opportunities. Through LEX Africa, Werksmans’ clients have access to a pool of qualified and reputable lawyers and representation in over 20 African countries. LEX Africa was founded in 1993, the first African legal alliance of its kind, with Werksmans being the first South African law firm to establish formal relationships with fellow African law firms through such an alliance.
REUNIONISLAND
SENEGAL
GHANANIGERIA
ETHIOPIA
DRC
UGANDA
KENYA
TANZANIA
ZAMBIA
MALAWI
ANGOLA
NAMIBIABOTSWANA
ZIMBABWE
SWAZILAND
SOUTHAFRICA
MAURITIUS
LESOTHO
MOZAMBIQUE
Over
20 African countries
LEX AFRICA RANKED
TIER 1 AFRICAN LEGAL ALLIANCE
BY CHAMBERS GLOBAL 2015
FIRST AFRICAN LEGAL ALLIANCE
OF ITS KIND
MARKETPLACE ACCOLADES
Werksmans is recognised in Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Mining, Intellectual Property, Media & Broadcasting, Projects & Energy and Tax.
Werksmans has consistently been recognised as amongst the leading legal advisers for its M&A and General Corporate Finance work.
Our 2014 accolades include: Legal advisors for listed companies > 1st place - Corporate finance by deal value;> 3rd place - M&A by deal value; and> 4th place - M&A by deal flow.
Legal advisors for unlisted companies: > 1st place - M&A by deal flow; and> 1st place - M&A by deal value.
In addition to the above, Werksmans acted as South African legal advisors to David Jones in relation to the Woolworths/David Jones acquisition which was nominated as the “Deal of the Year”.
Werksmans has consistently ranked amongst the leading legal advisors by Mergermarket’s League Table of Legal Advisors to Africa & Middle East. Mergermarket is a global M&A intelligence service that focuses exclusively on deals worth more than $5 million.
Werksmans is recognised in Banking, Project Finance, Capital Markets, Competition, M&A and Energy & Infrastructure.
Numerous Werksmans lawyers are recognised as leaders in their fields of practice including: Arbitration, Asset Recovery, Banking, Capital Markets, Commercial Litigation, Competition, Corporate Governance, Corporate Tax, M&A, Mining, Product Liability Defence, Telecoms and Regulatory Communications.
Werksmans is recognised in Banking & Finance, Competition, Corporate and M&A, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Labour and Employment, Mining, Projects and Infrastructure and Tax.
CHAMBERS GLOBAL
DEALMAKERS
MERGERMARKET
IFLR1000 (FINANCIAL & CORPORATE AND ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE)
INTERNATIONAL WHO’S WHO LEGAL
LEGAL 500
PRO BONOAs a leading South African corporate and commercial law firm, Werksmans recognises its responsibility to the larger community – the constitutional imperative of access to justice for all, especially the poor and vulnerable. We do this by providing pro bono legal services.
For the last five years, we have focused our efforts on matters of public significance that have an impact on people and the environment. Legal advice clinics like the Werksmans Consumer Law Clinic act as the main component of our commitment.
This law clinic is the only one of its kind in the Diepsloot area (a township north of Johannesburg) and provides legal advice on general issues. These include: protection under the Consumer Protection Act and National Credit Act; access to services including social grants and identity documents; advice on the understanding of contracts; and property-related queries.
“Focused advice. Fast and approachable”
“Werksmans stays one of the favourites”
Construction practice areaChambers Global 2015
Corporate M&A practice areaChambers Global 2015
“Amongst the most active in the region”
“They answer immediately, help you in any way you want and take care of your commercial interests”
“I’m very happy - they proposed a very good strategy”
Dispute Resolution practice areaChambers Global 2015
Construction practice areaChambers Global 2015
Dispute Resolution practice areaChambers Global 2015
DISPUTE RESOLUTIONComair v SAA and others – Successfully represented three major South African financial institutions in securing loans advanced to SAA
aggregating in value to in excess of R4.5 billion.
Clifton Dunes Investment 100 Limited v City Capital SA Property Limited – Successfully represented City Capital SA Property Holdings Limited
before the Supreme Court of Appeal in a matter run as a test case and affects 76 other property syndicated companies.
Medirite Pty Ltd v South African Pharmacy Council and another – Successfully represented Medirite (Pty) Ltd, in challenging the amendment to the
good pharmacy practice rules published by the Pharmacy Council. Medirite was unsuccessful at High Court level; the appeal was successful before
the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Riloe Beleggings v Business Rescue Practitioner – Successfully represented the shareholders of Riloe Beleggings (“Riloe”) in an urgent interim
interdict application pursuant to the adoption of a business rescue plan in Riloe.
Heritage Western Cape v Elandsfontein Exploration and Mining Pty Ltd and 4 others – Successfully represented Elandsfontein Exploration and
Mining Pty Ltd in opposing an urgent interdict launched to preclude the continuation of certain activities in terms of its Mining Right. Werksmans
facilitated a meeting with the Premier’s legal advisor aimed at brokering the settlement of the matter. We then assisted the client in drafting and
securing a heritage agreement with HWC in accordance with the National Heritage Resources Act, 1999, which permitted client to continue with
its work programme. This was a landmark settlement and the first heritage agreement of its kind in the Western Cape.
Energy Plc v Falk Real Estate (SA) Proprietary Limited and Alexander Falk – Obtained an order recognising and enforcing in South Africa a judgment
of a German court in an amount of €208 000 000. This is the first enforcement of a foreign judgment in South Africa while it was subject to a
pending appeal in its country of origin.
Kamoto Copper Company SARL v Zhongji Development Construction Engineering Company Limited – Successfully represented Kamoto Copper
Company SARL (a Democratic Republic of Congo company) against Zhongji Development Construction Engineering Company Limited in
proceedings arising from the supply and construction of civil work for the supply of cement involving an amount of US$40 million.
CORPORATE MERGERS & ACQUISITIONSDESCRIPTION OF MATTER AND OUR ROLE APPROXIMATE VALUEAdvised Hebei Iron & Steel Group Co. Ltd, Tewoo Group Co. Ltd, General Nice Development Ltd and
China-Africa Development Corporation Fund Co. Ltd on their acquisition of Rio Tinto and Anglo
American’s share in Palabora Mining Company Limited.R5,3 billion
Advised Glencore Xstrata on its secondary listing on JSE Limited. R755 billion
Advised Liberty Group Limited of the purchase of 25% undivided ownership in the business carried
out in the Melrose Arch Precinct.R1,5 billion
Advised NedGroup on acquiring control of Banco Unico and 36.45% of the shares in the share
capital of Banco Único from Gevisar.729,295,500 Meticais
Advised Kagiso Media Limited on the offer by KTH Media Holdings to acquire 100% of the shares
in Kagiso Media Limited.R1,8 billion
Advised Jinchuan Group Ltd and China-Africa Development Fund on their acquisition of 46% of
the issued share capital of Wesizwe Platinum Ltd.US$227 million
Advised Absa Bank and Equity Estates of the sale of shares and claims agreement in terms of
which Equity Estates sold 100% of the shares in Abseq to Growthpoint.R1,3 billion