Judges decisions are final. Due to the high volume of entries we receive, we cannot provide individual feedback on unsuccessful entries.

Should you require a visa to attend the awards in Johannesburg, we strongly suggest you make plans as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Letters of invitation can be provided on request, please contact awardsinfo@alm.com

In-House Categories

General Counsel of the Year

  • Andrita Maharaj, TMF Group
  • Carina Wessels, Alexforbes
  • Jeannine Naude-Viljoen, TransUnion Africa
  • Michael Maistry, Roche
  • Shadrach Iguh, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit)
  • Tyrone Reis, PepsiCo
  • Yesthiel Singh, IQbusiness

In-House Rising Star Award

  • Dalila Djamane, Mountain view
  • Fezile Nqiwa, Takealot Group
  • Fiona Rollason, Alexforbes
  • Jens Heyerdahl, Pick n Pay
  • Lebo Setshogwe, Absa Bank Corporate and Investment Banking (Absa CIB)
  • Mitchell Cason, Sappi Southern Africa
  • Mubeen Sablay, PepsiCo
  • Nqolokazi Nomvalo, Life Healthcare Group
  • Oluwatimilehin Oladeji, Moneda Investment
  • Shruti Singh, Sun International
  • Thandeka Nene-Matlou, Development Bank of Southern Africa

Legal Department of the Year - Banking & Finance

  • Absa Bank Corporate and Investment Banking (Absa CIB)
  • Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit)
  • National Bank of Egypt
  • Standard Chartered Bank

Legal Department of the Year - Large Team

  • Absa Bank
  • IHS
  • Lesaka Technologies
  • Mediterranean Shipping Company
  • National Bank of Egypt
  • Standard Chartered Bank
  • Takealot Group
  • TransUnion
  • Unilever

Legal Department of the Year - Small Team

  • AFGRI Group
  • Infinity Power Holding B.V.
  • Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit)
  • L’Oreal
  • PepsiCo
  • Uber

Risk & Compliance Department of the Year

  • AFGRI Group
  • City of Cape Town
  • Professional Provident Society Healthcare Administrators
  • Roche

Private Practice Categories

African Law Firm of the Year

  • Africa Law Partners
  • ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Bowmans
  • CLG
  • G. Elias
  • JLA Advogados
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • Thiam & Associés
  • Webber Wentzel

African Law Firm of the Year – East Africa

  • ADRA Advocates
  • Africa Law Partners
  • Bowmans
  • Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Incorporating Kieti Law
  • CMS | Daly Inamdar Advocates
  • DLA Piper Africa
  • Extent Corporate Advisory
  • MMAN Advocates
  • Mutawinat Benevolent Company
  • Tara Advocates
  • TripleOKLaw

African Law Firm of the Year – North Africa

  • DLA Piper Africa
  • Eversheds Sutherland Elheni In association with Elheni Law Firm
  • Global Law Firm & Partners

African Law Firm of the Year – Southern Africa

  • Bowmans
  • Couto, Graça e Associados
  • DLA Piper Africa
  • JLA Advogados
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • Mulenga Mundashi Legal Practitioners
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Nupen Staude de Vries
  • PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • Webber Wentzel
  • WMN Attorneys

African Law Firm of the Year – West Africa

  • ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • DLA Piper Africa
  • Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
  • FBL Advogados
  • G. Elias
  • N. Dowuona and Company
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • Pavestones Legal
  • Thiam & Associés

African Network / Alliance of the Year

  • Abreu Advogados
  • ALN
  • CMS
  • DLA Piper Africa
  • LEX Africa
  • Miranda Alliance
  • Morais Leitão, Galvão Teles, Soares da Silva & Associados
  • PH Attorneys
  • PLMJ Colab
  • TerraLex Africa
  • Webber Wentzel

Banking & Finance Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm 
(A large firm is classified by being top 25 in the Africa Top 50 or in the Global 100)

  • A&O Shearman
  • AELEX
  • ALN | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Bowmans
  • CMS
  • Dentons
  • Fasken
  • Hogan Lovells
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • Webber Wentzel

Banking & Finance Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm

  • Couto, Graça e Associados
  • Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
  • GDA Advogados
  • Jackson, Etti & Edu
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • MMAN Advocates
  • Mulenga Mundashi Legal Practitioners
  • Muma and Kanjama Advocates
  • PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • TripleOKLaw
  • TTA - Sociedade de Advogados

Capital Markets Team of the Year

  • A&O Shearman
  • ALN | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • IKM Advocates (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Fasken
  • G. Elias
  • Moira Mukuka Legal Practitioners
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • TripleOKLaw
  • Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
  • Wigwe & Partners

Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year

  • Africa Law Partners
  • ALN | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • IKM Advocates (DLA Piper Africa)
  • SAL & Caldeira Advogados (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Fasken
  • Mulenga Mundashi Legal Practitioners
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • PH Attorneys
  • Primerio
  • Webber Wentzel

Employment Law Team of the Year

  • AELEX
  • ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • Bowmans
  • Clyde & Co
  • CMS
  • Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • TTA - Sociedade de Advogados

Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Team of the Year - Large Firm
(A large firm is classified by being top 25 in the Africa Top 50 or the Global 100)

  • A&O Shearman
  • Adepetun Caxton Martins Agbor & Según (Dentons ACAS-Law)
  • AELEX
  • ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • Bowmans
  • Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Incorporating Kieti Law
  • CMS
  • Covington
  • Hogan Lovells
  • IKM Advocates (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Pinsent Masons
  • Webber Wentzel

Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm

  • ASP Advogados
  • Corpus Legal Practitioners
  • Jackson, Etti & Edu
  • LnP Beyond Legal
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • SNC Incorporated

International Law Firm of the Year

  • Baker McKenzie
  • BonelliErede
  • Clyde & Co
  • DLA Piper
  • Giambrone & Partners
  • Hogan Lovells
  • Miranda & Associados
  • PLMJ
  • VdA - Vieira de Almeida

IP Team of the Year

  • Adams & Adams
  • Africa Law Partners
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • Bowmans
  • Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Incorporating Kieti Law
  • Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
  • G. Elias
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • Webber Wentzel

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm
(A large firm is classified by being top 25 in the Africa Top 50 or in the Global 100)

  • AELEX
  • ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • Bowmans
  • Clyde & Co
  • CMS
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • Pinsent Masons
  • Webber Wentzel
  • Werksmans Attorneys

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm

  • ADRA Advocates
  • Cox Yeats Attorneys
  • Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
  • Gwina Attorneys Incorporated
  • Lawtons
  • LnP Beyond Legal
  • Mulenga Mundashi Legal Practitioners
  • Muma and Kanjama Advocates
  • Thiam & Associés
  • TripleOKLaw

M&A Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm
(A large firm is classified by being top 25 in the Africa Top 50 or in the Global 100)

  • ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Bowmans
  • Clyde & Co
  • CMS South Africa
  • IKM Advocates (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • ENSafrica
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • Webber Wentzel
  • Werksmans Attorneys

M&A Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm

  • Gwina Attorneys
  • PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • Thiam & Associés
  • Wigwe & Partners

Partner of the Year – East Africa

  • Charles Kanjama, SC, Muma and Kanjama Advocates
  • Daniel Ngumy, ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Wilbert Kapinga, Bowmans
  • Guilherme Daniel, GDA Advogados
  • John M Ohaga, TripleOKLaw
  • Nabiry Juma Jumanne, Extent Corporate Advisory
  • Peter Kasanda, Clyde & Co 
  • Sammy Ndolo, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Incorporating Kieti Law

Partner of the Year – North Africa

  • Kamal Nasrollah, Baker McKenzie
  • Moulay Mohamed Lahbib Rhalib, Giambrone & Partners

Partner of the Year – Southern Africa

  • António de Sousa Penelas, ASP Advogados
  • Cameron Staude, Nupen Staude de Vries
  • Eduardo Alberto Calú, SAL & Caldeira Advogados (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Kevin Trudgeon, Werksmans Attorneys
  • Lydia Shadrach-Razzino, Baker McKenzie
  • Megan Harrington-Johnson, Harrington Johnson Wands Attorneys
  • Mlungisi Mahlangu, Webber Wentzel
  • Ricardo Pillay, LnP Beyond Legal
  • Ryan Wessels, Bowmans
  • Zara Jamal, JLA Advogados

Partner of the Year – West Africa

  • Adeleke Alex-Adedipe, Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
  • Aderonke Alex-Adedipe, Pavestones Legal
  • Baba Hady Thiam, Thiam & Associés
  • Fidelis Adewole, G. Elias
  • NanaAma Botchway, N. Dowuona and Company
  • Oladele Oladunjoye, Greychapel Legal
  • Samuel Salako, Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Uche Wigwe, Wigwe & Partners

Private Equity Team of the Year

  • Baker McKenzie
  • Barnard Incorporated
  • Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah
  • Bowmans
  • CMS
  • Hogan Lovells
  • Olaniwun Ajayi
  • TripleOKLaw
  • Webber Wentzel
  • Werksmans Attorneys

Private Practice Most Promising Newcomer Award

  • Alex Ndegwa, Bowmans
  • Bukhobethu Matyeni, Herold Gie Attorneys
  • Daniel Muroki, TripleOKLaw
  • Dylan Theunissen, Webber Wentzel
  • Elijah Joseph, ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Jabu Khumalo, Lopes Attorneys
  • Juniours Moremi, Tugendhaft Wapnick Banchetti and Partners
  • Michaela Holl, Rupert Candy Attorneys
  • Puleng Mothabeng, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
  • Sipho Mtsweni, Lawtons

Private Practice Rising Star Award

  • Ariana Issaias, Bowmans
  • Aurélie Chazai, Chazai Wamba
  • Barbara Kwanga, Bond Advocates
  • Darren Hardie, Tiefenthaler Africa
  • Erwyn Durman, Webber Wentzel
  • Ganiyat Seriki, Olaniwun Ajayi
  • Jaimé-Lee Jacobs, Herold Gie Attorneys
  • Kyra South, Werksmans Attorneys
  • Lebogang Molebale, CMS
  • Simone Izzard, Hogan Lovells
  • Tochukwu Anaenugwu, ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Zaakira Haffejee, Lawtons

Property and Construction Team of the Year

  • ALN| Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • Bowmans
  • G. Elias
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Pinsent Masons
  • Tiefenthaler Africa
  • TTA - Sociedade de Advogados
  • Wigwe & Partners

Restructuring Team of the Year

  • A&O Shearman
  • ALN| Aluko & Oyebode
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Bowmans
  • Clyde & Co
  • CMS
  • Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • G. Elias
  • Hogan Lovells

Specialist Law Firm of the Year

  • ADRA Advocates
  • Beech Veltman
  • Dentons
  • LnP Beyond Legal
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • Nupen Staude de Vries
  • Palesa Maseko and Associates
  • Rammika Tafa & Jallow
  • Spoor & Fisher
  • WMN Attorneys

Tax Team of the Year

  • AELEX
  • ALN | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • Bowmans
  • SAL & Caldeira Advogados (DLA Piper Africa)
  • G. Elias
  • Prism Chambers
  • TripleOKLaw
  • Webber Wentzel

TMT Team of the Year

  • ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna
  • ALN | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Bowmans
  • Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
  • Eversheds Sutherland
  • Lighthouse Law
  • PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • Webber Wentzel

Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year

  • A&O Shearman
  • ALN | Aluko & Oyebode
  • ASP Advogados
  • Baker McKenzie
  • Banwo & Ighodalo
  • CMS South Africa
  • IKM Advocates (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Hogan Lovells
  • LnP Beyond Legal
  • Thiam & Associés

Awards Open to both Private Practice & In-House

Best Use of Technology

  • AL-Othman Law Firm
  • AngloAmerican
  • Bowmans
  • Lighthouse Law
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • National Bank of Egypt
  • Sheria Kiganjani
  • Takealot Group
  • Webber Wentzel

CSR, Diversity, Transformation and Economic Empowerment Award

  • DLA Piper
  • Fasken
  • Lawtons
  • Lighthouse Law
  • Lopes Attorneys
  • National Bank of Egypt
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Pinsent Masons
  • PLMJ Colab
  • Sheria Kiganjani
  • Webber Wentzel

ESG Initiative of the Year

  • Alexforbes
  • Bowmans
  • National Bank of Egypt
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Sitef & Co
  • Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Legal Task Force
  • Webber Wentzel

Innovation Award

  • Afriwise
  • Bowmans
  • Briefco Legal Cost Consultants
  • Legalese
  • Lighthouse Law
  • National Bank of Egypt
  • Professional Provident Society Healthcare Administrators
  • South African Legal Technology Network
  • THEMIS
  • Webber Wentzel

Women Leaders in Law - In-House/Vendor

  • Carina Wessels, Alexforbes
  • Catherine-Jane Paulse, BriefCo and South African Legal Technology Network
  • Riaana Sayed, City of Cape Town Municipality
  • Seun Timi-Koleolu, Pavestones Legal

Women Leaders in Law - Private Practice

  • Adela Petersen, Fairbridges Wertheim Becker
  • Bola Tinubu, Olajide Oyewole (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Dhouha Allagui, Global Law Firm & Partners
  • Gimina Mahumana Langa, SAL & Caldeira Advogados (DLA Piper Africa)
  • Johanne Hague, Prism Chambers
  • Kemilembe Barongo, Port Town Legal
  • Kofo Dosekun, ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
  • Lili Nupen, Nupen Staude de Vries
  • Marysheila Onyango-Oduor, TripleOKLaw
  • Neema Ayoub Magimba, Extent Corporate Advisory
  • Renata Valenti, PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados
  • Winnie Mbali Zama Ngcobo, WMN Attorneys