The African Legal Awards 2016: who won what… and why 

There was a party atmosphere at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg as leading business lawyers gathered to celebrate the African Legal Awards.

The event, staged by Legal Week in association with the Counsel Association of South Africa (CCASA), took place on 9 September.

Overall, 26 awards were given out to celebrate the achievements of African in-house and private practice lawyers.

Clifford Chance (CC), Kenyan firm Anjarwalla & Khanna and Standard Chartered’s in-house team topped the bill, scooping major awards.

The evening culminated in a standing ovation for outgoing public protector Thuli Madonsela, who received the CCASA Achievement Award for her work rooting out corruption in South Africa’s government.

The judging panel was chaired by CCASA CEO Alison Lee and also included Talenta Chavalala, a senior legal adviser for the Development Bank of Southern Africa; and Bill Skirving, group legal adviser of the Hannover Reinsurance Group of Africa.

Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa Achievement Award
Thuli Madonsela

International Law Firm of the Year
Clifford Chance

African Law Firm of the Year – Large Practice
Anjarwalla & Khanna

African Law Firm of the Year – Small Practice
AB & David

General Counsel of the Year
Josie Lyon – Protea Hotel Group

Legal Department of the Year – Large Team
Standard Chartered Bank

Legal Department of the Year – Small Team
AFGRI Group

Africa Network of the Year
DLA Piper Africa Group

Innovation Award
Norton Rose Fulbright

CSR Initiative of the Year
Hogan Lovells

Diversity Initiative of the Year
Webber Wentzel

Attorney of the Year
Odette Geldenhuys – Webber Wentzel

Senior Corporate Counsel of the Year
Christian Kallenbach – Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa

Junior Corporate Counsel of the Year
Tammi McMahon-Panther – Procter & Gamble

Banking Finance & Restructuring Team of the Year
Bowmans

M&A Team of the Year
Webber Wentzel

Construction Team of the Year
White & Case and Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr

Property Team of the Year
Bowmans

Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year
DLA Piper and IKM

Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year
ENSafrica

IP Team of the Year
ENSafrica

Employment Team of the Year
Bowmans

TMT Team of the Year
Webber Wentzel

Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources Team of the Year
Baker & McKenzie

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year
Shepstone & Wylie

Restructuring Team of the Year
ENSafrica

Source: LegalWeek

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