Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) is a full-service law firm – with an extensive reach across Africa – consisting of more than 260 lawyers and a track record spanning over 170 years.

Offering across the African continent: CDH’s Africa practice leverages resources and expertise of leading business law firms across the continent, tapping into a wealth of experience, particularly when it comes to acting for governments, state agencies and multinational organisations. Our Nairobi office, Kieti Law LLP, is a leading Kenyan law firm that provides personalised legal services of the highest quality in key specialist areas of practice. Our Africa practice brings together the resources and expertise of leading business law firms across the continent that have direct experience acting for governments, state agencies and multinational organisations. This combined experience across the continent produces an extensive African capability. We also partner with other professional disciplines such as audit, business consulting or corporate finance disciplines to provide a seamless and integrated solution for projects that have a multi-disciplinary dimension.

We focus on a number of key sectors which are active and thriving in Africa, including mergers and acquisitions; agriculture, aquaculture and fishing; commercial real estate; construction and engineering; consumer goods, services and retail; energy and power; oil and gas; financial institutions, services and fintech; business rescue, restructuring and insolvency; government and state-owned entities; healthcare and pharmaceuticals;  hospitality and leisure;  gambling and regulatory compliance; industrials, manufacturing and trading; transport and logistics; mining and minerals; private equity; and technology and communications.

Areas of practice: The firm’s corporate and commercial offering covers the full spectrum of business legal services, which it delivers through core practice areas and sector teams.

CDH has 11 esteemed core practice areas: corporate and commercial; competition law; dispute resolution; employment law; environmental law; finance & banking; pro bono and human rights; real estate law; tax and exchange control; technology and communications; and trusts and estates. The firm also has dedicated sector teams composed of lawyers from across practice areas, bringing a wealth of experience to key industries.

Whether needing seamless coordination across a number of jurisdictions or delivery in a single location, the firm’s clients can rely on advice that is underpinned by a solid understanding of both local and international considerations.

Diversity: CDH values diversity, respect for the individual and equal opportunity. At CDH, transformation is considered the shared responsibility of everyone in the firm. The firm puts a great deal of energy and time into its ongoing initiatives which aim to achieve CDH’s greater transformation aspirations.

Corporate responsibility: CDH undertakes to look after the communities in which it operates through pro bono and volunteer work. To this end, CDH’s dedicated pro bono and human rights practice facilitates access to justice for the disadvantaged and vulnerable. On 27 January 2022, CDH’s pro bono and human rights practice was awarded several accolades in the ProBono.Org 2021 Awards Ceremony for its commitment to serving vulnerable individuals, organisations, and communities through providing access to justice.