Bowmans

Bowmans helps its clients manage legal complexity and unlock opportunity in Africa. Its enviable track record of providing legal services to the highest professional standards on the continent, spans corporate, finance, competition, taxation, employment, technology and dispute resolution matters.

With over 500 specialist lawyers, Bowmans draws on its unique knowledge of the business and socio-political environment in Africa to advise on a wide range of legal issues.

The firm delivers integrated legal services from seven offices (Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Moka and Nairobi) in five countries (Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia).

Everywhere it operates, Bowmans offers its clients a service that uniquely blends expertise in the law, knowledge of the local market, and an understanding of their businesses. The firm’s aim is to assist its clients to achieve their objectives as smoothly and efficiently as possible while minimising the legal and regulatory risks.

The firm works closely with its Alliance firms Aman & Partners LLP in Ethiopia and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie in Nigeria. Bowmans has special relationships with firms in Mozambique and Uganda; a non-exclusive co-operation agreement with French international law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel that provides access to lawyers in francophone west and north Africa; regularly works with other leading independent law firms across the rest of Africa; and is a representative of Lex Mundi, a global association independent law firms in more than 125 countries.

Clients include domestic and foreign corporates, multinationals, funds and financial institutions, across a range of industry sectors, as well as state-owned enterprises and governments.

Bowmans’ expertise is frequently recognised by independent research organisations. Most recently, its South African practice won the 2023 Chambers Africa Award for Law Firm of the Year in South Africa. Bowmans also won six IFLR Africa Awards and four Africa Legal Awards in 2022.

With more than 300 lawyers and a total staff complement of over 550, Bowmans is widely regarded as one of the leading corporate law firms in South Africa.

Main areas of specialisation:
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment
Banking and Financial Services Regulatory
Commercial Property
Competition
Corporate Services
Data Protection
Dispute Resolution
Employment and Benefits
Environmental Law
Equity Capital Markets
Finance
Fintech
Governance, Compliance and Investigations
Government Contracting and Public Procurement
Intellectual Property
International Arbitration
Litigation and Arbitration
Mergers and Acquisitions
Oil and Gas
Private Equity
Project Finance
Regulatory Services
Restructuring
Shipping, Aviation and Logistics
Tax

Main sectors of practice:
Aviation
Construction
Consumer Goods
Education
Energy
Financial Institutions
Hotels and Leisure
Industrials
Infrastructure 
Mining 
Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare 
Ports, Transport and Logistics
Technology, Media and Telecommunications

Offices:
KENYA: Nairobi
T: +254 20 289 9000 Fax: +254 20 289 9100
E: [email protected]
Contact: Paras Shah – managing partner, Kenya

MAURITIUS: Moka
T: +230 460 5959
E: [email protected]
Contact: Fazil Hossenkhan – managing partner, Mauritius

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town
T: +27 21 480 7800
E: [email protected]
Contact: Deon de Klerk – key contact, Cape Town

SOUTH AFRICA: Durban
T: +27 31 265 0651
E: [email protected]
Contact: Andrew Pike – key contact, Durban

SOUTH AFRICA: Johannesburg
T: + 27 11 669 9000
E: [email protected]
Contact: Alan Keep – managing partner, the group

TANZANIA: Dar es Salaam
T: +255 76 898 8640
E: [email protected]
Contact: Wilbert Kapinga – managing partner, Tanzania

ZAMBIA: Lusaka
T: +260 21 135 6638
E: [email protected]
Contact: Mabvuto Sakala – managing partner, Lusaka