Accolades |
The legal system |
Practice areas |
www.cliffedekker-hofmeyr.com
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is part of the DLA Piper Group and is based in South Africa’s main financial centres, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
We are one of the largest law firms in South Africa with 130 directors and more than 280 lawyers. We provide an extensive range of legal services through various practice areas.
Accolades
- For the past five years, the PMR Africa annual survey has rated us as one of the top two large law firms in South Africa.
- For three years in succession, we have ranked first in Corporate South Africa's rankings.
- We have won the prestigious Diamond Arrow award for the last three years.
- Our Corporate/M&A practice is ranked in the top tier of both Chambers Global 2008 and Legal 500 EMEA 2008. It is also highly recommended in both the Practical Law Company Cross-border M&A Handbook and Which Lawyer? 2008.
- Chambers Global 2008 ranked eighteen of our lawyers as leaders in their fields.
- Chambers Global 2008 ranked our Competition/Antitrust practice very highly.
- Cliffe Dekker was legal adviser to Anooraq Resources on the 2007 Dealmakers ‘Deal of the Year’.
- We are named as the leading Capital Markets: debt and equity practice for South Africa in the Practical Law Company Cross-border Banking and Finance Handbook in 2008.
- Our Dispute Resolution practice is ranked in the top tier in the Legal 500 EMEA 2008, and No 1 in South Africa by Best Lawyers International 2008. It is also highly recommended in Chambers Global 2008, the PLC Handbooks and Which Lawyer? 2008.
- Chambers Global, the PLC Handbooks and Which Lawyer? all highly recommend our Corporate, Real Estate, Restructuring and Insolvency, and Labour and Employee Benefits practices.
The legal system
Companies investing in South Africa are well protected and regulated by the country’s legal system, which is based on Roman-Dutch law. English law also has an influence, especially in public law issues, including legal institutions and the legal profession.
South Africa’s legal system was radically transformed in the early 1990s as the Apartheid-based constitutional system was restructured. Ultimately, democracy was introduced under the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, 1996.
South Africa has a progressive legal framework. Legislation covering commerce, employment and maritime issues is particularly well developed, and laws relating to competition policy, copyright, patents, trademarks and disputes conform to international norms and conventions.
Sanctity of contract is protected under common law, and independent courts ensure respect for commercial rights and obligations. The independence of the judiciary is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Within the Constitution is a Bill of Rights that is interpreted liberally by South Africa’s courts with a strong emphasis on human rights. Among the rights stipulated are those of equality, freedom of expression and association, political and property rights, housing, health care, education, access to information and access to courts.
South Africa’s constitutional democracy has a three-tier system of government and each tier has legislative and executive authority in its own sphere. In addition, there is an independent judiciary. The President of South Africa is chosen by members of the National Assembly, which together with the National Council of Provinces makes up the South African Parliament. Parliament is the legislative authority of the country, and is empowered to make laws for the country in accordance with the Constitution.
Practice areas
The firm has a broad range of practice areas that include: Corporate and Commercial (including Intellectual Property); Competition; Dispute Resolution; Litigation and Arbitration; Employment; Environmental; Finance, Projects and Banking; Real Estate; Tax; Technology, Media and Telecoms; and Trusts and Estates.
For more information please visit:
www.cliffedekker-hofmeyr.com.