Baker & McKenzie hires Dewey's Johannesburg team

Baker & McKenzie has hired the entire Johannesburg office of Dewey & LeBoeuf, scooping up the fully operational South African team as Dewey makes its last gurgle. The Johannesburg team joined Dewey earlier this year from local firm Werksmans. The team is led by co-managing partners Morne van der Merwe and Wildu du Plessis and consists of 16 lawyers, including eight partners, and 15 professional staff. The team has particular expertise in energy, mining and infrastructure, project finance, banking and capital markets, securitization, M&A and private equity work. Baker & McKenzie is currently considering which partners will join the firm as salaried partners and which will join as equity partners. The firm’s chairman Eduardo Leite commented: "As the continent's largest economy and biggest recipient of foreign direct investment, South Africa is the linchpin for our expansion plans for the continent. We are pleased to add such a strong team to better serve clients' growing interest in this fast-growing region."

Baker & McKenzie hires Dewey's Johannesburg team law.com Thu, May 31, 2012