Baker & McKenzie has launched in South Africa with the hire of Dewey & LeBoeuf's 31-strong Johannesburg office, one of the disintegrating firm's last remaining international bases.

The move, which comes as Dewey filed for bankruptcy last night (28 May), will gift Bakers a fully operational South Africa presence.

The eight-partner Johannesburg team, which joined Dewey earlier this year from local firm Werksmans, includes co-managing partners Morne van der Merwe and Wildu du Plessis, projects partner Scott Brodsky and banking partner Chris Moraitis.