Eversheds, Linklaters' alliance firm, Webber Wentzel, and GE were among the big winners at the African Legal Awards at a packed ceremony in Johannesburg last night.

The cream of the African legal community was out in force to celebrate the awards, which were hosted by Legal Week in association with the Corporate Lawyers Association of South Africa (CLASA).

Eversheds was named International Law Firm of the Year and completed a successful night by also securing the litigation and dispute resolution team award.

Webber Wentzel was named African Law Firm of the Year, with the Linklaters alliance firm also walking away with two other gongs: the team awards for banking, finance and restructuring and transportation and infrastructure. The award was collected by corporate chief Christo Els (pictured above, with awards host Jo-Ann Strauss).

Meanwhile, GE's Africa legal team, led by GE Africa general counsel Bruce Campbell, won the Legal Department of the Year (large team) category.

The night saw a total of 18 awards handed out, including prizes for seven practice areas. The event also saw the presentation of the CLASA Achievement Award to the leading South African human rights lawyer George Bizos, who spent a lifetime campaigning against apartheid and was part of the legal team that represented former South African President Nelson Mandela at his 1964 trial.

Bizos, who received a standing ovation from the 250-strong gathering, praised the South African legal profession for the role it played bringing about the end of apartheid and heralded the subsequent constitution for "upholding the fundamental rights of ordinary people".

He added: "Some of my fellow South Africans say that nothing has changed – they are quite wrong."

Bowman Gilfillan was another of the night's big winners, carrying off three awards. The firm won the coveted M&A team of the year prize – for its work advising on Marriott International's acquisition of the Protea Hospitality Group in a £115m deal – as well as awards for competition and regulatory team of the year and for its CSR project, which saw it set up a network helping fledgling businesses and black entrepreneurship.

Kurt Drieselmann, group legal officer for Aspen Pharmacare, was named general counsel of the year, while Anglo-American's Bridget van der Bijl took the legal counsel of the year prize.

The legal team AFGRI won the in-house award for small teams. The South African agriculture company also took the innovation award after establishing the continent's first regionally integrated commodity exchange outside of South Africa.

The full list of award winners is as follows:

  • CLASA Achievement Award: Advocate George Bizos
  • International Law Firm of the Year: Eversheds
  • African Law Firm of the Year: Webber Wentzel
  • General Counsel: Kurt Drieselmann
  • Legal Counsel: Bridget van der Bijl, Anglo American
  • Legal Department – Large Team: GE Africa
  • Legal Department – Small Team: AFGRI
  • Innovation: AFGRI
  • CSR: Bowman Gilfillan
  • Diversity Initiative of the Year: LEX Africa Exchange Programme, Submitted by: Werksmans
  • M&A: Bowman Gilfillan
  • Banking, Finance and Restructuring Team of the Year: Webber Wentzel
  • Competition & Regulatory Team: Bowman Gilfillan
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Eversheds
  • Energy & Natural Resources: Bracewell & Giuliani
  • TMT Team of the Year: ENSafrica
  • Commercial Team of the Year: Herbert Smith Freehills
  • Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year: Webber Wentzel
  • Property & Construction Team: Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr