Finalists: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld • Allen & Overy • DLA Piper • Hogan Lovells • Norton Rose Fulbright • Webber Wentzel • White & Case

The Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year award was handed to Eversheds for its role advising longstanding client Eskom on a dispute relating to a hydro power plant supplying electricity to millions of Africans across three countries.

The dispute related to ownership of the Manantali Dam in the Senegal River basin in Mali. SOGEM, the owner of the plant, put out a public bid for a company to operate and maintain the dam, power station and transmission lines, which Eskom won. However, several technical and financial disputes soon arose between the parties.

After amicable attempts to negotiate failed, Eskom brought the matter to arbitration in 2009. The arbitration was suspended following political intervention. The parties then negotiated a settlement whereby Eskom would continue to work for a limited time, after which it would leave the project and a new contractor would take over.

SOGEM failed to find a new contractor and Eskom agreed to remain in the
project for an extended period. However, after this period had expired SOGEM
had still not found a new contractor. Attempts to negotiate a new contract were unsuccessful and so, having decided they would be unable to reach an agreement, the parties chose to transfer operations from Eskom to a special purpose vehicle created by SOGEM.