Finalists: DLA Piper (highly commended); Hogan Lovells; White & Case.

Baker McKenzie retained the International Law Firm of the Year title, for its continued and standout commitment to providing corporate legal services in Africa.

Boasting more than 100 lawyers on the ground and more than 200 elsewhere with African legal and commercial expertise, it has one of the largest businesses of any global law firm on the continent. To reinforce that cross-border strength, it has developed a local network of relationship firms that it can refer work to in jurisdictions where it has no office, as well as giving them access to training and associate transfer programmes.

During the past 12-18 months, the firm has launched a Francophone Africa initiative to improve efficiencies in relevant French-speaking jurisdictions in west and central Africa, as well as an Africa Tax Initiative to bolster the firm's renowned global tax practice. The firm says it has seen a signifiant increase in Africa-related billings, instructions, panel wins and referral requests from its relationship firms.

It continues to expand its corporate and social responsibility programme, for instance representing a group who had property repossessed during the apartheid area. It has also been recognised for its award-winning training to the Tanzanian judiciary.

"An effective international firm with a strong global reputation," noted a judge.

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