Linklaters Ally Webber Wentzel and Female-Led Firm Bag Top Prizes at 2019 African Legal Awards
As well as exceeding their reach, this year's two big winners have shown a commitment to social justice and pro bono work.
September 06, 2019 at 05:10 PM
2 minute read
The African Legal Awards.
South African 'big five' firm Webber Wentzel and the women-led LNP Attorneys took home the biggest prizes at this year's African Legal Awards, held in Johannesburg on Friday (September 6).
In the biggest of a trio of wins for Linklaters' alliance firm, Webber Wentzel won the award for African Law Firm of The Year (Large Practice), which followed its earlier successes in the Alliance of the Year and Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year categories.
Unseating last year's winner and fellow big-fiver Bowmans, Webber Wentzel was praised by this year's panel of judges for prospering under a successful alliance with Linklaters, but also for showing a commitment to access to justice, delivering 20,000 hours of pro bono advice during the last financial year.
Claiming the award for African Law Firm of the Year (Small Practice) was LNP Attorneys – a 100% black-owned, 76% black female-owned law firm based in Johannesburg. Despite its smaller size, the judges remarked that the firm "surely reaches beyond its borders".
Turning in-house, agricultural services company the AFGRI Group received the award for Legal Department of the Year (Small Team), with the company's CEO saying the team was "punching way, way above its weight". Meanwhile, South African legal insurance provider Law For All was presented with the large team accolade.
Credit company Encot Microfinance's company secretary and legal officer Ronald Murungi won the Rising Star Award, while Berenice van den Berg, legal adviser and compliance officer at Philafrica Foods, bagged the In-House Most Promising Newcomer accolade.
Others to have drawn acclaim on the night include West African law firm Aelex's Funke Adekoya, who won Partner of the Year; and AFGRI Group's Pieter Badenhorst, who was named General Counsel of the Year. Legaltech firm Afriwise, meanwhile, secured the Innovation Award for its first-of-its-kind online, cloud-based solution, which offers instant answers to critical legal questions.
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