The SA chapter of multinational corporate law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has decided to sever ties with the global partner, ending a relationship that goes back more than a decade.
The partnership will cease at the end of March 2026, with the SA practice, which stretches the key economic hubs of Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, transitioning to an independent law firm.
Brent Botha, CEO of Norton Rose Fulbright SA, who will continue leading the independent outfit, said the firm will continue to advise clients across SA and the African continent.
Botha added that the firm will also service international clients investing in Africa as well as African clients expanding abroad.
“We look forward to building on our 100-year legacy in SA and across Africa and to investing, innovating and evolving in line with the needs of our clients and people. We are proud of our heritage within Norton Rose Fulbright and look forward to working with the firm and other global partners, wherever our clients operate,” Botha said.
The SA business is likely to revert to its original name, Deneys Reitz, which it traded under until 2011, when it dissolved into Norton Rose.
Norton Rose Fulbright, which provides a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions, is also present in Kenya, Uganda, Morocco, Burundi, and Zimbabwe.
This change represents a natural evolution for both firms as the dynamics of international markets and client needs progress worldwide.
— Peter Scott, co-global managing partner of Norton Rose Fulbright
Peter Scott, co-global managing partner of Norton Rose Fulbright, said the transition of the SA arm does not impact the operations of the other member firms of Norton Rose Fulbright.
“This change represents a natural evolution for both firms as the dynamics of international markets and client needs progress worldwide. We thank our SA colleagues for their contributions to our shared success and will support them through this transition. We look forward to continuing to collaborate where our clients’ interests align,” Scott said.
The imminent exit of Norton Rose from SA follows similar moves by A&O Shearman and Hogan Lovells, which shut their Johannesburg offices last year.
Staff at A&O Shearman were taken on board by Bowmans. A&O Shearman founded the Johannesburg office in October 2014, it is second on the continent after a 2011 opening in Casablanca.
The London- and Washington-headquartered Hogan Lovells also exited SA last year.
The SA corporate law market is dominated by domestic champions such as Bowman, Werksmans, Webber Wentzel, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyer and ENSafrica, colloquially called the “Big 5”.
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