The magic circle firm says the deal was prompted by a workload that currently consists of more than 200 live matters relating to Africa, with its alliance with Webber Wentzel designed to offer clients a combination of international and local experience, as well on-the-ground resources in South Africa. The deal will begin formerly from the beginning of next February.
Simon Davies, Linklaters’ global managing partner, commented: ‘Our strategy is to meet our clients’ needs in markets across the world by focusing on delivering an excellent quality client experience whether through our own offices as we build out our network or working in partnership with the very best firms in particular markets such as Webber Wentzel.’
Webber Wentzel senior partner David Lancaster added: ‘Demand for cross-border legal services continues to grow strongly. This arrangement is consistent with our strategy of helping clients whenever they do business in Africa. There is huge potential for Africa growth – and therefore legal work – in a large and complex market.’

Capital move

The announcement comes several days after Linklaters trumpeted the opening of an office in Washington DC. The firm claims the outpost will be integrally linked to its existing US practice in New York, and will be led by New York-based US co-managing partners Jeff Norton and Conrado Tenaglia.
The office in the US capital will focus on tax, antitrust, litigation and financial and contentious regulatory matters, and will be staffed by six lawyers including partners Joseph Pari and Jeffrey Schmidt.
Mr Norton commented: ‘Linklaters has acted for clients and appeared before agencies in Washington for a number of years. The establishment of a formal DC presence demonstrates our commitment to delivering an integrated global service to our clients amid a heightened environment of government enforcement and global co-ordination among regulators.’

Bakers in Jo’burg

Elsewhere in South Africa, US firm Baker & McKenzie has snapped up a leading disputes team from Rudolph Bernstein & Associates, adding 23 lawyers and staff to its fast-growing Johannesburg office.
The switch sees Gerhard Rudolph, Darryl Bernstein and Kate Daniels join Baker & McKenzie as partners, bringing their entire team of lawyers and staff. They join with immediate effect.
Wildu du Plessis, co-managing partner of the Johannesburg office, commented: ‘We have ambitious strategic growth plans in South Africa and are excited to be delivering so soon on one of our key targets, which was to add disputes capabilities to complement our established client offering in M&A, banking and finance, projects and capital markets.’

Carolina on their mind

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania-based law firm Nelson Levine de Luca & Hamilton has launched an office in Greensboro, North Carolina. It will be led by recent capture and well-known insurance coverage expert David brown, who joins from Greensboro firm Pinto Coates Kyre & Brown along with three of his colleagues. Martha Brown, John Malone, Brady Yntema and David Harris have also joined the firm as partners.
Los Angeles-headquartered international practice Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has confirmed it will open a Paris office on 7 January 2013.
As with all of the firm’s offices, the Paris outpost will only engage in litigation and arbitration. It is the firm’s fourth European office and will be led by Philippe Pinsolle, currently a partner in the international arbitration group of the Paris office of Shearman & Sterling.
Managing Partner John Quinn said: ‘Paris is one of the global centres of international arbitration, and Philippe Pinsolle is one of the leaders of that bar. To achieve our goal of having a world class international arbitration practice, we had to have an office in Paris and we had to have a civil law expert.’