We are a leading corporate and commercial law firm, committed to serving clients and broader society by building mutually beneficial relationships.
We have received significant marketplace recognition for both our business and community efforts.
 Industry Recognition
A South African Business Leader
Legal Sector Acknowledgement
Leadership Accolades
Employer Awards
Memberships/Partnerships
Industry Recognition
- Bloombergs M&A League Tables - Werksmans was ranked first in all three categories assessed (deals up to $50m, $250m and $500m) based on the volume of deals it handled for 2008 in the Middle East and Africa region. In the $500m deal value category, Werksmans' 46 announced deals for the period were almost 60 percent greater than that of the next ranked firm.
- Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business - Werksmans is recognised in Banking & Finance, Competition/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Media & Broadcasting and Tax. Read more...
- DealMakers - Werksmans has achieved an unsurpassed record of being recognised as the leading corporate law firm in M&As by deal flow for three consecutive years - 2006, 2007 and 2008. In DealMakers' most recent rankings, the firm was second-placed in the categories of M&A and corporate finance by deal flow, and third-placed in corporate finance by deal value.
- Ernst & Young M&A Review of Activity - Werksmans was recognised as the leading law firm in South African M&A by deal flow in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and was also top ranked by deal value in 2008. In 2009, the firm was acknowledged as the second most active law firm in M&A by deal flow.
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IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms - Werksmans is recognised in Capital Markets, Banking & Project Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions.
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- Legal500 - The firm is recognised in Banking and Finance, Corporate and M&A, Dispute Resolution, Labour and Employment, Projects and Infrastructure, Intellectual Property and Tax.
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Legal Alliance Awards Summit & Awards – In 2010 Werksmans was honoured with a Silver Award in relation to the ‘Best South African law firm’ category. The award recognises the best independent law firms based on 28 categories and is based on a 6-month research process and panel feedback. |
- MergerMarket's South Africa M&A Round-up - In 2008 and 2009, Werksmans was recognised as South Africa's most active law firm. In 2009, the firm was involved in 22 deals, compared to the 20 recorded by the firm ranked second in this category.Read more...
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PLC Which Lawyer - The firm is recommended in Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition/Antitrust, Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution, Restructuring & Insolvency, Tax, Corporate Real Estate, Intellectual Property, Outsourcing/IT, Private Equity/Venture Capital, Telcoms/Media; Energy and Labour & Employee Benefits.
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A South African Business Leader
In late 2009 Werksmans was named one of South Africa's top empowered companies in research undertaken by Impumelelo in partnership with the University of Cape Town.
Werksmans was recognised a Top Performing Company in the legal sector in 2008, 2009 and 2010 by TopCo Media. The publication identifies companies achieving the highest level of performance and success. It does this by researching the performance information of thousands of organisations annually, assessing these organisations within their industry sectors, and finally by compiling a list of the performing organisations in their sectors.
Legal Sector Acknowledgement
In 2009 Werksmans was the top-ranked firm in Professional Management Review's legal survey. The survey measures perceptions of top management from a cross-section of South Africa's leading listed and large corporate concerns in relation to some 21 service attributes such as accessibility, value-add, range of services, African affiliations, competence/thoroughness, response time and quality, and success rate. Werksmans achieved a mean score of 4.33 out of a possible 5.00, and received the Diamond Arrow Award. Werksmans received an ACQ Country Award for Achievement in the category of Legal Adviser in the ACQ Finance Magazine Annual Awards in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, the firm was recognised as both the Commercial Litigation and Capital Markets Law Firm of the Year.
Leadership Accolades
Our directors' legal expertise has been widely acknowledged by a number of credible local and international industry bodies and research organisations.
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Amanda Armstrong
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Media by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Media & Broadcasting by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2008 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Regulatory Communications by the International Who’s Who Legal (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer (2007) and as a recommended lawyer (2010) in Media by PLC Which Lawyer. Also named as a highly recommended lawyer in Telecommunications (2007).
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Amelia Heeger
- Named as an up-and-coming lawyer (2007 - 2009) and a leading lawyer (2010) in Banking and Finance by Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business.
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Banking and Finance by PLC Which Lawyer (2007 - 2009).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Banking and Finance by the Legal500 (2010).
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Anastasia Vatalidis
- Named as a recommended lawyer (2009) and as a leading lawyer (2010) in Labour and Employee Benefits by PLC Which Lawyer.
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Labour and Employment by the Legal500 (2010).
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Bernard Hotz
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Brian Kew
- Named as a recognised lawyer in Real Estate by PLC Which Lawyer (2009 and 2010).
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Dave Walker
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Corporate by Best Lawyers International (2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Outsourcing by PLC Which Lawyer (2010).
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David Hertz
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Litigation by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Dispute Resolution by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2008 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Commercial Litigation by the International Who’s Who Legal (2007 - 2009).
- Named as a recognised lawyer in Dispute Resolution by PLC Which Lawyer (2009 and 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Dispute Resolution by the Legal500 (2010).
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Des Williams
- Named as a leading lawyer in the specialities of Arbitration & Mediation, Construction and Litigation by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Dispute Resolution by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Commercial Litigation by the International Who's Who Legal (2007 - 2010) and as a leading lawyer in Commercial Arbitration (2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Dispute Resolution by PLC Which Lawyer (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Dispute Resolution by the Legal500 (2010).
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Eric Levenstein
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Ernest Mazansky
- Named as a leading specialist in Corporate and Tax (2008 and 2009) and Trusts & Estates (2009) by Best Lawyers International.
- Named as a leading specialist in Tax by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2007 - 2010).
- Listed in the Tax Directors Handbook (2008).
- Named as a recommended specialist in Tax by PLC Which Lawyer (2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Tax by the Legal500 (2010).
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Gareth Driver
- Named as a leading lawyer in the specialities of Antitrust, Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2003 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions by IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms (2007 - 2010).
- Named by PLC Which Lawyer as a recommended lawyer in Competition/Antitrust (2007 and 2008) and in Corporate/M&A (2009 - 2010). Also named as a recognised lawyer in Competition/Antitrust (2009) and a leading lawyer in Private Equity: Buyouts (2010).
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Gerhard Johannes
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Mergers & Acquisitions by Best Lawyers International (2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate and M&A by the Legal500 (2010).
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Kevin Trudgeon
- Named as a leading lawyer in the specialities of Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions (2008 and 2009) and Corporate (2009) by Best Lawyers International.
- Named as a leading lawyer in Banking and Finance (2007 - 2009) and in Corporate/M&A (2010) by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers.
- Named as a leading lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions by IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms (2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Capital Markets and Banking by the International Who’s Who Legal (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer (2007 – 2009) and as a leading lawyer (2010) in Banking and Finance by PLC Which Lawyer. Also named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate/M&A (2009 and 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate and M&A by the Legal500 (2010).
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Morné van der Merwe
- Named as a leading lawyer in the specialities of Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions by Best Lawyers International (2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Mergers and Acquisitions by IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms (2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate/M&A by PLC Which Lawyer (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate and M&A by the Legal500 (2010).
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Neil Kirby
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Healthcare by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Dispute Resolution by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2008 - 2010).
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Paul Coetser
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Antitrust by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Competition/Antitrust (2007 – 2010) and in Corporate/M&A (2009) in Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business.
- Named as a leading lawyer in Competition by the International Who's Who Legal (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a highly recommended lawyer (2007); a recommended lawyer (2008 and 2009) and a leading lawyer (2010) in Competition/Antitrust by PLC Which Lawyer.
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Paul Winer
- Named as a highly recommended lawyer in Restructuring & Insolvency by PLC Which Lawyer (2008 - 2010).
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Pierre le Roux
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate/M&A by PLC Which Lawyer (2009 and 2010).
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Pieter Steyn
- Named as a leading lawyer in the speciality of Antitrust by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Competition by the International Who’s Who Legal (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a highly recommended lawyer (2007); a recommended lawyer (2008 and 2009) and a leading lawyer (2010) in Competition/Antitrust by PLC Which Lawyer. Further named as a highly recommended lawyer (2007) and a recommended lawyer in Corporate/M&A (2008 – 2010), as well as a highly recommended lawyer (2007) and a recommended lawyer in Private Equity/Venture Capital (2008 and 2009). In addition named by PLC Which Lawyer as a recognised lawyer in Corporate Governance (2007 and 2009) and in Director’s Duties and Liabilities (2010).
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Richard Roothman
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Shaun Teichner
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Corporate and M&A by the Legal500 (2010).
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Stuart Gardiner
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Intellectual Property by PLC Which Lawyer (2007 - 2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Intellectual Property by the Legal500 (2010).
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Wildu du Plessis
- Named as a leading lawyer in the specialities of Banking, Capital Markets and Finance by Best Lawyers International (2008 and 2009).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A (2007) and Banking and Finance (2007 - 2010) by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
- Named as a leading lawyer in Capital Markets by IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms (2008 - 2010).
- Named as a leading lawyer in Banking (2009 and 2010) and Capital Markets (2007 - 2010) by the International Who’s Who Legal.
- Named a highly recommended lawyer (2008 and 2009) and a leading lawyer (2010) in Capital Markets: Debt Capital by PLC Which Lawyer. Also named as a leading lawyer in Banking and Finance (2010).
- Named as a recommended lawyer in Banking and Finance by the Legal500 (2010).
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Employer Awards
Our people are our single greatest source of competitive advantage. The firm is focused on attracting, growing and retaining the best people and developing them as leaders. This people commitment has been recognised in local awards.
Werksmans was the only firm in the legal sector to be recognised by the Corporate Research Foundation as a Top 10 Best Employer in their 2008/9 survey. The firm was also participated in Deloitte’s "Best Company to Work For" surveys in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The firm received the Gold award (law industry) in the 2008 Magnet Communications South African student survey. This survey measures the opinions of graduates, including their career goals, perceptions of specific companies and expectations of the working world. Over 16,000 respondents from all of South Africa's 23 tertiary educational institutions participated in the survey.
Click here to download a PDF document outlining our market place accolades.
Membership/PartnershipsWerksmans supports the following credible organizations:
African Business Network
British Chamber of Business in Southern Africa
French Chamber of Commerce
German Chamber of Commerce
Lex Africa
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