Webber Wentzel
Encyclopedia
Webber Wentzel is a "Big Five
" law firm
principally based in Johannesburg
, South Africa
, with offices in Cape Town
and London
.
Webber Wentzel was founded in 1868 and is the only one of the large law firms to retain a traditional partnership organization and not incorporate. Major mergers in Webber Wentzel's history include Webber Wentzel & Co merging with Bowens Inc in 1995 and Webber Wentzel Bowens merging with Mallinicks Inc in 2008.
The firm is represented in Europe through its affiliation to the Maitland group and is furthermore a member of the World Law Group, Interlex, and World Service Groups.
The firm is active throughout the African continent and works in close association with so-called 'best friend' firms in African jurisdictions.
In August 2011 the firm joined ALN (formerly the African Legal Network), at the time the largest and only group of its kind in Africa.
Webber Wentzel is further recognised as one of the leading law firms in Africa.
Big Five law firms (South Africa)
The Big Five law firms is a term informally used in South Africa to refer to those law firms which, collectively, are perceived to be the largest firms based in South Africa....
" law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
principally based in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, with offices in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Webber Wentzel was founded in 1868 and is the only one of the large law firms to retain a traditional partnership organization and not incorporate. Major mergers in Webber Wentzel's history include Webber Wentzel & Co merging with Bowens Inc in 1995 and Webber Wentzel Bowens merging with Mallinicks Inc in 2008.
Offices
Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
(1969)- JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
(1888) 
LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(1988)- Rustenburg (2010)
The firm is represented in Europe through its affiliation to the Maitland group and is furthermore a member of the World Law Group, Interlex, and World Service Groups.
The firm is active throughout the African continent and works in close association with so-called 'best friend' firms in African jurisdictions.
In August 2011 the firm joined ALN (formerly the African Legal Network), at the time the largest and only group of its kind in Africa.
Awards and rankings
- Who's Who Legal South African law firm of the year 2011
- Webber Wentzel was the highest ranked South African firm in the Chambers & Partners 2011 edition
- Webber Wentzel topped the 2010 rankings by deal volume and value in Africa.
- In 2009, Webber Wentzel was ranked first by deal value for corporate finance and second for M&A by deal value in South Africa.
Notable practice areas
The firm is ranked as a top tier South African firm in the following practice areas:- Capital markets
- Banking
- Projects and infrastructure
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Media & Broadcasting
- Competition/Antitrust
- Dispute resolution
- Mining
- Shipping
Webber Wentzel is further recognised as one of the leading law firms in Africa.
Notable deals
Major deals include acting for:- Walmart ZARZARZAR may refer to:* South African rand, ISO 4217 currency code* South African Republic, * Zairean Airlines, Democratic Republic of the Congo ICAO code...
16.5 billion proposed acquisition of a 51% stake in MassmartMassmartMassmart is a South African firm that owns local brands such as Game, Makro, Builders’ Warehouse and CBW. It is the third largest distributor of consumer goods in Africa, the largest retailer of general merchandise, liquor and home improvement equipment and wholesaler of basic foods. It currently... - Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) US$5.5 billion acquisition of a 20% stake in Standard Bank of South AfricaStandard Bank of South AfricaThe Standard Bank of South Africa Limited is one of South Africa's largest financial services groups. It operates in 30 countries around the world, including 17 in Africa.-History:...
- Bain CapitalBain CapitalBain Capital LLC is a Boston-based private equity firm founded in 1984 by partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company. Originally conceived as an early-stage, growth-oriented investment fund, Bain Capital today manages approximately $65 billion in assets, and its strategies include private...
ZAR25 billion acquisition of Edcon Limited - Absa Group LimitedAbsa Group LimitedThe Absa Group Limited is the largest consumer bank in South Africa.- Overview :Absa is based in Johannesburg and listed on the JSE Limited and is one of South Africa's largest financial institutions...
in the acquisition of 60% of the issued ordinary share capital by Barclays Bank plc’s - VodafoneVodafoneVodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
ZAR22.5 billion acquisition of 15% of VodacomVodacomVodacom is a pan-African mobile telecommunications company, and was the 1st cellular network in South Africa. It provides GSM service to more than 35 million customers in South Africa, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2008... - ActisActisIn Greek mythology, Actis was one of the Heliadae, a son of Rhodos and Helios. Actis, along with his brothers, Triopas, Macar and Candalus, were jealous of a fifth brother, Tenages's, skill at science. They killed him and Actis escaped to Egypt. According to Diodorus Siculus, Actis built the city...
and Old MutualOld MutualOld Mutual plc is an international long-term savings group. Established in 1845 in South Africa, it is now a FTSE100 listed company operating in 33 countries.-History:...
in their ZAR5.16 billion secondary buy-out of AlstomAlstomAlstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
(SA) (Proprietary) Limited - MTN Group (MTN) in a failed merger with India's Bharti AirtelBharti AirtelBharti Airtel Limited , commonly known as Airtel, is an Indian telecommunications company that operates in 20 countries across South Asia, Africa and the Channel Islands. It operates a GSM network in all countries, providing 2G or 3G services depending upon the country of operation...
(Bharti) - AIIF, MacquarieMacquarie GroupMacquarie Group Limited is a global investment banking and diversified financial services group, providing banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services to institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world...
run fund, in the $400m toll road project in Nigeria - Vale in acquiring BSG Resources
Notable cases
- In 1957 the firm advised Consolidated Diamond Mines of South-West Africa (CDM) in the Great South-West Diamond Case. CDM had been given exclusive rights to mine for diamonds in a diamond-rich area by the administrator of South West AfricaSouth West AfricaSouth-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
, who subsequently conferred the right to Suidwes-Afrika Prospekteers. CDM successfully sued South West Africa to protect their sole right to mine. - In 1973 the firm successfully completed the case of Venkatrathnan and Another vs Officer Commanding Robben Island. In the case the court decided that prisoners were in principle entitled to study for tertiary degrees.
- In 2004 the firm successfully challenged South African pharmaceutical price capping legislation in the Supreme Court of Appeal of South AfricaSupreme Court of Appeal of South AfricaThe Supreme Court of Appeal is an appellate court in South Africa; it is the highest appeal court except in constitutional matters, which are ultimately decided by the Constitutional Court...
in terms of which pharmacists, when dispensing prescription medicine, could charge a fixed fee limited to 26 % and capped at R26.00.
Notable alumni
Notable alumni of the firm include:- Charles Augustus Wentzel, former Chief MagistrateChief MagistrateChief Magistrate is a generic designation for a public official whose office—individual or collegial—is the highest in his or her class, in either of the fundamental meanings of Magistrate : as a major political and administrative office , and/or as a judge Chief Magistrate is a generic designation...
of the WitwatersrandWitwatersrandThe Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations... - Henry Charles Hull, former board member of Anglo American Corporation and the first Minister of Finance (South Africa)
- Sir Edward Solomon, former South African SenatorSenate of South AfricaThe Senate was the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa between 1910 and its abolition from 1 January 1981, and between 1994 and 1997.-1910-1981:...
and Minister of Public Works (South Africa) - Carveth Geach, former board member of 32 companies
- Walter Webber, former Member of Parliament for the Labour Party in Troyeville, founder and champion of the Bantu Men's Social Centre and the Joint Council of Europeans and Natives.
- Ed Southey, President of the Law Society of the TransvaalTransvaal ProvinceTransvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
(1985 and 1986) President of Association of Law Societies of Republic of South Africa (1991) - Stanley Sesse, former President of the Council of the Association of Law Societies
- Gerald Mallinicks, former board member of the World Law Group
- Brett KebbleBrett KebbleRoger Brett Kebble was a South African mining magnate with close links to factions in the ruling political party, the African National Congress. He was shot to death in 2005 by unknown assailants....
, mining magnate - Sheila CamererSheila CamererSheila Margaret Camerer is a South African politician and senior Member of Parliament of the main opposition Democratic Alliance.Although Camerer's father, Robert Badenhorst-Durandt had been a Member of Parliament for the ruling National Party , as a young lawyer in the mid-1970s she worked on the...
, South African ambassador to Bulgaria