Webber Wentzel continues to nurture next-gen African lawyers with eight promotions to partner

Each of the eight Senior Associates who have been promoted to Partner has demonstrated the expertise, dedication and drive that define Webber Wentzel, while delivering exceptional service to clients and supporting the growth of those around them, said the leading African firm as it announced their appointments yesterday. 

“Partnership is both recognition of what has been achieved and a vote of confidence in what lies ahead,” said Webber Wentzel. “It represents leadership, stewardship, and a shared commitment to shaping the future of our firm and the profession.”

Following on from the announcement of the promotion of 13 talented young lawyers to Senior Associate last week, the eight new partners span various practice areas, and include seven lawyers who first joined Webber Wentzel as Candidate Attorneys. 

The Corporate team now has three new partners, with Anna Parry, Liesl Olivier, and Martine Leukes - each of whom joined Webber Wentzel as Candidate Attorneys in January 2018 - elevated from Senior Associate in this new round of promotions. 

Parry advises clients on corporate and commercial law, including private mergers and acquisitions, and also assists clients with projects in the renewable energy sector in South Africa. Olivier, who recently completed a six-month secondment in London with Linklaters, is a dual-qualified lawyer (South Africa and England & Wales) who focuses on corporate and commercial law, including public and private mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets. Leukes also focuses on corporate and commercial law, including mergers and acquisitions.

The firm’s Dispute Resolution team likewise has three new partners, with Aaquilah Nagdee, Cameron Rajoo, and Dominic Harris promoted from Senior Associate. 

Before joining Webber Wentzel in late 2023, forensic investigations specialist Nagdee spent a decade as a consultant and Manager at PWC in South Africa and the Middle East. She has experience in investigations for public and private sector clients relating to various allegations covering C-Suite, Human Resources, Supply Chain Procurement, and Finance, and has testified at disciplinary hearings and assisted legal counsel in preparing for both civil and criminal litigation. 

Rajoo and Harris both began their legal careers with Webber Wentzel as Candidate Attorneys in January 2018. Rajoo specialises in commercial and corporate litigation and arbitrations, and has been involved in large, complex, and niche domestic and international arbitrations in various industries. Harris specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration, with experience in disputes relating to general contract and company law, shareholder and financial disputes, mining and lease disputes, professional liability, forensic investigations, corporate governance, and civil fraud.

Webber Wentzel has also appointed tax specialist Amanda Nkwanyana in the Cape Town office, and Lebohang Noko in its Competition, Trade, and Investment team in the Johannesburg office, as new Partners in this latest round of promotions.

Nkwanyana and Noko also joined the firm as Candidate Attorneys in January 2018. 

Nkwanyana, who completed an LLM in Tax Law from the University of Cape Town while working at Webber Wentzel, specialises in tax-related matters, with a focus on tax dispute resolution and controversy management. She also advises on general corporate tax and advisory work, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, group rationalisations, employee and international tax.

Noko’s competition law experience includes advising on merger control, cartel and other prohibited practice matters, exemptions and compliance. She has worked on matters in other African countries, advising on regional competition law developments and preparing merger notifications in various African jurisdictions.

Speaking with Africa Legal last March, Managing Partner Safiyya Patel and Senior Partner Gareth Driver shared that they wanted to continue the work of their predecessors to transform Webber Wentzel to be more representative, while embracing a modern world full of fast-evolving challenges, enabling client success, and nurturing the “lifeblood of the firm” in terms of their rising legal talent. 

“We are custodians,” shared Patel with Africa Legal, as she became the first black female Managing Partner in Webber Wentzel’s prestigious 150+ year history. “The next generation is absolutely crucial to the legacy of others who’ve gone before.”

That ethos has clearly been on show with the recently announced promotions to Senior Associate, and now these eight new partners, along with other partner promotions last year. The firm and its leaders are walking the walk. A pioneering law firm, Webber Wentzel has served clients across sub-Saharan Africa for more than 150 years, while continuing to grow and evolve through various eras and chapters. 

“Congratulations to our new partners on this significant milestone,” said the firm. “We look forward to the impact they will continue to make in the years ahead.”