This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you consent to our use of cookies. Close

Africa Legal

Africa Legal

  • NEWS
  • JOBS
  • COURSES
  • CLIENTS
    • Sign in
    • Sign up
  • NEWS
  • COURSES
  • JOBS
    • Sign In
    • Sign Up
  • News
  • Courses
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Business A-Z
  • Post a job
  • Contact Us
  • Clients
CLIENT SIGN IN
Country
  • Uganda
  • South Africa
  • Kenya
  • Nigeria
  • Cameroon
  • United Kingdom
  • Cote d'Ivoire
  • Ghana
  • Tanzania
  • Zambia
  • Botswana
  • Morocco
  • Zimbabwe
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Sudan
  • Rwanda
  • Ethiopia
  • Angola
  • Egypt
  • Togo
  • Mali
  • South Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Senegal
  • Malawi
  • France
  • Guinea
  • Middle East
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Gambia
  • Sierra Leone
  • Germany
Category
  • Profiles
  • Analysis & Opinion
  • Career advice
  • In-house
  • Latest news
  • Press releases
  • Africa Legal Blog
  • Women in Law
  • Innovation
  • Human Rights
Practice area
  • Agriculture
  • Arbitration
  • Aviation
  • Banking and Finance
  • Capital markets
  • Charties and pro bono
  • Company commercial
  • Competition and antitrust
  • Construction and engineering
  • Consumer products
  • Corporate finance and M&A
  • Criminal
  • Education
  • Employment and benefits
  • Energy and natural resources
  • Environmental
  • Financial services
  • Fraud & white collar crime
  • Funds
  • Governance | risk and compliance
  • Government and public sector
  • Health and safety
  • Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
  • Insurance/Reinsurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Litigation and dispute resolution
  • Logistics and transportation
  • Manufacturing and Industrial
  • Private client and family
  • Private equity
  • Projects and infrastructure
  • Real estate
  • Regulatory
  • Restructuring | insolvency and debt recovery
  • Shipping and maritime
  • Taxation
  • Technology media and telecoms
  • Travel and tourism
close

Registration

Registered Successfully!!!. We have sent you a confirmation email to your email address.
close


View My Saved News


close You must login to save your news
  • LOGIN
  • NEW USER

Login to your account

Forgotten your password?
or

Create an Account

close


View My Saved News


« Back

COVID 19 – SA Law Firms React

Law firms in South Africa were quick off the mark to establish internal Covid-19 protocols and in ensuring clients have speedy access to what will be crucial legal advice in how to deal with the fallout of the virus. Tania Broughton reports.

Mar 16, 2020
Tania Broughton
Share

A quick round up of some law firms indicate they were ready and waiting when President Cyril Ramaphosa declared late Sunday that the country was now in a “State of national disaster” as the figure of those infected with the virus continues to rise daily.

Angela Clark, head of Business Development (South Africa) at Eversheds Sutherland, said the firm had taken the outbreak “very seriously” and had anticipated the legal impact from the outset.

“Everyone is looking to ensure they are well-prepared to deal with the legal repercussions of the outbreak on their business. We have therefore created an online hub to centralise our legal briefings to clients.

The hub, which can be accessed here, will be updated regularly, she said.

And should any client require immediate legal support, a central coordinating team would identify the right lawyers in the company’s global officers to help them.

“Our law firm is one of the largest in the world in terms of geographic footprint and we hope that this footprint and legal know-how will support businesses through this challenging time.”

Webber Wentzel, in collaboration with its alliance partner Linklaters, has prepared a guide, offering tips and highlights of some of the main legal and risk issues.

“This is, above all, a human and social crisis necessitating some significant changes in the way we go about our daily lives. As efforts are underway to manage the spread as it radiates across the world, the impact to businesses and economies has become increasingly significant,” the company said.

“We will continue to evaluate and assess how to address the threat posed by Covid-19 to our businesses. We will apply key learnings from other jurisdictions that are further ahead in the life-cycle of this market development.”

It spelled out measures taken to keep people - clients and employees - well and safe.

These include the establishment of a task team, which includes senior management to monitor all developments in consultation with a general practitioner.

“Our client teams are equipped with technology to work from home or remotely if needed. Staff have been advised to stay at home if they experience any symptoms related to the virus.

“Work related travel outside of South Africa is now prohibited. As an alternative, we have urged staff to make use of virtual meeting technologies as much as possible,” the company said in a communique to clients.

“Emergency plans have been put in place to be able to isolate anyone at the workplace suspected of having the virus to minimise contact with others.”

Things are taking longer to put in place in the country’s courts which draw hundreds of people every day and where sanitary conditions are often poor.

Chrispin Piri, spokesperson for Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, told Africa Legal that a plan of action was to be discussed with the judiciary on Tuesday.

He said he would only be able to give details after that.

Court officials said it was “business as usual”.

“We haven’t been told anything. Some people are very worried.”

According to media reports from Kenya, the judiciary there is scaling down on its activities.

At the weekend, Chief Justice David Maraga said this would be done for the next two weeks pending further consultation.

It would involve prisoners not being brought to court and people arrested for less serious crimes being dealt with at police stations. All appeal, criminal and civil cases in all courts have also been suspended.



To join Africa Legal's mailing list please click here

Copyright : Re-publication of this article is authorised only in the following circumstances; the writer and Africa Legal are both recognised as the author and the website address www.africa-legal.com and original article link are back linked. A bio for the writer can be provided on request.

RELATED CATEGORY NEWS

Landmark ruling on matrimonial rights Read more
Citizen activists on trial in DRC Read more
Hogan Lovells bolsters SA practice Read more

RELATED COUNTRY NEWS

Two years of WMN striding ahead Read more
Niche firms with elephant-sized impact Read more
Custodians of risk and reward Read more
Africa Legal
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy and cookies policy
Members
  • Find a job
  • Take a course
  • Read news
  • Terms and conditions
  • Cancellations and refunds
Clients
  • Terms and conditions
  • Post a job
  • Host a course
  • Advertise
  • Share news
Connect with us
© Copyright 2023 | Africa Legal. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy