LAWFUEL – Law Firm Newswire – International law firm Eversheds has announced its first move into Africa with Johannesburg based South African law firm Routledge Modise becoming part of Eversheds International. This is the second new country to have joined the Eversheds network this year and now increases the firm’s global reach to 37 offices in 23 countries.
Established in 1892, Routledge Modise is one of South Africa’s leading full service law firms and has an extensive blue-chip client base of major domestic and international corporations, banks, financial institutions and state authorities. The firm has expertise and experience in all major areas of law and is constantly adapting and expanding its areas of practice to meet its clients’ needs. The firm has 120 legal advisors with 60 Partners and a total of 322 staff.
Commenting on the arrangement with Routledge Modise, Alan Jenkins, Chairman of Eversheds commented:
“Johannesburg is South Africa’s most important commercial, financial and legal centre and by joining with Routledge Modise we will be able to offer our clients, many of whom already have operations in South Africa, market leading support. This is a very exciting move and the fit of our firms is extremely good. The combination of Routledge’s strength in South Africa and the Eversheds international group of offices will offer very exciting growth opportunities. As Africa’s growth continues and foreign investors look increasingly to Africa, our new combination will be well placed to assist clients not just in South Africa, but throughout the continent through the Eversheds International Africa Group comprising specialists in both English and French speaking Africa.”
Eversheds and Routledge’s Modise already share a number of clients and have worked together on a number of projects. Routledge Modise has strong corporate, commercial, litigation, HR and property groups.
Routledge Modise Director and Chairman, Terry Mahon, said:
“South Africa’s economy is very strong with a rapidly expanding internal market as well as attracting substantial foreign interest and investment. By working as part of Eversheds International we will be able to offer our customers a substantially improved service drawing on the global expertise that sits within Eversheds. We also will benefit from the networked opportunities and will be able to offer our SA clients with a multi-jurisdiction solution.”
The firms will officially start working with each other on 14 April 2008.
