Bowmans exists to help its clients overcome legal complexity and unlock opportunity in Africa. Its track record of providing domestic and cross-border legal services in the fields of corporate law, banking and finance law and dispute resolution, spans over a century.
With over 400 specialised lawyers, Bowmans draws on its unique knowledge of the business and socio-political environment in Africa to advise its clients on a wide range of legal issues. The firm delivers integrated legal services to clients throughout the continent from seven offices (Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Johannesburg, Kampala, Moka and Nairobi) in five countries (Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda). Everywhere it operates, Bowmans offers its clients a service that uniquely blends expertise in the law, knowledge of the local market and an understanding of their businesses.
The firm’s aim is to assist its clients to achieve their objectives as smoothly and efficiently as possible while minimising the legal and regulatory risks. Bowmans works closely with its alliance firm, Aman Assefa & Associates Law Office, in Ethiopia, and best friends in Nigeria and Mozambique (Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie and Taciana Peão Lopes & Advogados Associados, respectively). It also has strong relationships with other leading law firms across the rest of Africa and is a representative of Lex Mundi, a global association with more than 160 independent law firms across the globe. Clients include corporates, multinationals and state-owned enterprises across a range of industry sectors as well as financial institutions and governments.
Bowmans expertise is frequently recognised by independent research organisations. The firm was ranked first by deal value and second by deal count in Mergermarket’s 2018 Africa league tables for legal advisors. It received first place in five out of six categories at the Dealmakers East Africa Awards for 2018: top legal adviser in M&A for both deal flow and value, top legal adviser in General Corporate Finance for both transaction flow and value, and advised on the Deal of the Year. In the Dealmakers South Africa Awards for 2018, Bowmans was placed first for deal flow in the General Corporate Finance category. Bowmans was named South African Law Firm of the Year for 2018 in the Chambers Africa Awards for Excellence. The firm also took home the 2019 Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year and TMT Team of the Year Awards at the African Legal Awards hosted by Legal Week and the Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa.
