Report Coverage
The Legal Activities report describes current conditions, recent developments including merger and acquisition activity, and factors influencing the success of the industry. The report profiles 25 law firms, including the largest and most well-known firms, colloquially referred to as The Big Five, Bowman Gilfillan, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENS), Norton Rose SA, and Webber Wentzel. Also profiled are small legal firms such as Johannesburg-based Daly Maqubela Oliphant Incorporated where there are 20 employees, and Knowles Husain Lindsay Incorporated, which employs 70 people and has recently expanded its services to include high-end commercial and corporate law services.
The South African Legal Sector
This report focuses on the activities of attorneys, advocates, notaries and conveyancers in South Africa. The legal activities sector is vital to both the South African economy and to democratic and equitable functioning of the country through the upholding of the rule of law. Forming part of the services sector, which contributed 59% to total GDP in 2014, legal activities accounted for estimated revenue of R29bn. There are currently 23,217 attorneys and 5,459 candidate attorneys employed at a total of 11,629 law firms throughout the country.
Pressing Issues
Although recent trends show that the sector is growing, many feel that it has failed to do so inclusively and questions regarding the transformation of the legal profession have become pressing issues in recent years. At the same time stakeholders are worried about declining standards and some have called for 'lawyers to be trained properly', citing the need for the 'genuine' postgraduate LLB degree to be brought back. Added to these factors are concerns about the Legal Practice Act signed into law by President Jacob Zuma in 2014. This piece of legislation is set to transform the profession in a variety of ways and all lawyers, advocates and attorneys will fall under a single regulatory body, The South African Legal Practice Council.
Historical Reports
Legal Services and Activities in South Africa 2021-02-25
R 9 500.00(ZAR) estimated $600.28 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartLegal Activities and Services in South Africa 2019-06-10
R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $120.06 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartLegal Activities and Services in South Africa 2017-04-10
R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $120.06 (USD)*
View Report Add to CartTable of Contents
| PAGE | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | INTRODUCTION | 1 |
| 2. | DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY | 1 |
| 2.1. | Industry Value Chain | 3 |
| 2.2. | Geographic Position | 5 |
| 3. | SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY | 6 |
| 4. | STATE OF THE INDUSTRY | 20 |
| 4.1. | Local | 20 |
| 4.1.1. | Corporate Actions | 27 |
| 4.1.2. | Regulations | 28 |
| 4.1.3. | Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development | 29 |
| 4.2. | Continental | 30 |
| 4.3. | International | 32 |
| 5. | INFLUENCING FACTORS | 32 |
| 5.1. | Economic Environment | 32 |
| 5.2. | Labour Resources | 33 |
| 5.3. | Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation | 35 |
| 5.4. | Environmental Concerns | 35 |
| 5.5. | Cyclicality | 36 |
| 6. | COMPETITION | 36 |
| 6.1. | Barriers to Entry | 37 |
| 7. | SWOT ANALYSIS | 37 |
| 8. | OUTLOOK | 38 |
| 9. | INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS | 38 |
| 10. | REFERENCES | 40 |
| 10.1. | Publications | 40 |
| 10.2. | Websites | 40 |
| COMPANY PROFILES | 42 | |
| ADAMS & ADAMS PARTNERS | 42 | |
| ALLEN AND OVERY (SOUTH AFRICA) INC | 46 | |
| BELL DEWAR INC | 48 | |
| BOWMAN GILFILLAN INC | 51 | |
| CLIFFE DEKKER HOFMEYR INC | 57 | |
| COX YEATS ATTORNEYS | 65 | |
| DALY MAQUBELA OLIPHANT INC | 68 | |
| DU PLESSIS VAN DER MERWE INC | 70 | |
| EDWARD NATHAN SONNENBERGS INC | 72 | |
| FAIRBRIDGES WERTHEIM BECKER INC | 81 | |
| FLUXMANS INC | 84 | |
| GARLICKE AND BOUSFIELD INC | 87 | |
| GILDENHUYS MALATJI INC | 90 | |
| GOLDBERG AND DE VILLIERS INC | 93 | |
| HOGAN LOVELLS (SOUTH AFRICA) INC | 96 | |
| KNOWLES HUSAIN LINDSAY INC | 99 | |
| LIVINGSTON LEANDY INC | 101 | |
| NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT SOUTH AFRICA INC | 103 | |
| SHEPSTONE & WYLIE ATTORNEYS | 110 | |
| SMITH TABATA BUCHANAN BOYES INC | 113 | |
| SPOOR AND FISHER PARTNERS | 117 | |
| STOWELL AND CO INC | 120 | |
| WEBBER WENTZEL | 122 | |
| WERKSMANS INC | 128 | |
| WERTHSCHRODER INC | 133 |
