IFLR is delighted to reveal the shortlist for its inaugural Africa Awards 2020. Below is the full list of deal, team and national and international firm of the year finalists.
The IFLR awards focuses exclusively on legal innovation in cross-border transactions. For the 2020 awards, transactions must have reached financial close between May 31 2019 and May 31 2020 to be considered. The full methodology and criteria can be found here.
Winners will be announced on September 10, when IFLR will also announce the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Women in Business Law Award.
Given the circumstances, IFLR is unable to host an awards ceremony and will instead announce the winners online, with podcasts and written profiles to explore the work covered in the awards and the teams and individuals behind it. Previous IFLR Awards podcasts: Europe Awards, Asia-Pacific Awards, Americas Awards, Asia-Pacific Market Reform Award, Americas Market Reform Award and Americas Lifetime Achievement Award.
To find out more please contact Liam Sharkey: lsharkey@iflr.com
The shortlist below is based on preliminary research. If your team advised on one of these transactions but has not been listed please contact James Wilson: james.wilson@legalmediagroup.com
DEALS OF THE YEAR
Capital markets
Acorn bond programme, issuance and listing
Anjarwalla & Khanna
DLA Piper
Iseme Kamau & Maema Advocates
Norton Rose Fulbright
Africa Export Import Bank naira bond programme
Banwo & Ighodalo
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Airtel Africa IPO
Abdullahi Ibrahim & Co
ALN Tanzania
Anjarwalla & Khanna
AZB & Partners
BLC Robert & Associates
Cabinet Gomes
Djunga & Risasi
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
K-Solutions & Partners
Katende Ssempebwa & Co
Kreich Avocats
Linklaters
Madagascar Law Offices
Marc Le Bihan et collaborateurs
Musa Dudhia & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
Project Lawyers
Savjani & Co
Helios Towers IPO
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Kirkland & Ellis
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Linklaters
IHS refinancing
Aluko & Oyebode
Clifford Chance
NautaDutilh
Reed Smith
Templars
White & Case
Impala Platinum convertible bonds
Baker McKenzie
Linklaters
Ninety One IPO
ENSafrica
Linklaters
Prosus IPO
Allen & Overy
Glyn Marais
Linklaters
Webber Wentzel
Domestic
Capitec Bank / Mercantile Bank
Bowmans
Cliffe Dekker Hoffmeyr
Morais Leitão
Vieira de Almeida
Commercial Bank of Africa - NIC Bank
AF Mpanga
Bowmans
Bowmans Tanzania
Coulson Harney
IKM Advocates
IMMMA Advocates
Sebalu & Lule
Crown Flour Mills / Dangote Flour Mills
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
Olawoyin & Olawoyin
Cement Company of Northern Nigeria - Bua Group
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
FirstRand Bank tier 1 issuance
ENSafrica
ICEA Lion Asset Management / Stanlib Fahari i-REIT
Anjarwalla & Khanna
MMAN Advocates
Webber Wentzel
Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation IPO
Musa Dudhia & Co
Loans
African Finance Corporation Samurai loan
Ashurst
Jackson Etti & Edu
Norton Rose Fulbright
Bank of Industry
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
White & Case
Milco
Appleby
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Herzog Fox & Neeman
Webber Wentzel
Mining Vessel 3
Bowmans
HD Bossau & Co
Webber Wentzel
PepsiCo - Simba
Allen & Overy
Bowmans
Davis Polk & Wardwell
ENSafrica
Impala Platinum
Baker McKenzie
Blake Cassels & Graydon
Bowmans
Latham & Watkins
Torys
Seplat Petroleum Development Company
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Bracewell
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Teleology - 9Mobile
G Elias & Co
Hogan Lovells
Jackson Etti & Edu
Olaniwun Ajayi
M&A
AfricInvest Capital Partners / I&M Bank
Anjarwalla & Khanna
DLA Piper
K-Solutions & Partners
American Tower Corporation / Eaton Towers Africa
AF Mpanga Advocates
Allen & Overy
Coulson Harney
Debevoise & Plimpton
ENSafrica Uganda
Kaplan & Stratton
Katende Ssempebwa & Company
Linklaters
Paul Weiss
Reindorf Chambers
Slaughter and May
Axian - Emerging Capital Markets / Togocom
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Jones Day
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
White & Case
Convergence Partners (inq.) / Vodacom Business Africa
Bilé-Aka Brizoua-Bi et Associés
Bowmans
Chibesakunda & Co
Norton Rose Fulbright
Milco / Clover
Appleby
Bernadt Vukic Potash & Getz
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Werksmans
PepsiCo / Pioneer Food Group
Bowmans
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Webber Wentzel
Tokio Marine / Hollard
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
Visa / Interswitch
ACAS
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
Giwa Osagie & Co
Latham & Watkins
Morrison & Foerster
Project finance: energy, infrastructure and natural resources
Azito Phase 4 expansion
Asafo & Co
Cabinet Jean-François Chauveau
Clifford Chance
Fideis Legal Consultants
Hughes Hubbard Reed
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Genser Captive Power Project
Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
Clifford Chance
Hogan Lovells
Kimathi & Partners
Senet Corporate Solicitors
Trinity International
GIMI FLNG Project
Clifford Chance
Ince Gordon Dadds
King & Spalding
Guinea Alumina Corporation mine, rail and port
Allen & Overy
BAO & Fils
Salimatou Diallo
Shearman & Sterling
New Owendo International Port
Clifford Chance
Linklaters
Project Lawyers
NLNG Trains 1-6 Gas Supply
Allen & Overy
Banwo & Ighodalo
Latham & Watkins
Olaniwun Ajayi
OIS Indorama Port
Aluko & Oyebode
Ashurst
Segilola gold mine
A Williams & Co Solicitors
Aluko & Oyebode
Fasken Martineau
Herbert Smith Freehills
Mayer Brown
McCarthy Tétrault
Project finance: renewables and social infrastructure
CAT - Société nationale d'électricité
ENSafrica
ENSafrica Mauritius
MBM Conseil
Ghoubet wind farm
Trinity International
Gigawatt Burundi Solar Project
Legal Solution Chambers
Trinity International
Kahone and Toube Solar plants
Herbert Smith Freehills
Hogan Lovells
Linklaters
Republic of Côte d'Ivoire hospital projects
Ashurst
Bile-Aka Brizoua-Bi & Associés
King Stubb & Kasiva
Tanzanian Light Rail Project
Baker McKenzie
East Africa Law Chambers
Gorrissen Federspiel
Restructuring
AfriSam
BLC Robert & Associates
Bowmans
Bowmans Tanzania
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Webber Wentzel
Edcon group
Clifford Chance
ENSafrica
Kirkland & Ellis
Werksmans
Moza Banco
Couto Graça e Associados
Linklaters
Savannah Petroleum / Seven Energy Group
Allen & Overy
Banwo & Ighodalo
BLC Robert & Associates
Bracewell
Burness Paull
Clifford Chance
Dentons
DLA Piper
Latham & Watkins
Law Crest LLP
Linklaters
Maples Group
Mourant Ozannes
Olaniwun Ajayi
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Steinhoff group
Allen & Overy
Binder Grösswang
Bowmans
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
Linklaters
TEAMS OF THE YEAR
Capital markets
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Allen & Overy
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
ENSafrica
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Linklaters
Webber Wentzel
Loans
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Hogan Lovells
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel
White & Case
M&A
Bowmans
Debevoise & Plimpton
ENSafrica
Herbert Smith Freehills
Latham & Watkins
Norton Rose Fulbright
Slaughter and May
Webber Wentzel
Project finance: energy, infrastructure, natural resources
Allen & Overy
Clifford Chance
King & Spalding
Linklaters
Mayer Brown
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
Shearman & Sterling
Trinity International
Project finance: renewables and social infrastructure
Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
ENSafrica
Herbert Smith Freehills
Hogan Lovells
Linklaters
Trinity International
Restructuring
Allen & Overy
Bowmans
Clifford Chance
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
Linklaters
Webber Wentzel
White & Case
FIRMS OF THE YEAR
International law firm of the year
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Latham & Watkins
Linklaters
Trinity International
White & Case
Legal network of the year
Africa Legal Network (ALN)
Bowmans
DLA Piper Africa Group
ENSafrica
Miranda Law Firm
VdA Legal Partners
NATIONAL LAW FIRMS OF THE YEAR
Angola
ALC Advogados
Eduardo Vera-Cruz
Fátima Freitas Advogados
FBL Advogados
Ghana
Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
ENSafrica Ghana
Kimathi & Partners
N Dowuona and Company
Reindorf Chambers
Senet Corporate Solicitors
Kenya
Anjarwalla & Khanna
Coulson Harney
Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Matthew
IKM Advocates
Kaplan & Stratton
MMAN Advocates
Mauritius
Appleby
BLC Robert & Associates
C&A Law
Dentons Mauritius
ENSafrica Mauritius
Mozambique
ABCC - Avillez Bacar Centeio & Cambule
Couto Graça e Associados
Guilherme Daniel & Associados
HRA Advogados
SAL & Caldeira
TTA - Tomás Timbane & Associados Advogados
Nigeria
Nigeria firm of the year to be year announced on the night
Capital markets - Nigeria
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
Odujinrin & Adefulu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Loans - Nigeria
Aluko & Oyebode
G Elias & Co
Odujinrin & Adefulu
Olajide Oyewole
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
M&A - Nigeria
ACAS
Aelex
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Project finance - Nigeria
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
OHADA
Asafo & Co
BAO & Fils
Bilé-Aka Brizoua-Bi et Associés
Cabinet Jean-François Chauveau
John W Ffooks & Co
Project Lawyers
SD Avocats
South Africa
South Africa firm of the year to be announced on the night
Capital markets - South Africa
Allen & Overy
Baker McKenzie
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Glyn Marais
Webber Wentzel
Loans - South Africa
Allen & Overy
Baker McKenzie
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
M&A - South Africa
Bowmans
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans
Project finance - South Africa
Baker McKenzie
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
Tanzania
A&K Tanzania
Bowmans Tanzania
East Africa Law Chambers
FB Attorneys
IMMMA Advocates
Uganda
AF Mpanga
ENSafrica Uganda
Katende Ssempebwa & Co
MMAKS Advocates
Sebalu & Lule
Note: National firm winners across the rest of the region will be announced on the night
