Africa

Our lawyers handle all types of public and private issuances of equity, debt and hybrid securities. We act as principal international counsel for many major issuers and underwriters involved in emerging markets, and we have advised on more than 100 sovereign debt issuances in the past five years, with a combined deal value of more than US$50 billion.

Regional and international corporations rely on us when planning inbound or outbound M&A transactions, while fund managers and other investors value our practical, results-based advice. By combining legal expertise with an understanding of local enforcement policies and business environments, we resolve the most problematic M&A-related issues throughout the continent.

Major players in sub-Saharan Africa’s booming private equity and venture capital sectors rely on Dechert’s commercial advice when planning a fund formation or other investment. We advise on the entire investment life cycle, from fund formation and structuring to IPOs, trade sales and other exits.

Clients call on our Africa- focused dispute resolution team when facing intricate commercial disputes, white collar or securities litigation. We advocate our clients’ interests robustly, defending African companies against litigation arising outside the region and providing international clients with powerful representation when litigating in Africa. We have an outstanding record in disputes where the governing law, venue and parties’ places of domicile are in different jurisdictions.

Coordinated by Dechert’s most experienced partners, our Africa arbitration team has a strong grasp of the complex interplay between international treaties and local arbitration laws. With experience as both arbitrator and counsel before arbitration courts and international panels, our insights can provide a critical advantage in resolving the most intractable business disputes.

African and international corporations, financial institutions and private investors rely on us when setting up a joint venture, establishing a subsidiary or negotiating a contract. We understand what it takes to navigate the most complex legal matters in Africa. Our Africa teams deploy the full resources and insight resident in Dechert’s international network of offices when advising on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, arbitration and corporate matters.

In Africa, we provide commercially driven solutions to a range of operational, regulatory and financing issues that face our clients in their day-to-day business activities. We bring a creative approach to unlocking capital, representing governments, utilities, contractors, banks, lenders and investors on a wide range of transactions, and we are fully conversant with financing projects on a limited-recourse project finance basis or by using asset-backed structures or off-balance sheet methods.

Dechert provides comprehensive legal services to a wide range of financial institutions. Banks, broker-dealers, investment managers and insurance companies all rely on Dechert teams for transactional and regulatory advice when doing business in Africa.

As a market leader in the funds space, our fund formation lawyers are regularly involved in the establishment of open-ended and closed-ended public and private equity funds, including Shari’a-compliant funds, country-specific funds, energy funds and infrastructure funds. We also advise on interactions with regulators and on ongoing compliance issues.