Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr business law firm has announced that Chris Ewing, current Chairman of the firm, has been elected as the Chairman of the Board of DLA Piper Africa for a period of two years from 1 April 2014.  Attie Pretorius, National Head of the Real Estate Practice, is to become Chairman of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr from 1 April.

“This is a major step towards the execution of the collective strategy of all the DLA Piper Africa firms to develop a seamless business law service offering on our continent. Chris has played a significant role in the development and implementation of this strategy,” notes Brent Williams, CEO of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.

Chris Ewing comments, “The modus operandi of the DLA Piper Africa Group has always been to build strong personal relationships with partner firms and to walk beside our clients throughout their business dealings in Africa. We have formed real relationships, built on friendship and trust, with our member firms in fourteen countries in Africa who have specialist local knowledge in each jurisdiction. This, combined with international DLA Piper backing for any specialised skills required, is a powerful combination and it works. I look forward to continuing and growing this close partnership across the DLA Piper Africa Group.”

Williams notes further,  “Chris’s relentless insistence on our firm rendering services to clients of the highest calibre, but simultaneously focussing on the business of law and being an early embracer of the need for the profession to become more representative from both a gender and race perspective has placed him squarely at the forefront of corporate law firm innovation, growth and transformation in our market over the last 10 years.

“DLA Piper and the DLA Piper Africa Group have chosen wisely and it is an honour for us to have him at the helm of the Africa Group,” Williams adds.

Contact: Brent Williams, CEO,  Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr