Leading South African law firm has appointed a team of corporate and commercial lawyers from Brink Falcon Hume Inc. New Webber Wentzel partners include Johan Brink, formerly chairman of Brink Falcon Hume Inc, and Leroux Odendaal, previously a director at Brink Falcon Hume Inc. Nerina Erasmus has also joined the firm as an associate.

Webber Wentzel senior partner, David Lancaster, says, "The team brings a wealth of experience in advising clients in the Agriculture, Mining, TMT, engineering and industrial sectors, along with a strong general corporate and commercial focus. This industry experience and key operational expertise will complement our existing skills."

Brink was one of the founding partners of leading commercial law firm Brink Cohen le Roux Inc. His expertise lies in mergers and acquisitions and general corporate and commercial law. He is a specialist in company law, corporate governance and restructuring. His extensive banking and finance knowledge covers corporate loans and lending transactions including commercial paper issues, syndicated loans, securitisations, as well as listed bond issues by several corporates, parastatals, water utilities, government controlled companies, and metropolitan municipalities.

He is a member of the Financial Reporting Standards Council (FRSC), a statutory body created in terms of Section 203 of the Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008, which is appointed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, and a member of the ad hoc committee on corporate law of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). He was also a former chair and member of the board of directors of Interlaw, an international association of law firms in over 60 countries and 120 business centres worldwide.

Leroux specialises in mergers and acquisitions, competition law, general corporate and commercial law and regulatory compliance matters. Nerina is experienced in mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, regulatory compliance matters and general corporate and commercial law.

Lancaster believes that the expertise Webber Wentzel offers, combined with its access to global best practice (through its collaborative alliance with Linklaters) and its extended footprint in Africa (through its ALN association and network of best friends), is unique to the continent.

Webber Wentzel was recently recognised as Sub-Saharan Africa Legal Adviser of the Year in the European M&A Awards 2013, Energy & Natural Resource Firm of the Year, as well as Transportation & Infrastructure Firm of the Year in the African Legal Awards for 2013.