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ENS, Africa's largest law firm, has become the world's
first, fully integrated, pan-African law firm. This comes off the
back of the firm's ground-breaking announcement that
Désiré Kamanzi (Rwanda) and Gilbert Nyatanyi
(Burundi), will join forces with ENS and head up ENS Africa |
Rwanda and ENS Africa | Burundi, respectively. This will
create the first and only African law firm to have fully integrated
offices in Africa – a law firm united not only by a brand
name or through an alliance, but by virtue of being inherently
one-firm. The firm has said it has plans to open across the African
continent in due course. "Our vision has always been to be the
African law firm of choice. Today, we are one step closer towards
realizing our vision. We are humbled by the warm and open reception
we have received from Africa's best and brightest lawyers. We
are now more committed than ever before to establishing a truly
pan-African law firm, made up of people who are in Africa, for
Africa. " said Piet Faber, Chief Executive of ENS.
Désiré Kamanzi, Managing Partner of Kamanzi and
Associates in Kigali, Rwanda, commented, "In order for our
practice to grow and to respond to the needs of our market, and to
embrace the full impact of the opening up of Africa to the world,
we believe that we have to be part of a pan-African law firm. This
will not be achieved within a pan-African Network of Independent
Law Firms as this does not serve the interests of Africa and/or
that of business investors into Africa."
Gilbert Nyatanyi, previously Managing Partner of Mkono
&Co.'s Burundi office, agreed saying, "I am convinced,
considering the current economic climate, the only way forward is
for us to be part of an integrated law firm that spans Africa
– to create a world-class service offering that will
re-define how business is done on the Africa continent. The
new firm will provide huge benefit to our clients, to the
international players we deal with and even more so, to us as
Africans."
Africa provides endless opportunities for investment and
business development. This is especially true following the recent
first-world economic crisis and its implications for global
economies. "Multinational companies are moving into Africa at
a rapid pace, and are looking for legal counsel they can trust with
geographical presence and capability." said Mzi Mgudlwa,
Deputy Chief Executive."Vital to the ongoing success of any
business is a need for advice that takes into account local
regulatory requirements as well as the specific legislation
applicable in each of the Africa's 54 countries.
Moreover, it makes no sense for work to be done off-African shores
when it can be done more effectively by local firms offering the
expertise and the capability required to meet the demands of
exacting clients and at far more cost-effective rates. We are
excited about the future of Africa, and we are privileged to be
able to stand together with the likes of Désiré and
Gilbert and join hands in building a firm which is truly
African."
"This year has been an exhilarating year for ENS and Africa
at large. We are looking forward to expanding our footprint
even further into Africa and to providing our clients with the same
quality of legal, tax, forensic and IP advice they would expect
from a world-class law firm," says Michael Katz, ENS
Chairman.
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