Fasken Martineau will merge the Johannesburg-based law firm Bell Dewar. The merger will create one of the largest law firms operating in Africa, giving Fasken Martineau the largest international footprint of any Canadian-based law firm. “The addition of the Bell Dewar team of lawyers along with our existing teams in Johannesburg, London, Paris, and across Canada, provides us with an unrivalled base of talent and experience to bring to the African and world markets,” said David Corbett, firm managing partner, Fasken Martineau. “There is immense value in our ongoing strategic growth worldwide. Our newly expanded Johannesburg team adds to our capabilities in Africa, especially in the areas of mining, infrastructure, energy, project finance, capital markets and M&A.”
The integration of the two firms’ operations will be completed by February 1, 2013. Blaize Vance, the current managing partner of Bell Dewar, will then become the regional managing partner for Africa in a newly consolidated Johannesburg office.
