Hogan Lovells announced Tuesday that they’ve expanded their global firm to absorb one more drop into their substance: South African law firm Routledge Modise of Johannesburg, which will rebrand and relaunch as Hogan Lovells as of 2014. They Johannesburg office will be 120 strong, 40 of which are partners, and will reinforce Hogan’s desire to strengthen their global mining and energy practices.
“Africa is an extremely important market for our clients and to us as a firm” said global co-CEO of Hogan Lovells, David Harris. “A significant number of our clients have an interest or a presence on the continent, and with Africa’s substantial natural resources, expanding economies, and growing consumer base, the level of interest will continue to increase rapidly.
“We already have a very active and successful Africa practice which currently has over 40 lawyers based in the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This combination will significantly expand our Africa capabilities and will be beneficial to a large number of our key clients.
“Routledge Modise is an excellent fit with Hogan Lovells – they are recognized for having high quality partners, a cohesive partnership ethos, ambition, and an international outlook, and we look forward to our future together as one firm worldwide.”
Kind words from the mega-firm that holds the dominant position, but Lavery Modise, Chairman of Routledge Modise, seems equally cheerful about the merger, saying “Both firms have proven track records. This is a merger of expertise and knowledge to ensure we continue to offer our clients the very best legal services.”
The legal services emphasized at this particular firm will include corporate, commercial, litigation, mining, and employment work. They already have a client base which includes the South African government, so the African firm is geographically speaking a heavy hitter, and a worthy merger with the globe-trotting Hogan Lovells.
