DLA Piper Expands Africa Network With Angolan Firm

26012016
DLA Piper Expands Africa Network With Angolan Firm
Jennifer Henderson, The Am Law Daily
DLA Piper has expanded in southern Africa through a local alliance in oil and mining-rich
Angola.
The Am Law 100 firm already has relationships with 14 other firms across Africa, a newly
opened outpost of its own in Casablanca, Morocco, and a planned office in Johannesburg,
South Africa. Now it has added Angolan firm ADCA to its network, deepening its commitment to
Africa and the continent’s growing—if often troubled—economies.
Founded in 2011 and known as VCA until the death of founding partner Vitor Carvalho last year,
ADCA operates in partnership with Portuguese firm (and fellow acronym devotee) ABBC, which
is also affiliated with DLA.
ADCA’s co-founding partner and current leader, Luís Filipe Carvalho, was not available to
comment Tuesday. According to Ana Ferreira da Costa, a Lisbon-based of counsel at the firm,
ABBC has been a DLA Piper focus firm for roughly five years. (DLA Piper’s website describes
focus firms as “leading local law firms working in association with DLA Piper.”) She added that
ADCA has worked with DLA Piper informally for several years and that the new, more formal
relationship “came as a natural development. … We are not part of DLA, but we are part of the
Africa group,” she said.
Ferreira da Costa predicted that ADCA would be able to better serve clients through access to
other DLA Piper Africa network firms. She said she was not aware of any branding fee paid by
ADCA to DLA Piper, and noted that DLA Piper also supports the firm’s marketing strategies.
DLA Piper did not respond to a request for comment by press time. In a report last year
highlighting client opportunities in Africa, the firm said that “over 30 percent of the world’s global
mineral reserves are found in Africa, yet less than 5 percent of the total global mineral
exploration and extraction budget is invested in the continent.” The report also noted continued
reconstruction and political stability in Angola, which is known specifically for diamond mining.
Aside from diamond mining, Angola—profiled in 2015 by The New Yorker last year as “one of
the world’s fastest-growing economies”—is known for its oil exports.
Recent reports suggest that Angola’s economy could slow significantly amid falling oil prices,
but Ferreira da Costa said her firm isn’t worried.
While ADCA does have both oil and mining practices, it relies heavily on work in other practice
areas, including real estate, corporate law, banking and finance, and labor, she said.
The addition of full-service ADCA to its Africa network marks just the latest move in a series of
shakeups DLA Piper has announced in Africa over the last several months.
Last August, DLA Piper and South African firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr agreed to end their
decade-long formal alliance (Cliffe Dekker announced a rebranding effort shortly thereafter).
Cliffe Dekker CEO Brent Williams did not return a request for comment Tuesday regarding
whether the firm is considering a new alliance.
In October, DLA Piper announced the opening of its own office in Casablanca. An outpost in
Johannesburg is slated to open in the first quarter of this year.
A handful of major international firms have opened their own offices in Africa in recent years,
including Baker & McKenzie, Norton Rose Fulbright, Dentons and White & Case. Others have
inked formal or informal alliances with local firms. But the continent is still an afterthought for
many large foreign firms. In April 2015, when The American Lawyer reported the largest 50
firms by head count in Africa, Norton Rose Fulbright was the only Am Law 100 firm on the list,
ranking at No. 4.
www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202748046406/DLA-Piper-Expands-Africa-Network-WithAngolan-Firm#ixzz3ydVuDIoF
26012016
DLA Piper adds Angolan firm to
its Africa network
James Booth
Angolan firm ADCA has joined DLA Piper's Africa network.
DLA Piper has added Angolan firm ADCA to its Africa network, bringing the number of firms in the
network to fifteen.
ADCA is a 16 lawyer firm based in Luanda and is a partner of Portuguese firm ABBC with which DLA
has an existing connection.
DLA opened its first office on the continent in late 2015, launching in Casablanca, Morocco with a two
partner team. It also plans to launch in Johannesburg, South Africa in early 2016.
Its move to open in South Africa comes after its alliance with South African firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
(CDH) was broken off in August 2015 after its partners baulked at closer integration with DLA.
Former CDH chief operating officer Michael Whitaker was appointed by DLA to assist in the
development of DLA's South Africa base.
David Church, international development partner at DLA Piper, said: "Welcoming ADCA into DLA
Piper Africa marks another important step for DLA Piper as we further strengthen capabilities and
expertise across the continent."
The DLA Africa Group is an alliance of law firms in 15 countries across the continent. The network
currently has members in Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius,
Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
http://www.legalweek.com/legal-week/news/2443194/dla-piper-adds-angolan-firm-to-its-africa-network
29012016
DLA Piper’s Angolan alliance
ANDREW MIZNER
International law firm DLA Piper has moved into Angola, one of Africa’s
most dynamic economies, through an alliance with local firm ADCA, as it
continues its drive to expand in Africa.
Angolan law firm Advogados Carvalho & Associados (ADCA) has, as of 1
December, joined the Africa Group of international firm DLA Piper, becoming the
15th firm to join the alliance of independent firms across the continent.
Formerly known as VCA, Luanda-based ADCA has an existing alliance with
Portuguese firm ABBC, which as a DLA Piper ‘focus firm’ has an association
with the international firm.
The Angolan legal market is closed to foreign firms, so partnerships with local
firms allow international firms to establish a presence in some of the world’s
fastest-growing economies.
DLA Piper said in a statement the move underlined its “commitment to the
development and growth of the firm's presence in Africa generally and
complements the existing strong Lusophone capacity in Mozambique”.
ADCA is particularly strong in the areas of finance, corporate and real estate, and
has practices handling foreign investment, public law, environmental law, energy
and natural resources, litigation and arbitration, intellectual property, aviation,
technology and tax, among others.
David Church, international development partner at DLA Piper, said in the
statement: “Welcoming ADCA into DLA Piper Africa marks another important
step for DLA Piper as we further strengthen capabilities and expertise across the
continent following the recent opening of our office in Casablanca and the
forthcoming launch of our Johannesburg practice.”
The managing partner of ADCA, Luis Filipe Carvalho, said the firm was “excited
to become a part of a leading Africa practice within a global law firm” and looked
forward to developing “the skills of [the firm’s] lawyers and practice overall”.
As with much of the continent, Angola’s economy is built on natural resources.
The country has one of the world’s fasted growing economies, based largely on
its oil and diamond extraction industries, despite the decline in oil prices that has
caused economic problems for many in the last year. It is Africa’s second-largest
oil producer, with a GDP of 130 billion in 2014. The country is also a major
destination for investment from China.
International law firms have been steadily expanding their presences in Africa
over the past five years, either through local associations or opening their own
offices, including Chicago-headquartered Baker & McKenzie and Londonheadquartered Norton Rose Fulbright and Hogan Lovells.
DLA Piper expanded its African group in 2014 with the addition of three firms in
Algeria, Burundi and Namibia, with the Algerian firm Bouchemla Lanouar &
Associés, expanding its practice in May last year. The network of firms includes
leading South African firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, headquartered in
Johannesburg.
27012016
29012016
Sociedade de advogados global reforça presença em Angola
A ADCA Advogados, sociedade de advogados Angolana, passou a ser membro da DLA Piper
Africa, aliança que integra sociedades de mais de 15 países do continente africano que
colaboram com a sociedade global DLA Piper.
Para Luís Filipe Carvalho, Managing Partner da ADCA, “Este é o reconhecimento da excelência do
aconselhamento jurídico prestado pela ADCA, ao nível do que melhor se faz a nível internacional, e
sobretudo, um sinal claro de que Angola está no radar dos investidores internacionais, que desta
forma beneficiam dos serviços de uma sociedade de advogados Angolana com a globalmente
reconhecida qualidade da DLA Piper.”
"Acolher a ADCA na DLA Piper Africa constitui mais um importante passo para a DLA Piper no
reforço das nossas capacidades e expertise no continente africano, depois da recente abertura do
escritório de Casablanca e do lançamento em breve da actividade em Joanesburgo", referiu David
Church, International Development partner da DLA Piper.
A ADCA, sociedade de advogados Angolana especialmente orientada para o Direito dos Negócios foi
fundada em 2012, é reconhecida pelos directórios jurídicos internacionais Chambers and Partners
Global e IFLR1000, tendo também ganho, nos últimos dois anos, o Euromoney Real Estate Awards
como melhor sociedade de advogados em Angola em Imobiliário.
http://noticias.sapo.ao/info/artigo/1464754.html
27012016
Angolana ADCA integra DLA Piper
Africa
A DLA Piper Africa passou a integrar a sociedade angolana ADCA Advogados,
parceira da portuguesa ABBC Advogados, que também é associada da DLA Piper.
O objetivo é crescer em África e complementar a “forte capacidade lusófona existente em Moçambique”.
Sedeada em Luanda, a ADCA inclui uma equipa de 16 advogados, que atuam preferencialmente nas áreas de
finance, corporate e imobiliário.
“Estamos entusiasmados em tornarmo-nos parte de uma prática líder em África dentro de uma firma de
advogados global como a DLA Piper e estamos ansiosos para trabalhar com os nossos colegas da DLA Piper
para continuar a desenvolver as capacidades dos nossos advogados e a nossa prática em geral", afirma o
managing partner da ADCA e sócio da ABBC, Luís Filipe Carvalho, em comunicado da DLA Piper.
A DLA Piper Africa passa, assim, a reunir 15 sociedades de advogados do continente africano, que colaboram
com a sociedade global DLA Piper.
http://www.advocatus.pt/sociedades-de-advogados/12688-angolana-adca-integra-dla-piper-africa.html
28012016
Global firm expands Africa presence
DLA Piper has announced the addition of Angolan law firm
ADCA as a member of its Africa group.
Advogados Carvalho & Associados (ADCA) became a part of
DLA Piper Africa on 1 December 2015, taking the total
number of law firms in the group to 15.
ADCA is based in Angola’s capital city, Luanda, and has 16
lawyers and partners. The firm is recognised by Euromoney
and IFLR 1000 for the strength of its finance, corporate and
real estate practices.
According to a statement from DLA Piper, the addition of ADCA to DLA Piper Africa shows
the firm's commitment to the development and growth of its presence in Africa. It also
complements DLA Piper’s existing Lusophone capacity in Mozambique.
DLA Piper international development partner David Church (pictured) said: "Welcoming ADCA
into DLA Piper Africa marks another important step for DLA Piper as we further strengthen
capabilities and expertise across the continent."
ADCA managing partner Luis Filipe Carvalho said: "We look forward to working with our DLA
Piper colleagues to further develop the skills of our lawyers and practice overall."
In October 2015 DLA Piper opened its first own African office in Casablanca, Morocco and
announced plans for another in Johannesburg, South Africa to be opened in the first quarter of
this year.
http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/news/17873-global-firm-expands-africa-presence
29-01-2016
DLA Piper fortifies African presence with
Angolan expansion
DLA Piper has announced that its network in Africa now
comprises of 15 firms, with the addition of ADCA in Angola.
The integration of ADCA by DLA Piper Africa underlines commitment to the
development and growth of the firm's presence in Africa generally, and specifically in
Portuguese speaking regions like Mozambique.
Based in Luanda, ADCA is a full service law firm which has 16 partners and lawyers
and is a market leading firm, recognized by Euromoney and ILFR 1000. It is noted for its
finance, corporate and real estate practices. ADCA has an existing partnership with
ABBC in Lisbon, Portugal, with whom DLA Piper has an existing relationship.
David Church, International Development partner at DLA Piper, said: "Welcoming ADCA
into DLA Piper Africa marks another important step for DLA Piper as we further
strengthen capabilities and expertise across the continent following the recent opening
of our office in Casablanca and the forthcoming launch of our Johannesburg practice."
In the last few years, major international law firms have been looking to shape and grow
the legal profession within the African region. Clifford Chance started the trend with the
Clifford Chance Africa Academy (CCAA), which provides training programs that help
lawyers in the region from different law firms by allowing them to work with Clifford
Chance partners and associates. British firm Addleshaw Goddard also established a
dedicated Africa Business Group where they emphasize the importance of partnering
up with local firms in Africa. The addition of ADCA to its list of African partners, following
the launch of its office in Casablanca last year, is a strong indicator of DLA Piper’s
intentions to make full use of a rejuvenated legal climate in Africa.
28012016
Expansion for DLA Piper
DLA Piper has announced that the number of firms in its group has risen to 15 with the addition
of ADCA in Angola. The full service law firm has 16 partners and lawyers and is a market
leading firm noted for its finance, corporate and real estate practices. ADCA has an existing
partnership with ABBC in Portugal, which also has a long-standing relationship with DLA Piper.
27012016
Expansion for DLA Piper
DLA Piper has announced that the number of firms in its group has risen to 15 with
the addition of ADCA in Angola. The full service law firm has 16 partners and
lawyers and is a market leading firm noted for its finance, corporate and real estate
practices. ADCA has an existing partnership with ABBC in Portugal, which also has a
long-standing relationship with DLA Piper.