Ian Hayes, DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s national corporate and commercial head – will join ENS in September along with Marc Friedman and Lyndia Shadrach-Razzino, both of whom held partner-equivalent roles of director at DLA. A senior associate, two associates and support staff are also making the switch.

Opportunistic

ENS chief executive Piet Faber told The Lawyer newsapper in London that the hires were opportunistic. ‘Hayes was national head at DLA and is a really big name in the industry. We were only too pleased to welcome [his team] in. There’s only a handful of firms that do substantial M&A deals in the country and he is one of the top five [lawyers] doing the work.’

The move comes on the back of a recent ENS announcement that it will be expanding its Africa presence with offices opening in Rwanda and Burundi. The Law.com web site reports that the office openings will make ENS the first integrated pan-African law firm.

Working for Africa

ENS has already hired Desire Kamanzi, managing partner of Kamanzi, Ntaganira & Associates, to lead ENS Africa-Rwanda. In Burundi, ENS has poached Gilbert Nyatanyi, former managing partner of Mkono's local arm, who will leave along with a team of associates to lead ENS Africa-Burundi.

Mr Faber commented: ‘Our expansion marks the beginning of the realisation of our vision to be a pan-African law firm -- not through a network, nor an alliance, nor a 'Swiss Verein,' but as one fully integrated firm with one brand, made up of people in Africa, working for Africa.’

It was also reported last month that London magic circle firm Linklaters is considering a joint venture in South Africa, with Webber Wentzel the lead candidate for a deal.