The Lawyer newspaper reports that Linklaters has identified local firm Webber Wentzel as the lead candidate for a deal, while taking on the Johannesburg team of defunct New York law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf remains a possibility.

Bilateral basis

The global firm already has strong ties with Webber Wentzel, although it has most recently worked with South African player Werksmans on a deal involving mining company Xstrata.
A Linklaters partner told The Lawyer: ‘If you’re going to do something [in Africa], you do it on a bilateral basis. We keep talking. I think there’s still talks that go on between us and a whole load of firms. Discussions are going on with firms, but I don’t think that there’s anything about to be announced.’