Client Services / International / Southern Africa

Southern Africa

McDermott Will & Emery advises clients who do business in southern Africa and companies and individuals from southern Africa who do business throughout the world. For several decades we have represented individuals, partnerships and companies from southern Africa as well as individuals, partnerships and companies with interests invested in southern Africa. We have planned and structured transactions, negotiated and drafted required legal documentation for such transactions, secured governmental approvals and worked with local counsel.

Three of our lawyers have southern African backgrounds and educations with first-hand knowledge of the southern African legal and business environment. This experience, combined with our strong international presence as well as close relationships with and broad knowledge of the southern African legal community, enables us to work effectively with local law firms in handling a wide variety of legal matters.

Our experience includes the following:

  • Business transactions, such as purchases and sales of businesses; implementation of investment programs; creation of joint ventures and the structuring of distributorship, licensing and agency arrangements; establishment of empowerment arrangements; and advising on compliance with local laws.
  • Finance matters, such as transaction financings, debt and equity fundraising, establishment of American Depositary Receipt programs, export/import and trade financings, interest rate and currency swap arrangements, and all types of commercial lending matters.
  • Project finance, such as power, telecommunications, transportation, water and other infrastructure projects with unique financing arrangements; and work with multinational agencies providing financing and insurance coverage for such projects.
  • Taxation, such as tax planning for cross-border investments; transfer pricing arrangements, dividend planning, foreign tax credits, foreign currency transactions, exchange controls and foreign sales corporations; competent authority matters; and international estate planning.
  • Legislative/lobbying, such as representation and advice before governmental agencies and authorities in the United States and countries in this region, and lobbying on potential trade agreements between the U.S. and African countries.
  • Litigation, such as working with local counsel in contractual, employment, commercial and tax litigation. Served as lead counsel in the United States in matters involving African clients and issues.
  • Trade, such as advice with respect to various treaty and regulatory aspects of trade between the United States and African countries (e.g., African Growth & Opportunities Act (AGOA), antidumping, customs, export/import issues); and litigating or arbitrating private and governmental trade cases.
  • Intellectual property, such as trademark and patent prosecution; trademark and copyright counseling; and licensing trademarks, know-how and technology; and coordination of anti-counterfeiting and infringement actions.
  • Employment, such as structuring employment arrangements for expatriates and international employee benefit planning; structuring and implementing empowerment arrangements for previously disadvantaged people.

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ~ For more than half a century, McDermott Will & Emery lawyers have been involved in international transactions on every continent and in virtually every sector of business activity. This experience provides our lawyers with a broader perspective on a myriad factors influencing multinational business and gives them the unique skills necessary to handle the complexities of cross-border transactions.

McDermott, Will & Emery is a leading international law firm serving clients from 16 offices worldwide. We provide business-focused, comprehensive and cost-effective legal services to some of the world’s largest corporations and small- and medium-sized businesses. The Firm takes special pride in its interdisciplinary international practice groups with specific experience in areas such as corporate finance, banking, energy, privatization, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, international trade, taxation, environmental law and other highly complex and evolving fields.

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International Client Services

McDermott Will & Emery

McDermott Will and Emery