The 13th annual African Legal Awards celebrated legal excellence from across the continent at The Wanderers Club in Johannesburg on 4 September 2026.
Hosted by Law.com International in partnership with the Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa (CCASA), the gala event recognised individuals, teams, and firms advancing and revolutionising the legal sector across Africa. Attendees were entertained by South African comedienne and MC for the evening, Tumi Morake.
Award highlights
Webber Wentzel dominated the podium, taking a total of six awards over the course of the night. The practice retained the titles for African Law Firm of the Year and African Law Firm of the Year – Southern Africa for the second year running, and clinched the Innovation Award for the third year in a row.
The firm also took home the awards for M&A Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm, Best Use of Technology – Private Practice, and ESG Initiative of the Year.
DLA Piper was named International Law Firm of the Year for the second consecutive year, along with the prize for Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year.
DLA Piper Africa was once again awarded African Law Firm of the Year – East Africa - a title it has held since the category was introduced in 2023. Members of the DLA Piper Africa network were also recognised as Banking & Finance Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm (Chibesakunda & Co); Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Team of the Year (IKM Advocates); and IP Team of the Year (Olajide Oyewole).
ALN (Africa Legal Network) was credited as African Network / Alliance of the Year; with the network's NanaAma Botchway, N. Dowuona & Company winning Partner of the Year – West Africa, and Anjarwalla & Khanna taking both Private Equity Team of the Year and Tax Team of the Year.
Bowmans role in the Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 Project earned the firm Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year; while Bowmans chairman and senior partner Ezra Davids and senior partner in Kenya, Richard Harney SC were named Partner of the Year for Southern Africa and East Africa respectively.
Banwo & Ighodalo was named African Law Firm of the Year – West Africa, as well as Banking & Finance Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm.
Odujinrin & Adefulu proved itself a powerhouse in the Capital Markets sector by taking the Team of the Year award in the category for the second year in a row.
Under the In-house categories, Nigerian fintech company Moniepoint was awarded Legal Department of the Year - Large Team, with its senior counsel, Tayo Mustapha taking home the In-House Rising Star Award.
Microsoft's Andréa Campbell was the most decorated individual of the evening, scoring the titles of both Senior In-House Legal Counsel of the Year and Women Leaders in Law - In-House.
The full list of winners for the 2026 African Legal Awards:
In-House Awards
| Category | Winner |
| Legal Department of the Year - Small Team | Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company |
| Legal Department of the Year - Large Team | Moniepoint |
| General Counsel of the Year | Michael Osilama Out, Zenith Bank |
| In-House Rising Star Award | Tayo Mustapha, Moniepoint |
| Risk & Compliance Department of the Year | Vodacom |
| Senior In-House Legal Counsel of the Year | Andréa Campbell, Microsoft |
Private Practice Awards
| Category | Winner |
| African Law Firm of the Year | Webber Wentzel |
| African Law Firm of the Year – East Africa | DLA Piper Africa |
| African Law Firm of the Year – North Africa | ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners |
| African Law Firm of the Year – Southern Africa | Webber Wentzel |
| African Law Firm of the Year – West Africa | Banwo & Ighodalo |
| African Network / Alliance of the Year | ALN (Africa Legal Network) |
| Banking & Finance Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm* | Banwo & Ighodalo |
| Banking & Finance Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm | Chibesakunda & Co | DLA Piper Africa |
| Capital Markets Team of the Year | Odujinrin & Adefulu |
| Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year | DLA Piper |
| Employment Law Team of the Year | Moroom Africa Legal Consults |
| Environment, Energy & Natural Resources Team of the Year | IKM Advocates | DLA Piper Africa |
| International Law Firm of the Year | DLA Piper |
| IP Team of the Year | Olajide Oyewole | DLA Piper Africa |
| Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year | Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors |
| M&A Team of the Year - Large Sized Firm* | Webber Wentzel |
| M&A Team of the Year - Medium Sized Firm | Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah |
| Partner of the Year – East Africa | Richard Harney, Bowmans |
| Partner of the Year – North Africa | Moulay Mohamed Lahbib Rhalib, Giambrone & Partners |
| Partner of the Year – Southern Africa | Ezra Davids, Bowmans |
| Partner of the Year – West Africa | NanaAma Botchway, N. Dowuona & Company | ALN |
| Private Equity Team of the Year | Anjarwalla & Khanna | ALN |
| Private Practice Most Promising Newcomer Award | Babatunde Oyewole, Stren & Blan Partners |
| Private Practice Rising Star Award | Abena Osei, Werksmans |
| Property and Construction Team of the Year | Clyde & Co |
| Restructuring Team of the Year | Cox Yeats |
| Specialist Law Firm of the Year | LnP Beyond Legal |
| Tax Team of the Year | Anjarwalla & Khanna | ALN |
| TMT Team of the Year | Olaniwun Ajayi |
| Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year | Bowmans |
* A large firm is classified by being top 25 in the Africa Top 50 or in the Global 200
Awards open to both Private Practice & In-House
| Category | Winner |
| Best Use of Technology – In-house | Takealot |
| Best Use of Technology – Private Practice | Webber Wentzel |
| CSR, Diversity, Transformation and Economic Empowerment Award | Deneys |
| ESG Initiative of the Year | Webber Wentzel |
| Innovation Award | Webber Wentzel |
| Women Leaders in Law - In-House | Andréa Campbell, Microsoft |
| Women Leaders in Law – Private Practice | Zara Jamal, JLA Advogados |
