We are legal experts in international arbitration in Africa. We handle all forms of disputes from beginning to end, no matter where on the continent you do business or where the witnesses are based.
Resolving cross-border disputes on the African continent can be complex.
Our international arbitration team members have many years of experience acting as local counsel and are therefore specialists in modern arbitral practice and enforcement across all key sectors, including construction, energy, shipping, mining, telecommunications, insurance and financial services.
As a result, we are ideally placed to assist you with alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation and arbitration and, where necessary, in the local courts.
We regularly act for major local and international clients in ad hoc arbitration proceedings and in major arbitration centres, including the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague (PCA).
We have strong ties with the foremost African arbitral institutions, including the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA), Ghana Arbitration Centre (GAC), Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC), Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (MARC) and Mauritius International Arbitration Centre (MIAC).
Because we have offices in all these regions, we have been able to build solid relationships with and become deeply involved in the day-to-day running of some of these institutions.
We were a founding member of AFSA and belong to their sub-committees, while the Head of our Mauritius office, Thierry Koenig SA, is president of the MIAC Practitioners’ Group Steering Committee.
Multi-jurisdictional businesses face significant risks, as well as the challenge of complying with vastly different laws and regulations.
With offices in Eastern, Southern and Western Africa and more than 600 specialist practitioners, we have deep expertise and the capacity to solve all your legal, tax, forensics and IP requirements, and help you navigate regulatory hurdles, no matter where in Africa you do business.
Because we have had many years of practical experience working on the ground throughout the continent, we have developed a proven track record, we are fluent in local languages and have a solid understanding of local cultural, commercial and geopolitical contexts, as well as long-standing partnerships with trusted firms with whom we work.
With lawyers qualified to practise on the continent, as well as in English and French law, we provide legal services and assistance in Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries, including all the countries which follow the OHADA system of business law.
We are able to advise in English, French, Portuguese, Cantonese and Mandarin, and we are also fluent in a plethora of African languages across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Our in-house intelligENS team of legal and forensic technology experts collects and receives data and performs industry-standard techniques to increase the efficiency of any information-intensive review, including document review and e-discovery.
RelativityOne is the backbone to our AI-powered customised solutions and methodologies, and ENS is the first law firm in Africa to offer this innovative platform.
We are therefore able to meet your legal needs quickly, seamlessly and with as little disruption to your business as possible.
ENS is recognised by leading international ranking agencies, including Chambers Global, Legal 500, IFLR1000 and the World Tax Guide, for achieving consistently high standards.
Furthermore, the firm is a regular recipient of regional awards such as DealMakers and the African Legal Awards.
