# Big Five (law firms) in South Africa

The Big Five law firms is a term informally used in South Africa to refer to those law firms which, collectively, are perceived to be the leading law firms based in South Africa.
The following firms are usually seen as comprising the "Big Five" (listed alphabetically):
| Name | Date founded | Offices | Lawyers |
| Bowmans | 1885 | Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Johannesburg, Kampala, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Moka, Nairobi (9) (July 2020) | 400+ (July 2020) |
| Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr$^1$ | 1853 | Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch (3) (July 2020) | 350+ (July 2020) |
| Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, trading as ENSafrica | 1905 | Accra, Alexandra (pro bono office), Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Mitchells Plain (pro bono office), Nairobi, Port Louis, Stellenbosch, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Windhoek (14) | 600+ (July 2020) |
| Webber Wentzel in alliance with Linklaters$^2$ | 1868 | Cape Town, Johannesburg (2) (July 2020) | 450+ (July 2020) |
| Werksmans$^3$ | 1917 | Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch (3) (July 2020) | 175+ (July 2020) |
Note$^1$: Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr was formerly allied with DLA Piper. Its affiliation with DLA Piper ended at the end of August 2015.
Note$^2$: On 1 February 2013, the firm entered into a collaborative alliance with global law firm Linklaters.
Note$^3$: Deneys Reitz Inc, and then Norton Rose Fulbright, was formerly considered to form part of the big five law firms. Due to its decline, Werksmans, which was not part of the big five law firms, took its place.

## Rankings
### Chambers and Partners Global rankings

Chambers and Partners Global Rankings of the number of departments recognised as leaders in their respective fields in South Africa in 2020. This list is non-exhaustive.
| Rank$^1$ | Name | Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Band 4 |
| 1 | Webber Wentzel | 13 | 3 | 4 | None |
| 2 | Bowmans | 12 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | ENSafrica | 9 | 8 | 2 | None |
| 4 | Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr | 6 | 10 | 3 | None |
| 5 | Werksmans | 3 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| | Allen & Overy South Africa | 1 |
| | Clyde & Co South Africa | 1 | None | 2 | None |
| | Spoor & Fisher | 1 | None | None | None |
| | Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa | None | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| | Fasken Martineau South Africa | None | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| | Herbert Smith Freehills South Africa | None | 1 | None | 4 |
| | Shepstone & Wylie | None | 1 | None | None |
| | Baker McKenzie South Africa | None | None | 4 | 4 |
| | DLA Piper South Africa | None | None | 2 | None |
| | Fluxmans | None | None | None | 3 |
| | Knowles Husain Lindsay | None | None | None | 1 |
| | Lawtons Africa | None | None | None | None |
Note$^1$: Based on Band 1 rankings.

### Who's Who Legal Global 100

Law firms included in the Global 100 aren't assigned a specific ranking.
| Year | Firm$^3$ |
| 2013 | ENSafrica |
| 2013, 2014 | Webber Wentzel |
Note$^3$: firms listed alphabetically

### Who's Who Legal South African Law firm of the year

| Year | Firm |
| 2015 | Webber Wentzel |
| 2013 | Webber Wentzel |
| 2012 | Webber Wentzel |
| 2011 | Webber Wentzel |

## Midsized law firms

Firms with more than 50 attorneys are generally viewed as midsize law firms.
| Name | Founded (South Africa) | No. of offices (South Africa) | No. of attorneys (South Africa) |
| Fairbridges Wertheim Becker | 1812 | 2 (July 2020) | 51 (July 2020) |
| Fasken Martineau South Africa (formerly Bell Dewar) | 1901 | 1 (July 2020) | 67 (July 2020) |
| Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa$^1$ | 1922 | 3 (July 2020) | 75 (July 2020) |
| Shepstone & Wylie | 1872 | 5 (July 2020) | 69 (July 2020) |
| Spoor & Fisher | 1920 | 4 (July 2020) | 94 (July 2020) |
| STBB - Smith Tabata Buchanan Boyes | 1900 | 13 (September 2022) | 111 (September 2022) |
| Strauss Daly Incorporated | 1984 | 9 (October 2021) | 52 (October 2021) |
Note$^1$: On 1 June 2011, Deneys Reitz Inc joined UK based firm Norton Rose. Deneis Reitz, and then Norton Rose Fulbright, was formerly considered to form part of the big five law firms. Due to its decline, Werksmans, which was formerly outside of the big five law firms, took its place.