DLA Piper has implemented a new Swiss verein structure across the 19 offices in its Africa network and has appointed a new head to oversee the firm’s strategy in the region, The Lawyer can reveal.
The firm made the governance change to a Swiss verein in December 2017 to “increase the levels of connection, governance and collaboration” across the 19 African countries in which the firm has a presence and align its business across the continent.
DLA Kenya partner James Kamau has been appointed as chairman of DLA Piper Africa from today (1 May). He is taking over from Chris Ewing, who is stepping down from the role after four years and will continue at the firm in an advisory capacity. Kamau has a three-year rolling tenure in his new role.
DLA Piper co-chair Andrew Darwin told The Lawyer that the move to a Swiss verein would “put law firms in a much closer relationship with DLA Piper”. “We wanted to get our structure in line with that strategy,” he said.
Kamau, who is also the managing partner of Kenyan firm Iseme Kamau & Maema Advocates, helped to form the Eastern Africa Unit at DLA when his firm became the second to join the network. From then, it grew to Uganda, Rwanda, Southern Sudan and Ethiopia. “The challenges are how to present a unified business approach and to make sure these are sustainable by selecting the firms that join DLA Africa and making sure we can upscale at an international level,” he said.
The review, which was largely led by international development partner David Church, means that the member firms cannot profit share but will benefit from an ‘Africa fund’ that will allow the firm to build its brand and invest in the region. Church and Africa COO Michael Whitaker control the budget.
“We see Africa as one of the medium to long term opportunities for the firm. The competition in Africa is evolving and not established,” Darwin said. “These markets are developing and it’s one of our key targets.”
The post-verein strategy for DLA in Africa will focus on branding and brand perception of the firm; knowledge management and risk management; the integration of practice groups and sectors; and the use of IT.
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