Leading African law firm, Bowmans, is expanding once again, this time into Namibia.
The firm has announced that it will join forces with Koep & Partners (Koep) from 1 March 2024, to establish a presence in Namibia, which is on the cusp of significant growth.
Koep is one of the largest and most established full-service law firms in Namibia. It has a strong track record in corporate and commercial and banking and finance law, and in litigation and dispute resolution. The firm’s extensive experience, particularly in energy and natural resources, maritime and shipping, and oil and gas, spans over 40 years.
Bowmans Chairman and Senior Partner, Ezra Davids, says: ‘This move is exciting for us because of Namibia’s significance as an emerging African economy with growth opportunities in energy, mining and minerals, oil and gas and green hydrogen, as well as in infrastructure and agriculture. Many of our clients have expressed interest in developments there, and by combining with Koep we will be able to seamlessly deliver to them top level services.’
Koep’s Senior Partner, Irvin Titus, says, ‘Our legacy as Koep has been built on expertise, integrity and long-standing client relationships characterised by trust and an in-depth understanding of their business and their people. By joining forces with Bowmans, we will be able to leverage our existing footprint and growth in high value projects with Bowmans’ capacity to deliver on complex commercial mandates to accelerate our growth.’
The integration of the two firms will prove beneficial to clients of both, enhancing their joint value proposition and enabling them to more effectively and competitively help clients with their most complex legal challenges in Namibia.
Davids says, ‘Koep’s internal culture as well as its philosophy of excellence combined with an unwavering commitment to providing outstanding client service resonates with Bowmans’ approach. The expansion is another step towards achieving our African growth strategy and reinforces our commitment to our pan-African ‘One Firm’ approach, which is critical to our success on the continent.’
The team joining Bowmans comprises over 40 people including six partners and 13 lawyers. With the addition of Namibia, Bowmans will operate in six key African countries, including Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia, and will have new offices in Swakopmund and Windhoek in Namibia. Bowmans has alliance partners in Nigeria and Ethiopia, and strong relations with firms across the continent that enable seamless delivery of services from an African international firm.