Willem Jacobs

Practice Head, Director

Willem Jacobs is a Director and Head of our Corporate & Commercial practice, leading a team of nearly 100-strong commercial lawyers. Willem also serves on the firm's Executive, Fincom and Africom Committees. As evidenced through market recognition, Willem is regarded as one of South Africa's foremost M&A specialists. Willem’s areas of expertise are corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, private equity, black economic empowerment transactions, and structuring and restructuring of businesses.

Willem Jacobs

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • BCom Law, LLB, Dip (Insolvency), HDip (Tax), University of Johannesburg
  • Year of admission as an attorney: 1997
  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council

Credentials

Education

  • BCom Law, LLB, Dip (Insolvency), HDip (Tax), University of Johannesburg
  • Year of admission as an attorney: 1997
  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council

News

Recognition

2016-2023

Legal 500 EMEA

  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2016-2023 listed Willem as a 'leading individual' for commercial, corporate and M&A and he was also recommended in 2012–2016 for mining, commercial, corporate and M&A.

2014–2023

Chambers Global

  • Chambers Global 2014–2023 ranked Willem in Band 2 for Corporate/M&A: Private Equity

2022-2023

Chambers Global

  • Chambers Global 2022-2023 ranked Willem in Band 3 for Corporate/M&A.

2011-2022

IFLR1000

  • IFLR1000 2011–2015, 2017 to 2020 and 2022 recommended Willem as a leading lawyer for M&A and private equity.

2019

Who’s Who Legal

  • Who’s Who Legal 2019 ranked Willem as a leading lawyer in M&A and Governance.

2017-2018

Who’s Who Legal

  • Who’s Who Legal 2017 and 2018 ranked Willem as a leading lawyer in M&A.

Legal 500 EMEA

  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2016-2023 listed Willem as a 'leading individual' for commercial, corporate and M&A and he was also recommended in 2012–2016 for mining, commercial, corporate and M&A.

Chambers Global

  • Chambers Global 2014–2023 ranked Willem in Band 2 for Corporate/M&A: Private Equity

Chambers Global

  • Chambers Global 2022-2023 ranked Willem in Band 3 for Corporate/M&A.

IFLR1000

  • IFLR1000 2011–2015, 2017 to 2020 and 2022 recommended Willem as a leading lawyer for M&A and private equity.

Who’s Who Legal

  • Who’s Who Legal 2019 ranked Willem as a leading lawyer in M&A and Governance.

Who’s Who Legal

  • Who’s Who Legal 2017 and 2018 ranked Willem as a leading lawyer in M&A.