Mergers & Acquisitions Services
We close deals effectively by providing exceptional legal advice, managing risk, ensuring you meet regulatory compliance and working at every aspect of the transaction to ensure that it works from a legal and commercial perspective.
At Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, we have one of South Africa's largest Corporate and Commercial practices and offer the full suite of services required to deliver strategic legal support on transactional work. We handle hundreds of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions each year.
Since 2008, we have consistently been the most active South African legal adviser and have handled more M&A transactions than any other law firm, according to the leading analyst rankings. Our Corporate team has more than 50 qualified lawyers whose primary responsibility and expertise is transactional work.
Our services include:
- Strategic legal support: We offer commercial and practical advice specific to your goals and objectives and actively manage the M&A process to help bring transactions to an efficient conclusion.
- Practical and effective project management: We offer effective project management, which is crucial to ensuring an efficient and satisfactory conclusion to any M&A transaction.
- Cross-border project management: We have experience in project managing complex multi-jurisdictional corporate activity. When you venture into new markets we are able to help you understand the risks involved, offer advice on the best structure for any given transaction and provide workable solutions.
- Global expertise: We offer experience and insights drawn from countries around the world, so you benefit from a vast amount of international M&A experience.
- Extensive expertise: We offer experience spans a wide range of industries and our clients include local and international listed and unlisted companies as well as emerging businesses, government departments and state-owned enterprises. Our senior deal team has strong experience in pre- and post-deal structuring and integration.
Mergers & Acquisitions Brochures
Services
Mergers & Acquisitions Services
We close deals effectively by providing exceptional legal advice, managing risk, ensuring you meet regulatory compliance and working at every aspect of the transaction to ensure that it works from a legal and commercial perspective.
At Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, we have one of South Africa's largest Corporate and Commercial practices and offer the full suite of services required to deliver strategic legal support on transactional work. We handle hundreds of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions each year.
Since 2008, we have consistently been the most active South African legal adviser and have handled more M&A transactions than any other law firm, according to the leading analyst rankings. Our Corporate team has more than 50 qualified lawyers whose primary responsibility and expertise is transactional work.
Our services include:
- Strategic legal support: We offer commercial and practical advice specific to your goals and objectives and actively manage the M&A process to help bring transactions to an efficient conclusion.
- Practical and effective project management: We offer effective project management, which is crucial to ensuring an efficient and satisfactory conclusion to any M&A transaction.
- Cross-border project management: We have experience in project managing complex multi-jurisdictional corporate activity. When you venture into new markets we are able to help you understand the risks involved, offer advice on the best structure for any given transaction and provide workable solutions.
- Global expertise: We offer experience and insights drawn from countries around the world, so you benefit from a vast amount of international M&A experience.
- Extensive expertise: We offer experience spans a wide range of industries and our clients include local and international listed and unlisted companies as well as emerging businesses, government departments and state-owned enterprises. Our senior deal team has strong experience in pre- and post-deal structuring and integration.
Brochures
Mergers & Acquisitions Brochures
Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyers
CDH’s lawyers balance legal knowledge with commercial understanding to support our clients’ best interests.
Our Mergers & Acquisitions LawyersSECTOR HEADS
Mergers & Acquisitions News
More newsCliffe Dekker Hofmeyr solidifies its leadership in M&A at the Ansarada DealMakers Annual Awards
Leading corporate and commercial law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) has once again reinforced its position as a top M&A legal adviser in South Africa at the 2025 Ansarada DealMakers Annual Awards, held on 18 February 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Light on the Horizon: Following subdued M&A activity in 2023
David Pinnock, Director in the Corporate & Commercial practice was featured in the JSE Magazine where he discussed Light on the Horizon: Following subdued M&A activity in 2023, there's cause for cautious optimism for the year ahead.
CDH is consistently successful in advising on the most M&A deals in South Africa
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) continues to dominate as one of South Africa’s top M&A legal advisers, according to the Ansarada DealMakers Annual Awards, held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 21 February 2023.
Market recognition
- Chambers Global 2015-2025 rank our Corporate/M&A practice in Band 1.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2018-2025 recognises us as Tier 1 in commercial, corporate/M&A.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2023–2025 recommends our Kenya commercial, corporate/M&A practice in Tier 3.
- IFLR1000 2024 ranked CDH Kenya in Tier 3 for M&A.
- IFLR1000 2017-2025 ranks the firm in M&A - Tier 1. IFLR1000 2016 ranks the firm in M&A - Tier 2.
- CDH was shortlisted for the IFLR Africa Awards 2025 'Deal of the Year | M&A' for the Devki-National Cement Company / Cimerwa, and Engie and Meridiam / BTE Renewables matters.
- CDH was shortlisted for the IFLR Africa Awards 2025 for 'Team of the Year | Regional' for M&A.
- CDH was shortlisted for the DealMakers Africa Private Equity Deal of the Year 2024 (East Africa).
DealMakers 2024
- 1st by Listed M&A Deal Flow
- 2nd by Unlisted M&A Deal Flow
- 2nd by BEE Deal Value
- 2nd by BEE Deal Flow
- 3rd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- Legal advisers on Coronation Fund Managers’ award-winning ‘BEE Deal of the Year’
DealMakers Africa
- 2nd by M&A Deal Flow.
- 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow (tie).
- 2nd by Pan African M & A Deal Flow (tie).
DealMakers 2023
- 2023 1st by M&A Listed Deal Flow.
- 2023 2nd by M&A Unlisted Deal Flow.
- 2023 2nd by M&A Unlisted Deal Value.
- 2023 2nd by M&A Listed & Unlisted BEE Deal Flow.
- 2023 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Value.
- 2023 4th by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow.
DealMakers 2022
- 2022 1st by M&A Listed Deal Flow
- 2022 3rd by M&A Listed Deal Value
- 2022 3rd by M&A Unlisted Deal Value
- 2022 3rd by M&A Unlisted Deal Flow
- 2022 3rd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
DealMakers 2021
- 2021 1st by M&A Deal Flow
- 2021 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- 2021 2nd by BEE Deal Value
- 2021 3rd by General Corporate Finance Deal Value
- 2021 3rd by BEE Deal Flow
- 2021 4th by M&A Deal Value
- 2020 1st by M&A Deal Flow
- 2020 1st by BEE Deal Flow
DealMakers 2018 - 2020
- 2020 1st by BEE Deal Value
- 2020 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- 2020 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Value
- 2020 3rd by M&A Deal Value
- 2020 Catalyst Private Equity Deal of the Year
- M&A Legal DealMakers of the Decade 2010 – 2019 (Deal Flow)
- Dealmakers 2019 - 1st by BEE M&A Deal Flow
- Dealmakers 2019 - 1st by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- Dealmakers 2019 - 2nd by M&A Deal Value
- Dealmakers 2019 - 2nd by M&A Deal Flow
- Dealmakers 2018 - 1st by M&A Deal Flow for the 10th year in a row.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 1st by M&A Deal Value.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 1st by BEE M&A Deal Value.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 2nd by BEE M&A Deal Flow.
- Dealmakers 2018 - Lead legal advisers on the Private Equity Deal of the Year.
Market recognition
- Chambers Global 2015-2025 rank our Corporate/M&A practice in Band 1.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2018-2025 recognises us as Tier 1 in commercial, corporate/M&A.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2023–2025 recommends our Kenya commercial, corporate/M&A practice in Tier 3.
- IFLR1000 2024 ranked CDH Kenya in Tier 3 for M&A.
- IFLR1000 2017-2025 ranks the firm in M&A - Tier 1. IFLR1000 2016 ranks the firm in M&A - Tier 2.
- CDH was shortlisted for the IFLR Africa Awards 2025 'Deal of the Year | M&A' for the Devki-National Cement Company / Cimerwa, and Engie and Meridiam / BTE Renewables matters.
- CDH was shortlisted for the IFLR Africa Awards 2025 for 'Team of the Year | Regional' for M&A.
- CDH was shortlisted for the DealMakers Africa Private Equity Deal of the Year 2024 (East Africa).
DealMakers 2024
- 1st by Listed M&A Deal Flow
- 2nd by Unlisted M&A Deal Flow
- 2nd by BEE Deal Value
- 2nd by BEE Deal Flow
- 3rd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- Legal advisers on Coronation Fund Managers’ award-winning ‘BEE Deal of the Year’
DealMakers Africa
- 2nd by M&A Deal Flow.
- 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow (tie).
- 2nd by Pan African M & A Deal Flow (tie).
DealMakers 2023
- 2023 1st by M&A Listed Deal Flow.
- 2023 2nd by M&A Unlisted Deal Flow.
- 2023 2nd by M&A Unlisted Deal Value.
- 2023 2nd by M&A Listed & Unlisted BEE Deal Flow.
- 2023 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Value.
- 2023 4th by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow.
DealMakers 2022
- 2022 1st by M&A Listed Deal Flow
- 2022 3rd by M&A Listed Deal Value
- 2022 3rd by M&A Unlisted Deal Value
- 2022 3rd by M&A Unlisted Deal Flow
- 2022 3rd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
DealMakers 2021
- 2021 1st by M&A Deal Flow
- 2021 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- 2021 2nd by BEE Deal Value
- 2021 3rd by General Corporate Finance Deal Value
- 2021 3rd by BEE Deal Flow
- 2021 4th by M&A Deal Value
- 2020 1st by M&A Deal Flow
- 2020 1st by BEE Deal Flow
DealMakers 2018 - 2020
- 2020 1st by BEE Deal Value
- 2020 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- 2020 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Value
- 2020 3rd by M&A Deal Value
- 2020 Catalyst Private Equity Deal of the Year
- M&A Legal DealMakers of the Decade 2010 – 2019 (Deal Flow)
- Dealmakers 2019 - 1st by BEE M&A Deal Flow
- Dealmakers 2019 - 1st by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow
- Dealmakers 2019 - 2nd by M&A Deal Value
- Dealmakers 2019 - 2nd by M&A Deal Flow
- Dealmakers 2018 - 1st by M&A Deal Flow for the 10th year in a row.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 1st by M&A Deal Value.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 2nd by General Corporate Finance Deal Flow.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 1st by BEE M&A Deal Value.
- Dealmakers 2018 - 2nd by BEE M&A Deal Flow.
- Dealmakers 2018 - Lead legal advisers on the Private Equity Deal of the Year.
Happy Clients
They provide different thoughts on a number of key points, both from commercial and legal perspectives.
Chambers Global 2024
We have done several cross-border deals with them and the lawyers at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr are consistently excellent.
Chambers Global 2024
Their knowledge of the law is outstanding. They are always practical in their commercial approach, and to the point.
Chambers Global 2024