The rise and rise of CDH’s Employment Law practice

Ranked in Tier One in Legal 500 EMEA and Band Two in Chambers Global 2020, our Employment Law practice has earned a reputation among key industry players and in South Africa’s courtrooms as innovators and leaders in the market for cutting edge employment law services. Indeed, our most senior employment lawyers; Faan Coetzee, Fiona Leppan and Hugo Pienaar are regarded as employment law doyens in the academies, the Labour Court and the wider profession.

It is off of this impressive track record and exceptional work ethic that we make yet another step change to our employment law offering: As of today, 1 October 2020, we welcome Directors; Imraan Mahomed, Bongani Masuku, Hedda Schensema and Phetheni Nkuna to the practice and our firm. Associate, Jordyne Löser has also joined the team and Jean Ewang has been appointed as a Consultant.

“Importantly, we are not simply expanding for expansion’s sake,” says Aadil Patel, National Practice Head of CDH’s Employment Law team. “The quality of our employment law offering remains paramount and the exceptional credentials of these colleagues, all joining us from Lawtons Africa, speaks to that priority”.

Imraan, Bongani, Hedda and Phetheni have a significant client following and extensive experience working on the full spectrum of complex employment law matters, with equal strength on the contentious and non-contentious side of the specialism. Their work and professional standing played an instrumental role in their previous firm’s Tier Two ranking for Employment Law in Legal 500 EMEA 2020. Notably, Imraan and Hedda have both acted as Labour Court Judges.

The arrival of these highly regarded experts not only makes CDH’s Employment Law ‘bench’ and offering an even more formidable one but also enables our enhanced team to better serve our clients’ needs and assist them in navigating some of the current challenges presented by the global pandemic and its horrendous economic consequences. We are exceptionally thrilled to have our ranks swelled by additional specialists, with the expertise, acumen and agility to complement (and supplement) the high standards, out-of-the-box thinking, turnaround times and strong sense of partnership that our firm’s Employment Law team is celebrated for.

FURTHER DETAIL REGARDING EACH EXPERT AND THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE IS DETAILED BELOW.

With 18 years of experience, Imraan Mahomed is a leading strategic adviser on all matters affecting employers both in contentious and non-contentious matters. Imraan has acted as Labour Court Judge and led clients through a number of precedent-setting cases. Imraan acts for State Agencies, global multinationals headquartered out of the US, Europe and Asia as well as mid-capped and listed South African entities. Supporting clients across the African continent is also an area in which Imraan has ever-growing experience, representing Indian, European, US, South African and Chinese clients.

Partner, Hedda Schensema acts in the Labour Court as a Judge from time to time and regularly appears in the Labour Court, CCMA and bargaining councils for major corporations and public entities and provides training on various aspects of labour relations and legislation. Hedda advises employers on employment related aspects of transactional, litigation and dispute resolution, regulatory and compliance related matters in the public and private spheres. Hedda has extensive experience in effectively strategising and advising on all employment related matters, training, reviews of employment contracts, restraint of trades, unfair competition and employee policies within various workplaces.

Partner, Phetheni Nkuna’s experience includes restraints of trade, section 197 transfers, organisational rights and wage disputes, drafting and reviewing HR policies, initiating disciplinary enquiries, drafting and reviewing employment contracts, and employment equity. Phetheni has serviced clients across the logistics, aviation, mining, conservation, medical, courier services, financial services and information technology sectors. In addition, she has also done work for special units of some government departments.

Partner, Bongani Masuku has experience in advising employers on dealing with collective and individual labour law and has been involved in major litigation in various labour law dispute resolution tribunals. These have included alternative dispute resolution, discrimination litigation relating to race and victimisation, workforce reductions on a large scale, review of arbitration awards and rulings of Commissioners, Arbitrators and Panellists, and urgent proceedings such as the moving of urgent interdicts for unlawful strikes and violence during lawful strike action and breach of contract.

On behalf of the firm and Aadil Patel as National Practice Head of Employment Law, we extend our newest colleagues, the warmest welcome.