Jackwell Feris
Jackwell Feris is a Director in our Dispute Resolution Practice and the Sector Head: Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade.
About Jackwell
About Jackwell
Jackwell has over 15 years' experience in the Oil & Gas, Mining & Minerals, Energy & Power, Infrastructure & Transport, Government & State-Owned Sectors having represented governments, state-owned entities and private commercial parties and investors in complex disputes providing dispute prevention, dispute avoidance and dispute resolution services and providing advisory work on projects and/or transactional matters. He has developed depth of skills and experience in oil and gas laws, energy laws, mining laws, constitutional and general public law matters, public procurement and public finance law, international arbitration law, public international law, international investment law, international trade law, climate change laws.
Credentials
Credentials
Education
- LLB, North West University, Potchefstroom: 2005
- Admitted as attorney and notary public: 2008
- LLM in Corporate Law, University of the Witwatersrand: 2012
- Certificate in Economics for Law, University of the Witwatersrand: 2015
- Certificate in International Commercial Arbitration, Washington College of Law: 2017
- Attended and completed the International Investment Treaties and Investor State Arbitration Seminar, International Law Institute: 2017
Memberships
- Director and Executive Member of the Underground Coal Gasification Association of South Africa
- Member of the Fossil Fuel Foundation and South African Oil & Gas Alliance
- Member of the African Arbitration Association
Languages
Languages
- English
- Afrikaans
About Jackwell
Jackwell has over 15 years' experience in the Oil & Gas, Mining & Minerals, Energy & Power, Infrastructure & Transport, Government & State-Owned Sectors having represented governments, state-owned entities and private commercial parties and investors in complex disputes providing dispute prevention, dispute avoidance and dispute resolution services and providing advisory work on projects and/or transactional matters. He has developed depth of skills and experience in oil and gas laws, energy laws, mining laws, constitutional and general public law matters, public procurement and public finance law, international arbitration law, public international law, international investment law, international trade law, climate change laws.
Credentials
Education
- LLB, North West University, Potchefstroom: 2005
- Admitted as attorney and notary public: 2008
- LLM in Corporate Law, University of the Witwatersrand: 2012
- Certificate in Economics for Law, University of the Witwatersrand: 2015
- Certificate in International Commercial Arbitration, Washington College of Law: 2017
- Attended and completed the International Investment Treaties and Investor State Arbitration Seminar, International Law Institute: 2017
Memberships
- Director and Executive Member of the Underground Coal Gasification Association of South Africa
- Member of the Fossil Fuel Foundation and South African Oil & Gas Alliance
- Member of the African Arbitration Association
Languages
- English
- Afrikaans
Experience
Policy, regulatory and licensing energy laws matters
Advise clients on various policy, regulatory and licensing matters relating to energy laws such as the various Integrated Resource Plan(s) and Integrated Energy Plan in South Africa, the generation and related licencing regimes and requirements, sovereign guarantees and related public finance matters for IPP projects, public procurement matters relating to IPP projects, other regulatory and contractual matters flowing from implementation agreements, power purchase agreement and other power project agreements, environmental appeals and review applications relating to proposed nuclear projects and proposed gas-to-power projects.
Policy, regulatory and licensing mining laws matters
Advise clients on various policy, regulatory and licencing matters relating to the mining laws in South Africa on, amongst others, public participation matters in mining development, local content and supplier development matters, B-BBEE and related mining charter matters, domestic and international issues around strategic minerals, objections and appeals in respect of prospecting and mining rights.
Policy, regulatory and oil and gas s licensing matters
Advise clients on various policy, regulatory and Oil & Gas licensing matters on, amongst others, petroleum manufacturing/refining, petroleum wholesale and retailing, bulk storage and handling for petroleum and gas, local content and supplier development requirements, import and export requirements for petroleum products.
Regulatory matters
Advised national electricity state-owned company on its nuclear new build programme in relation to, amongst others, procurement and public finance matters, the project development and regulatory matters in relation to the proposed nuclear installation.
Legislative amendments
Advised various clients (both public and private) on proposed legislative amendments and/or new developments to legislation/regulations regulating the mining, energy and Oil & Gas industries, the infrastructure and transport sector, including the general investment law framework.
Policy, law and regulatory matters
Advised various clients on policy, law and regulatory matters relating to projects in the mining and energy sectors in relation to a) clean coal project: integrated underground coal gasification development for the production of blue hydrogen in South Africa, b) re-development of a processing facility for residue stockpile of gold and uranium, c) expansion of coal mining operations for Eskom tied-collieries.
Policy, law and regulatory matters
Advise on policy, law and regulatory matters relating to rail transport infrastructure in Gauteng, funding and related models, climate change, carbon pricing/tax policies and green transportation to meet decarbonization requirements.
Litigation and arbitrations proceedings
Represented parties in various complex arbitrations under various arbitration Rules (AFSA, ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL) and litigation proceedings flowing from, amongst others, supply agreements, off-take agreements, sale and purchase agreements, acquisition agreements, franchise agreements, contract mining agreements, production sharing agreements, bulk storage and supply agreements, shareholders agreements.
Regulatory, litigation and arbitrations proceedings
Represented governments, state-owned entities in complex regulatory appeal proceedings, litigation and arbitrations proceedings relating to, amongst others, international technical nuclear co-operation agreements, nuclear policy and law, mining investment/funding agreements, public finance matters, environmental and climate change matters, national government funding programmes.
Cross-border disputes
Represented commercial parties in various cross-border disputes in the Southern African region in South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, DRC, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
Judicial review proceedings
Judicial review proceedings (either as representative of applicant or co-respondent with state) relating to various regulatory measures by the host governments in various economic sectors flowing from by policy, legal and/or regulatory measures or procurement matters.
News
'New Dawn' for Public Procurement in South Africa: The Public Procurement Act becomes law
Following its adoption by the National Assembly on 16 May 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa on 23 July 2023, assented to signed into law the Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024. The Public Procurement...
Quarterly energy market update
Implementation of South Africa’s clean hydrogen ambition
Jackwell Feris, Director and the Sector Head for Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade, and Priscilla Brandt, Candidate Attorney, were featured in Engineering News where they discussed...
Capacity building and fostering expertise in international arbitration in Africa
The central theme of the Johannesburg Arbitration Week 2024 (JAW) was showcasing arbitration in Africa. This prompted engaging discussion and renewed calls for the Africanisation of...
Arbitration on top or a comeback for the courts?
A key discussion point at the inaugural Johannesburg Arbitration Week was the expansion of the use of international arbitration to resolve commercial disputes in Africa. In many instances...
Webinar Recording | Unlocking and Protecting Investment Flow in Africa: The AfCFTA Investment Protocol
Investment into existing and new industries in Africa is critical to unlock the economic growth and development benefits the AfCFTA holds for Africa.
Re-thinking industrialization in Kenya and the East Africa Community. What does the future hold?
CDH in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce Kenya hosted an informal breakfast event to discuss matters that affect the future of business in an everchanging market.
CDH’s Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade Sector
CDH’s Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade Sector is strategically positioned to provide clients with support to navigate international, regional, and domestic policy, domestic regulatory...
WEBINAR | Virtual Dispute Resolution
Virtual Dispute Resolution: The use of technology in the resolution of international or domestic disputes during COVID-19.
Dispute Resolution between Foreign Investor and Host Government
Investment treaties generally contain a dispute resolution provision for the resolution of disputes between an investor and a host government in relation to certain alleged violations...
Positive disruptors in African mining: Technology, AI and critical minerals for Africa's industrialisation
Hydrogen energy
In March 2022, the Department of Science and Innovation published a hydrogen society roadmap. Jackwell Ferris, Director and Sector Head in our Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade sector...
Njeri Wagacha talks to Jackwell Feris
On this month’s podcast Njeri Wagacha talks to Jackwell Feris, Director in the Dispute Resolution practice and Head of the Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade Sector on re-thinking...
Market recognition
- Chambers Global 2023–2024 ranked him as an “Up & Coming” dispute resolution lawyer.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2024 recommended him for dispute resolution.
- Jackwell was listed in the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist: Africa 2023.
- The Association of Young Arbitrators recognised Jackwell as an expert arbitration practitioner.
- Jackwell is a recipient of The Africa's 50 Most promising Young Arbitration Practitioner 2020 Award. He is recognised by The Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA) as an expert Arbitration Practitioner who is passionate about the growth and development of International Investment and Commercial Arbitration in Africa.
Market recognition
- Chambers Global 2023–2024 ranked him as an “Up & Coming” dispute resolution lawyer.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2024 recommended him for dispute resolution.
- Jackwell was listed in the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist: Africa 2023.
- The Association of Young Arbitrators recognised Jackwell as an expert arbitration practitioner.
- Jackwell is a recipient of The Africa's 50 Most promising Young Arbitration Practitioner 2020 Award. He is recognised by The Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA) as an expert Arbitration Practitioner who is passionate about the growth and development of International Investment and Commercial Arbitration in Africa.
Expertise
Dispute Resolution
Our lawyers work together with clients to find business-oriented dispute resolution solutions.
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade
We provide a multidisciplinary approach to legal and commercial matters across Africa.
Regulatory
CDH offers expert advice on transactions across many different jurisdictions.
International Arbitration
We guide our clients through the complexities of international arbitration.
Projects & Energy
We have an excellent understanding of the sector and use this to help clients maximise value and mitigate their risk.
Mining & Minerals
We help our clients navigate legal and administrative complexities in this key economic sector.
Government and State-Owned Entities
We provide a comprehensive service that can be applied to all aspects of public law.
Oil & Gas
Our Oil and Gas team has substantial legal expertise across the value chain.
Technology & Communications
Our team offers advice on a wide range of functions and sector-related issues.