Contact

Jackwell Feris

Sector Head, Director

Jackwell Feris is a Director in our Dispute Resolution Practice and the Sector Head: Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade.

+27 (0)11 562 1825
jackwell.feris@cdhlegal.comJohannesburg
Jackwell Feris

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

Big boost for a South African green hydrogen economy as new tools released
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

Big boost for a South African green hydrogen economy as new tools released

On 17 February 2025 two key environmental planning tools were published with the aim of guiding and supporting the responsible development of green hydrogen projects which will play...
Reforming public procurement regulations to unlock private sector participation in critical infrastructure projects in South Africa
Projects & Energy

Reforming public procurement regulations to unlock private sector participation in critical infrastructure projects in South Africa

Infrastructure is the backbone of economic development, as it acts as a catalyst for trade within a country and across its borders. As such, it is imperative that the state puts innovative...
Investor: Don't be alarmed by Expropriation Act, 2025
Dispute Resolution

Investor: Don't be alarmed by Expropriation Act, 2025

The Expropriation Act, 2025 - although assented to by the President on 24 January 2025 has not yet commenced. The old Expropriation Act, 1975 remains law until such time as the President...
Publication of Draft Petroleum Products Bill for public comment
Oil & Gas

Publication of Draft Petroleum Products Bill for public comment

On 21 October 2024, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) published the draft Petroleum Products Bill (Bill) for public comment. 
'New Dawn' for Public Procurement in South Africa: The Public Procurement Act becomes law
Dispute Resolution

'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...

All articles by Jackwell
Webinar Recording | Unlocking and Protecting Investment Flow in Africa: The AfCFTA Investment Protocol
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

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?
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

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
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

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
Dispute Resolution

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

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...

All videos by Jackwell
Positive disruptors in African mining: Technology, AI and critical minerals for Africa's industrialisation
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

Positive disruptors in African mining: Technology, AI and critical minerals for Africa's industrialisation
Hydrogen energy
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

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

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...

All podcasts by Jackwell

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2023–2025 ranked him as an “Up & Coming” dispute resolution lawyer.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2025 recommended him for dispute resolution.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 recommended Jackwell for projects & infrastructure.
  • 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 2023–2025 ranked him as an “Up & Coming” dispute resolution lawyer.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2025 recommended him for dispute resolution.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 recommended Jackwell for projects & infrastructure.
  • 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.

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