Hogan Lovells secures first partner lateral in Johannesburg

Hogan Lovells secures first partner lateral in Johannesburg

Senior corporate hire from Pinsent Masons helps it rebuild presence following the split with Routledge Modise

Hogan Lovells has hired Pinsent Masons' South African transactional services practice head as a corporate partner in Johannesburg. By joining one of the top 20 global firms, Chris Green has added to the office's partner ranks. This has happened for the first time since the firm's high-profile split with local ally Routledge Modise in 2019.

Green has joined an eight-lawyer team, helmed by office managing partner Wessel Badenhorst and partners Laurie Hammond and Kevin Pietersen.

Badenhorst commented, "We are proud of the progress we have made and continue to build our offering in corporate law, financial services and technology."

"We present the ideal platform for Green to grow both domestic and worldwide relationships, significantly enhancing and complementing our expertise as well as our brand and presence in South Africa," he added.

It is a milestone for Hogan Lovells' Johannesburg arm, which underwent restructuring in 2019. In 2013, its association with local law firm Routledge Modise was unwound with the bulk of the office re-establishing the firm as a separate entity.

Hogan Lowells wider regional Africa practice has nine lawyers in addition to the Johannesburg team operating across its offices in Paris, Frankfurt, Shanghai, London, Washington DC and Dubai.

Green earlier lead Pinsent Masons' transactional services practice in Johannesburg for about a year. Prior to that, he worked as a partner in a regional outfit from Bowmans.

He has significant experience in handling blue-chip cross-border corporate mergers and acquisitions work across a range of sectors. These include consumer goods, financial services, telecom, energy and natural resources.

Green has also advised local, pan-African and multinational clients looking to grow their operations in Sub-Saharan Africa. These include high-profile names such as drinks giants Coca-Cola and AB InBev and German chemical producer BASF.