The directors of Phatshoane Henney Attorneys and Naudes Attorneys are pleased to announce that the two firms are in an advanced stage of negotiations in respect of a merger of the two law firms. The process is scheduled to be finalised early in 2013 with the joined law firm to operate as Phatshoane Henney Attorneys out of two Bloemfontein offices and a Johannesburg branch.

The combined firm of more than 50 professionals, will bring together Naudes Attorneys, the largest law firm in the Free State and Phatshoane Henney Attorneys, recently voted best law firm in the Free State (2012) by PMR.Africa and founding member of the Phatshoane Henney Group, South Africa’s largest association of law firms, in what will be a law firm that combines the unique strengths of these firms and positions the firm as a leading law firm regionally and nationally.

The coming together of these two leading law firms is highly relevant to the regional economy and regional clients as the merger will establish the largest law firm in the history of the Free State in what is also a seminal step towards emphasizing the development of the regional service industry and its ability to compete and be recognised on a national and global level.

“The firms have similar commitments to excellence, ethics and client service and have practised in association for a number of years. A merger between the two firms is therefore the natural next step for the firms. Both firms also have a growing national and international client base that requires the scale and scope that only a large law firm can offer and the combined firm will meet this need by offering a range of legal services through specialised practice groups that afford depth and continuity in all service areas to clients,” says Jan Berry, current director of Phatshoane Henney Attorneys.

“With the merger the two firms also follow international trends in combining forces to improve economies in respect of vital support services, information technology and marketing as well as using the firm’s size to streamline business processes for better service quality and affordability. The combined firm will complement the strategic objective of the firms to grow in strength and reputation and enhance the ability to expand into different markets and service a broader client base. But larger does not mean unapproachable or unaffordable. We value the importance of our respective client bases and will continue to service our clients with the same level of commitment and personal attention as our clients are accustomed to.”

“Key aspects of the merger discussions have included establishing a client orientated management philosophy which will ensure high levels of client service and a broad range of legal expertise. Additionally, substantial emphasis has been placed on comprehensively addressing black economic empowerment and gender transformation and incorporate employment equity as a central tenet of the new firm’s mission statement in addition to a broader focus on community involvement. We at Phatshoane Henney have established substantial expertise and practices in these areas and believe we can successfully incorporate these elements in the combined firm to also establish the firm as a leader on these terrains,” remarks Douglas Henney, current director of Phatshoane Henney Attorneys and Chair of the Phatshoane Henney Group.

“Most importantly, existing clients and client matters of Naudes and Phatshoane Henney will not be affected and all matters will continue to receive the necessary priority from both firms. Professional staff will continue to communicate with clients on existing matters and firm professionals can be contacted at any time with queries or questions regarding their matters. We have agreed to an open line for clients to contact us should they have any queries regarding the merger. We have also agreed to continue to keep our clients and the public informed of our progress and undertake to provide regular feedback through media notices and other communiqués to ensure full transparency throughout this process,” confirms Riaan Malan, current director of Naudes Attorneys.