The firm has added a new director and promoted several lawyers in its Johannesburg location.
DLA Piper has hired Virgin Active Africa lawyer Phila Zulu as a director in its finance practice. He joined the firm’s Johannesburg office on 1 July.
Zulu specialises in complex, multijurisdictional finance work, with a focus on debt capital markets, credit derivatives, banking and finance, securitisation and general corporate law. His practice also involves UK, EU and US securities law transactions.
He started his career at Deneys Reitz (now Deneys, formerly Norton Rose Fulbright) in 2004 and transferred to White & Case in 2008. He jumped to ENS in 2009 before his move to Absa Capital in 2013, after which he joined Virgin Active Africa in 2014. Over his 11-and-a-half years at the company, Zulu worked as a director, company secretary, information officer and chair of the risk committee.
DLA Piper also promoted three associates in its corporate, finance and tax practices to senior associate and swiped a new senior associate from Bowmans for its tax team.
Johannes Gouws, DLA Piper South Africa managing partner, said in a statement: “We remain committed to growing our Johannesburg office in a deliberate and client-focused way. Our recent hires and promotions ensure that we continue to meet rising client demands with the right expertise.”
The firm also strengthened its South African group with the addition of former Herbert Smith Freehils Kramer lawyer Patrick Leyden in its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practice in May, as well as former Norton Rose Fulbright partner Melusi Dlamini in its finance practice in January.
DLA Piper also hired Natalie Keetsi as a director in its Johannesburg office in September last year.