Ogilvy Renault and Deneys Reitz to Join Norton Rose Group

LONDON, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- International legal practice Norton Rose Group today announced that leading Canadian law firm Ogilvy Renault and leading South African law firm Deneys Reitz will join Norton Rose Group on 1 June 2011.

Together the enlarged Group will be a top 10 global legal practice by number of lawyers with more than 2500 lawyers in 38 offices worldwide.

Peter Martyr, Group Chief Executive, Norton Rose Group, commented:

"This is a very exciting move for the Group and constitutes a significant step towards realising the Group's global ambition of becoming one of the world's leading providers of legal services, with offices in the world's principal business and financial centres."

"Canada and South Africa are increasingly influential economies for our clients in the energy and natural resources, infrastructure, technology and financial institutions sectors. Ogilvy Renault and Deneys Reitz give the Group increased strength and depth of resource and expertise in these sectors. We are seeing a considerable increase in the amount of business flowing between Canada, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia; the enlarged Group will be ideally positioned to target this business growth and to provide our clients with the highest quality of legal services connecting these regions."

John Coleman, Managing Partner of Ogilvy Renault, commented:

"As our Canadian clients become increasingly successful on the international stage, we need to be able to support their international growth. Norton Rose Group is a global leader, with a highly compatible business focus and client service ethic. Equally importantly, our firms have a similar culture and values. As soon as the initial discussions were underway it became clear that we shared a common global vision particularly as it relates to emerging markets such as Asia Pacific. We have strong synergies with the Group, including practice areas, industry sectors and geographic expansion. This is a tremendous development for the firm and our clients."

Rob Otty, Deputy Chairman of Deneys Reitz, commented:

"The combination of our years of experience in Africa and Norton Rose Group's increasing involvement in African business will provide the Group with a springboard to become the premier legal practice in Africa. The global markets are increasingly interested in Africa, which is one of the world's most rapidly growing economic regions. As part of Norton Rose Group, we expect to be at the forefront of developing Africa's business ties with the rest of the world and in particular with Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas."

The Managing Partner of Ogilvy Renault, John Coleman, and the Deputy Chairman of Deneys Reitz, Rob Otty, will join the Group's Executive Committee.

The two new additions to the Group follow the inclusion of Norton Rose Australia on 1 January 2010.

A full media pack for reporters is located at http://www.nortonrose.com/groupmediapack

Notes for editors:

About Norton Rose Group

Norton Rose Group is a leading international legal practice. We offer a full business law service from our offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

Knowing how our clients' businesses work and understanding what drives their industries is fundamental to us. Our lawyers share industry knowledge and sector expertise across borders, enabling us to support our clients anywhere in the world. We are strong in financial institutions; energy; infrastructure and commodities; transport; and technology.

We have over 1800 lawyers operating from 30 offices in Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Brussels, Canberra, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Perth, Piraeus, Prague, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Warsaw and from associate offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta and Riyadh.

Norton Rose Group comprises Norton Rose LLP, Norton Rose Australia and their respective affiliates.

About Ogilvy Renault

Ogilvy Renault LLP is a full-service law firm with close to 450 lawyers and patent and trade-mark agents practising in the areas of business, litigation, intellectual property, and employment and labour. We have offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto, Calgary and London (UK), and serve some of the largest and most successful corporations in Canada and in more than 120 countries worldwide.

For more information visit http://www.ogilvyrenault.com

About Deneys Reitz

Established in the early 1920s, Deneys Reitz is one of the largest independent commercial law firms in South Africa, providing specialist services in the full spectrum of legal disciplines. The firm frequently engages with the media on topical legal issues.

Deneys Reitz is a national organisation, with over 200 lawyers at its offices in Johannesburg (Sandton), Durban and Cape Town. The firm's Africa-specialised division, Africa Legal, provides an international pan-African legal service, and in early 2010 the firm established an associated office, CRB Africa Legal, in Tanzania.

Deneys Reitz clients include major industrial and commercial corporations, mining houses, parastatals, government departments and financial institutions.

Deneys Reitz is classified as a Black-influenced company and the firm is well ahead of its employment equity goals.

For more information please visit http://www.deneysreitz.co.za.

SOURCE Norton Rose