Senior Associate: Dispute Resolution

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr in Sandton seeks a Senior Associate with strong public law advisory and disputes experience. The successful candidate will support regulatory compliance, procurement and PPP matters, alongside commercial litigation and arbitral work.

The role requires a track record in public law, administrative and constitutional matters, with experience in PFMA/MFMA/PPPFA/PAJA/PAIA and related governance advisory. PPPs in energy, infrastructure, and procurement context are valued.

Qualifications

• LLB degree and admission as a South African attorney.
• 5+ years of post-qualification experience in public law and/or commercial litigation.
• Experience with advisory work, regulatory compliance and PPPs is valued.
• Postgraduate qualification in public law/infrastructure law is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Draft advisory opinions, memoranda and compliance frameworks on regulatory matters.
• Prepare due diligence, compliance and advisory reports on policy and law.
• Draft pleadings, affidavits and court bundles for arbitrations and litigation; brief counsel.
• Advise clients on regulatory and governance matters across public/private sectors.
• Work on procurement processes, tender docs and regulatory frameworks for public entities.
• Participate in business development, including articles and seminars for the team.

Skills

Team player

Stakeholder engagement

Self-starter

Ability to work under pressure

Communication skills

Education

LLB Degree

Admission as an Attorney (SA)

LLM or postgraduate in public/infrastructure law

Right of appearance in High Court (advantage)

Job description

An opportunity has become available for a Senior Associate to join the Dispute Resolution Practice in our Sandton office. The candidate will join a successful team specialised in, among others, public law (administrative, constitutional, procurement and public finance matters), commercial litigation and arbitrations/mediations and public international law. The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in public law advisory and disputes, including regulatory compliance (PFMA, MFMA, PPPFA, PAJA, PAIA), procurement and tender law, and public-private partnerships (PPPs). Experience in commercial dispute resolution, including drafting pleadings, supporting litigation strategy and briefing counsel, is equally important. A good work ethic, an ability to conceive strategy, exercise initiative and take responsibility together with the capacity to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment are essential.

Extensive experience in public law (advisory and disputes), including administrative law, constitutional law, procurement and public finance law, as well as commercial dispute resolution matters, will be an important consideration for the appointment. Experience in public-private partnerships, regulatory compliance and governance advisory will be highly regarded.

Experience in the energy, resources, infrastructure and public-private partnership sectors would be an added advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Drafting of advisory opinions, legal memoranda and compliance frameworks on transactional, project-based and regulatory matters;
• Due diligence reports, compliance reports and advisory reports on policy, law and the regulatory impact across various economic sectors, including public-private partnerships and infrastructure projects;
• Drafting of pleadings, affidavits, court bundles and various other legal processes in both arbitrations and high court litigation matters, and briefing counsel for hearings and pre-trial conferences;
• Advising and consulting with public and private sector clients, counsel and experts on regulatory and governance matters;
• Advising on procurement processes, tender documentation, bid compliance and regulatory frameworks applicable to public sector entities;
• Actively participation in the business development and marketing of the team and CDH, including the writing of articles, assistance with seminars, conferences and other business development events.

Qualifications & Experience

• An LLB Degree
• Admission as an Attorney in South Africa
• At least 5 years PQE, with demonstrable experience in public law and/or commercial litigation
• Experience in public law (administrative law, constitutional law, procurement and public finance law), regulatory compliance (PFMA, MFMA, PPPFA, PAJA, PAIA), and public-private partnerships
• An LLM or postgraduate qualification in a relevant field (e.g. public law or infrastructure law) would be advantageous
• Right of appearance in the High Court of South Africa would be advantageous

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Team player with strong stakeholder engagement skills across public and private sector environments
• Self-starter with ambition, adaptability, resilience and commercial awareness
• Ability to work under pressure in a deadline driven environment
• Good communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal issues into practical, commercially-focused advice