Cox Yeats Maintains Strong Position in Legal 500 EMEA 2026 Rankings

Cox Yeats has once again been recognised in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2026 edition, reaffirming its position as a leading South African law firm in key sectors and highlighting the continued strength of its specialist teams.

The firm achieved four rankings overall, including two firm rankings and two individual recognitions, reflecting both the depth of its practice areas and the calibre of its professionals.

Strong Performance In Shipping And Transport

The Shipping & Transport practice continues to perform strongly, retaining its Tier 2 ranking. The team is described as a “diverse” maritime, international trade, and insurance practice, with extensive experience advising banks, brokers, shipowners, insurers, traders, and industry associations.

The practice is led by Andrew Clark, who has deep expertise in ship arrests, sale applications, and enforcing claims against sale-related funds, and is recognised as a Leading Partner. He is supported by a strong and experienced team, including Laura Kelly, who advises across energy, projects, commercial, international trade, and insurance matters, and Aideen Ross, who focuses on marine insurance.

A key highlight this year is the progression of Slindokuhle Ngwenya, who has been recognised as a Next Generation Partner, following her previous ranking as a Leading Associate in 2025. She handles maritime matters, shipping litigation, and logistics claims, further strengthening the firm’s offering in contentious shipping and insurance-related work.

The depth of the team is reinforced by Ra-eesa Vorajee and Savannah Buys, recognised as key contributors, reflecting a well-established and capable practice with broad sector coverage.

Client feedback further underscores the team’s approach, with one testimonial noting: “Andrew Clark is always willing to share knowledge… handling difficult conversations and tense environments.”

Continued Recognition In Construction

The firm’s Construction practice also maintains its Tier 4 ranking, reflecting its continued involvement in complex construction, engineering, and infrastructure matters.

The team is recognised for its ability to advise a wide range of clients, including listed contractors, leading private construction firms, multinational corporations, and professional consulting companies.

The practice is co-led by Richard Hoal, who advises on construction and engineering contracts, disputes, and cross-border insurance matters, and Peter Barnard, who plays a key role in resolving disputes across projects throughout Africa.

David Vlcek is also recognised as a key lawyer within the team, with experience spanning insurance litigation, as well as construction and infrastructure law, contributing to the team’s ability to deliver across complex mandates.

Client testimonials further reinforce the team’s strengths, noting that they are “easily accessible” and bring strong industry understanding to their work.

Recognition From A Leading Global Directory

Legal 500 is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative global legal directories, with rankings based on a combination of independent research, client feedback, and peer review. As such, inclusion in the rankings is a strong endorsement of both technical capability and client service.

Commenting on the results, Andrew Clark, Managing Partner, said: “These rankings reflect not only the strength of our individual practitioners but the collective effort across our teams to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes for our clients. Continued recognition in our core sectors, together with the progression of our people, speaks to the depth of our capability and our ability to maintain momentum in a competitive market.”

Continued Growth And Industry Recognition

As Cox Yeats continues to grow its presence across practice areas and jurisdictions, these results reinforce its reputation as a trusted advisor in complex and high-value matters.

See the rankings here: https://www.legal500.com/firms/11731-cox-yeats/c-south-africa/rankings