As the two component parts of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling do the hard work of integrating their businesses, some across the African continent have asked what the merger would mean for A&O’s Africa business—one of the most prominent among international law firms.
A&O Shearman office managing partner in Johannesburg and a co-leader of the Africa practice Gerhard Rudolph has said the recent merger may not have led to a significant growth in headcount in its African offices. But he does believe that it will boost the firm’s work on the continent.