Bishop & Sewell doubles African presence with Ben Ngenda tie-up

London law firm Bishop & Sewell has extended its reach into Africa by signing its second tie-up in the region, this time with Zambia firm Ben Ngenda Advocates.

Ben Ngenda is a small, one-partner firm, but is one of the few Zambian practices that has international connections. The two firms share mutual client CDC Group. Ben Ngenda also advises Eskom, the African Develop-ment Bank and the Zambia National Commercial Bank.

"We're just doing more work in Africa, particularly projects for mutual clients," said Bishops litigation head Mathew Coleman, commenting on the latest association. "I probably spend 20 per cent of my time on African work."

Bishops is also negotiating a deal with a group of English-qualified lawyers who are currently in the process of launching in South Africa.

The tie-up with Ben Ngenda comes just eight months after Bishops established an association with Stumbles & Rowe in Zimbabwe. Stumbles rose to international prominence after it successfully advised hundreds of farmers after President Robert Mugabe attempted to seize their land.