International law firm Pinsent Masons announced at the end of July plans to launch an infrastructure-focused practice in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the appointment of two founding partners to launch the office.

Rob Morson joins from Bowman Gilfillan where he was head of construction and is widely- regarded as a pre-eminent practitioner in the market as reflected in his Star Individual ranking in Chambers and Partners.

Shane Voigt, also from Bowman Gilfillan, will join Pinsent Masons, having been recognised as an experienced disputes partner in the infrastructure sector. He is also known for his experience with Chinese contractors and infrastructure investors and is a committee member of the Africa Sub-Committee of the China Africa Joint Arbitration Centre.

Further partner appointments are expected before the firm formally opens its doors in early 2017.

The new team will join Pinsent Masons, which has a well-developed Africa practice built around the energy and infrastructure investment communities in London, Paris, Dubai, and Beijing in particular. Globally, the firm currently has around 40 partners and 150 lawyers working on Africa-related matters across 38 African countries. In 2013, the firm appointed Akshai Fofaria to lead the firm’s Africa initiative and last year brought in project finance specialist Stéphane Gasne from the East African Development Bank. Over 50 of the firm’s top 250 clients have a presence in South Africa.

Significant African mandates upon which the firm has been engaged in the past include acting as international counsel on the development of the 80-km-long Gautrain rapid transit railway linking Johannesburg to OR Tambo International Airport, and working with the European Investment Bank to reshape the development of public–private partnerships in North African countries. The firm also recently advised Turkish contractor Yapi Merkezi Inșaat ve Sanayi on a $1.7-billion railway project in Ethiopia.

The South African presence will be fully integrated into the wider firm. It will be the second new international office to be launched by Pinsent Masons this calendar year following its launch in Dusseldorf, Germany, and brings the firm’s total number of offices to 22.

Pinsent Masons senior partner Richard Foley says Africa is a fast-growing market with clear requirements for infrastructure. “It is a market where we are already doing significant business for Chinese organisations, European contractors, investors and funds. “Having an on-the-ground presence in Johannesburg, led by a team with a market-leading reputation will enable us to scale the existing practice significantly,” he says, adding that Pinsent Masons will focus on infrastructure initially – and, particularly, projects in the energy, information technology, telecoms and transport arenas.

“It takes us a further step toward our vision of being recognised as an international market leader in the global sectors upon which we focus. We said at the turn of the year that we would continue to invest to stay relevant and this is proof of our commitment,” says Foley.

Pinsent Masons global infrastructure head Richard Laudy says the firm has a global reputation for excellence and innovation, and a genuine commitment to a deep understanding of industry sectors.