Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group, a Pan-African law firm that provides both domestic and cross-border specialist legal services, has changed its brand name to Bowmans, effective September 1, 2016.

Rob Legh, Chairman and Senior Partner, said this is a natural step forward.

“For some time, we have seen an increasing level of corporate and public sector activity across the continent,” he said.

“The model we chose to address this has involved establishing offices in key jurisdictions and working in a fully integrated way to deliver a one-stop service to our clients. However, while our offices are integrated, our brand has not reflected this until now,” he added.

The firm’s vision is to be the leading Pan-African law firm for corporate and institutional clients, working on the most complex legal matters on the continent.

Legh said: “We believe this ‘one firm’ approach is superior to networks and alliances because it fosters exceptionally close working relationships among our lawyers and service departments and reassures our clients that they will receive service of a consistently high quality.”

Along with the new brand name and logo, the firm is highlighting what it believes to be its differentiator: legal knowledge, plus real experience of local complexities on-the-ground.

John Ffooks, Managing Partner in Madagascar, said: “We are the only legal practice in francophone Africa with a combination of Napoleonic and English law expertise – making us the obvious choice when it comes to international transactions. As Bowmans, this cross-border ability is supported by access to invaluable information and legal resources.”

Richard Harney, Managing Partner in Kenya, added: “As Bowmans we are able to expand our ambitions beyond Kenya’s borders – to the East African region and the continent beyond. We have worked on projects in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.”

Legh concluded: “We have outstanding people and developing markets hungry for sound advice and a clear vision. By using our collective skills, we are building an African law firm comparable to the great international firms of the world. We believe that our new brand reflects our unique ability to help clients navigate the African landscape.”