The single most important economic activity in Africa is Agriculture – it provides employment for more than half of the continent’s working population and is a major contributor to theGDP, and the value of exports.

With a deep understanding of how crucial Agribusiness is for food security and GDP enhancement, we are passionate about this area of practice.

Our committed agribusiness team has a strong track record of working with major companies to overcome the complex hurdles that are rife in this sector, with focus on the whole of the food and agribusiness value chain, advising clients worldwide on all aspects of their operations, including domestic and foreign investment acquisitions, initial public offerings, joint ventures, scientific cooperation agreements, international trade, land matters and technology licensing.We have earned a longstanding reputation for providing quality legal services to agribusiness interests throughout the supply chain.

Our attorneys represent farm entities and owners, suppliers and producers, including regional agribusiness cooperatives and independents. We have valuable complementary experience in ancillary areas such as biofuels and environmental matters, and our attorneys have deep knowledge of national legal rules, restrictions and regulations concerning companies in the agribusiness industry.

Given our expertise across all relevant areas of law, we are in position toprovide astute, practical and innovative solutions in response to the commercial, finance, regulatory, legal, insurance, labour, and tax challenges in Agribusiness.

We can be your legal and strategic consultative partners in the following areas:

1. Business & Organization

  • Agri-finance
  • Agri-processing
  • Asset securitization
  • Commercial structuring and transactions
  • Corporate governance
  • Debt and loan counsel for agribusiness lenders and borrowers
  • Distributorship agreements (domestic and international)
  • Entity formation
  • Joint ventures
  • Land use and zoning
  • Procurement
  • Purchase and sale agreements for Agricultural products & services
  • Real estate and construction
  • Sales, mergers and acquisitions
  • Succession and estate planning
  • Tax
  • Trade (local and international)

2. Environmental

  • Advice on clean air and water matters
  • Permits
  • Wetland and drainage law

3. Labor & Employment

  • Worker safety
  • Compliance advice
  • Policy and procedure advice and drafting
  • Full-service employment advice
  • Entry visas (short term, long term), work permits, residence permits etc

4. Intellectual Property & Information Technology

  • Information technology licensing
  • Intellectual property licensing
  • Intellectual property portfolio counseling and management

5. Dispute Resolution: Mediation, Arbitration & Litigation

  • Bankruptcy (creditors and debtors)
  • Breach of contract
  • Breach of warranty
  • Commercial disputes involving intellectual property
  • Employment litigation
  • Environmental permitting
  • Fraud
  • Insurance and liability litigation
  • Labeling disputes
  • Landowner and shareholder disputes
  • Personal injury and wrongful death
  • Trademark and brand management prosecution, enforcement and defense
  • Trade Secret prosecution, enforcement and defense