Allen & Overy has announced that a new Legal Services Centre (LSC) will open in Johannesburg in the first half of 2020 as part of its expansion plans.

The LSC, launched in 2012, has quickly built a reputation for cost-effectively and efficiently resourcing transactions while guaranteeing the standard that clients expect from A&O. The team – comprising legal professionals, associate solicitors and science analysts – works alongside offices across the A&O network on a wide range of document-based matters, including due diligence, litigation reviews, drafting, negotiating and research tasks. The focus is on quality, supported by project management and legal technology. The LSC is part of Allen & Overy’s broader Advanced Delivery and Solutions (AD&S) offering, which includes Fuse, A&O Consulting, Peerpoint and A&O’s legal tech solutions.

Angela Clist, Head of LSC, said: “Johannesburg makes an ideal location for our new centre as it has a strong base of legal experts. Our Johannesburg office has been open for five years now, and we look forward to growing the LSC alongside the current team.

“All the work performed in the new centre will serve our clients directly as well as even more practice groups and offices across our global network. Having worked with over 450 partners across the firm and with a wide range of teams from banking regulation to US capital markets, the experience within the LSC is unrivalled.”

Andrew Trahair, Head of Advanced Delivery & Solutions, added: “This is an important step forward for our AD&S businesses. The LSC is an essential resource for A&O as we take on more larger and more complex projects for our clients. The team will support both our traditional practice groups and our AD&S businesses, for example the Markets Innovation Group and A&O Consulting.”