by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African law firm Cox Yeats has been named Restructuring Team of the Year at the 2026 African Legal Awards, adding a prestigious Pan-African accolade to the firm’s growing reputation in business rescue, restructuring and insolvency.
The award recognises the work of the firm’s Business Rescue, Restructuring, Insolvency and Insurance (BRI) team, which secured nominations in all three categories for which Cox Yeats was shortlisted this year.
The practice was also nominated for Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year, while its head, partner Gareth Cremen, was shortlisted for Partner of the Year – Southern Africa for BRI Practice.
Led by Cremen, the team advises clients on complex restructuring, insolvency and litigation matters, combining specialist legal expertise with commercial and strategic considerations.
Its recent cross-border work includes _Scheer v Wagner N.O. & Others_, in which the team secured a successful outcome before South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal in a dispute involving parallel insolvency proceedings in South Africa and Austria.
The judgment clarified the relationship between section 116 of the Insolvency Act and the common-law principle of international comity, providing important guidance for future cross-border insolvency proceedings in South Africa.
Cremen said the award reflected the strength of the practice and its focus on achieving commercially effective outcomes.
“Our team handles some of the most complex restructuring and insolvency matters in the market, with a clear focus on delivering commercially effective solutions, preserving value and achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients,” he said.
Cox Yeats managing partner Andrew Clark said the recognition demonstrated the depth of expertise within the BRI practice and its ability to combine technical capability with commercial judgement.
Founded in 1964, Cox Yeats is a full-service South African law firm with offices in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Through its membership of TAG Alliances, the firm also supports clients with cross-border matters across more than 100 jurisdictions.
– CAJ News