Rui Lopes
Leaders in Law endorses Rui Lopes as our exclusively recommended Environmental Law expert in South Africa. If you wish to get in touch with Rui, please use the contact information provided above.
Rui Lopes is the Managing Director of Lopes Attorneys Inc., a law firm based in the heart of Johannesburg, specialising in general dispute resolution, anti-bribery and corruption, healthcare and animal law. He has also assisted in advising clients in relation to Business Rescue proceedings within the South African company law landscape as well as with regulatory-related queries in an array of fields, including broadcasting, the motor industry and data privacy.
Rui has also assisted in conducting arbitration for multinational clients and conducting compliance investigations in relation to potential contraventions the United States’ Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK’s Bribery Act, both in English and in Portuguese. Due to Rui’s multilingual capabilities, he has assisted various clients in relation to the acquisition of entities based in Portugal and Mozambique.
Prior to establishing Lopes Attorneys Inc. Rui was an attorney at Baker McKenzie’s Johannesburg office. Lopes Attorneys Inc. was established in order to provide cutting edge and cost effective legal services within South Africa and across the African market.
Rui has been recognised as of the leading young lawyers in Africa by Africa Legal Week, as well as a Legal Influencer for the Middle East and Africa region by Lexology on two separate occasions and his opinion pieces have been featured in leading media platforms across both South Africa and Africa.
- Environmental Law
- Dispute Resolution Law
- Healthcare Law
- Animal Law
- Company Law
Firm Description:
In doing so, we bring our slogan “Sustainability | Simplified” to all our mandates.
In partnership with the LegalNetlink Alliance, Lopes Attorneys Inc. has access to over 35 countries and over 143 cities globally.
With over 1500 lawyers part of the LegalNetlink Alliance, Lopes Attorneys Inc. has reshaped the new normal of doing business, and is able to execute mandates regardless of where or how intricate our client’s mandates may be.
Coupling our market-leading legal expertise with client-centred and focussed solutions, Lopes Attorneys Inc. prides itself on pushing the envelope and breaking boundaries in formulating and implementing innovative solutions.
In a volatile and unstable world, certainty becomes the most valuable commodity. It is for this reason that our team aims to bring certainty to the uncertain.
- Knowledge – By leveraging the latest legal developments and our market-leading expertise, we stay ahead of the curve and bring certainty to uncertain times.
- Innovation – Through embracing the latest technologies, processes and strategies, we create a more efficient and effective practice, placing our clients’ needs first.
- Sustainability – Through the adoption of sustainable practices and encouraging our clients to do the same, we contribute to reductions in environmental impacts and the creation of sustainable business models.
- Diversity – We take every effort possible to create an inclusive and diverse workplace, which celebrates and values diversity. Lopes Attorneys Inc. understands the benefits of successful and productive working environments.
- Adaptability – By being responsive to the changing landscape in terms of which legal services are provided, and in ensuring our operations are capable of rapidly adapting to these changing circumstances, we remain relevant and market-leading.
Some of our work…
- Represented one of the largest multi-national commodities company’s in multi-jurisdictional litigation involving the United Kingdom, Mozambique and South Africa.
- Represented one of the largest anima welfare organisations in interdicting the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment from implementing the trophy hunting quotas for rhino, leopard and elephant, and reviewing the quota.
- Advised on a first-of-its-kind ESG compliance project in relation to a scrap metal facility, adopting processing techniques unique to this facility.
- Conducted tender irregularity investigations regarding a municipality within the Western Cape and worked alongside the Public Protector in relation to same.
- Advised on various legislative draftings of Regulations, Norms and Standards, White Papers and Policy Documents and Presentations to the Portfolio Committee under the provisions of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act.
- Represented a client in relation to novel and ground-breaking litigation against a State-owned Pension Fund.
- Advised on a large-scale compliance project for cannabis production and the licensing with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
- Represented a public interest organisation in relation to various work streams, including the devolution of commuter rails to municipalities and complaints to the Ethics Committee in Parliament.
- Assisted various offices forming part of the Legal Netlink Alliance, including the Netherlands, Italy, and the United States.
- Assisted in the licensing enabling the rehoming of ex-performing animals and ex-zoo animals to a true sanctuary in South Africa, ensuring that animal welfare is placed at the forefront of these precious species’ needs.
- Advised the State Capture Commission with regards to various pending reviews.
- Conducted various due diligences, spanning employee due diligences, mining due diligences and corporate due diligences.