Quote - Afriwise
Having been active in the legal space in Africa for decades, we have first-hand experience of how difficult it is to find trustworthy information on local laws, regulations and practices — and how this can frustrate plans and significantly increase the cost of doing business. Afriwise was born out of our vision to make legal intelligence accessible.
Steven De Backer
Founder and CEO of Afriwise

We make African law accessible

At Afriwise, we help organisations, whatever their size, advance their business in Africa and gain a competitive advantage by providing them with business and legal intelligence based on technology and human expertise.

Count on collective knowledge

Afriwise is the result of years of experience and trust building through close collaboration with firms across Africa, to give you easy and instant access to the expertise and know-how you need about local markets on the continent. Our collaboration with over 150 law firms on the continent is further testimony of our team’s deep links within Africa.

Meet the core team

Afriwise’s editorial team is a unique mix of seasoned lawyers and legal journalists with law degrees. No matter what your interest in Africa is, we understand your business needs.

Steven De Backer
Kim Hawkey
Russell Tarr
Pierre-Yves Thomas
Christophe Bostyn
Glenda Benson
Marzanne van den Berg
Giorgia Mattiello
Matthew King
Allison Lech-Bielinski
Cara Pretorius
Kanthi Ori
Shannon Ally
Sara Hilliard Garratt
Lauren Lloyd
Ebube Ogoke
Sujata Balaram
Therusha Grindlay
Philippe Huysmans
Léo Kourouma
Wiktor Jankowski
Bonga Welcome
Jessica Knight
Inge Papp
Linda Awuor
Vishala Panday
Katlego Mzangwe
Nadia Lombaard
Raymond Beukes
Ronelle Pather
Steven De Backer

Steven is the founder and CEO of Afriwise. Afriwise really is the culmination of his career, from top roles at leading African and international law firms, managing internet projects and lecturing about legal-tech possibilities as early as 1999. Early on in his career, Steven was part of a small team at a European stock broker that launched the leading online trading platform in Belgium. It was a good start, but Steven quickly moved on to the legal sector. After a stint at magic-circle firm Freshfields, he returned to Africa (where he grew up) to practise as a lawyer. Since 2003, Steven has relentlessly pursued ways to improve corporate legal services delivery in Africa. He was at the forefront of establishing and deepening a network of associated firms in Africa, helped to develop the Africa practice of what is today one of the leading law firms on the continent and founded an innovative interdisciplinary advisory firm in 2014. His main goal has always been to help businesses work smarter and more effectively in Africa.

A seasoned lawyer in his own right, Steven is named by the prestigious English research firm Chambers & Partners in Chambers Global as one of the leading corporate/M&A; projects & energy; and general business law lawyers in Africa. Chambers has noted that he is very well known for his work for clients across the African continent and is described by clients as “a class act”, stating that “there’s not much he doesn’t know about sub-Saharan Africa”.

Having lived and worked on the African continent for almost 30 years, in five countries and having advised companies in over 40 African countries, Steven indeed has unparalleled on-the-ground, hands-on experience and a unique in-depth knowledge of navigating challenges in Africa.

In partnership with Africa’s top law firms

The premium content on the platform is compiled and maintained in collaboration with Africa’s finest lawyers. We have partnered up with over 150 of the leading law firms in Africa, each one of them being a tried-and-tested firm, vetted by Afriwise.

ABC Attorneys
ABCC
Abigail & Chama Advocates
Abreu Advogados
Addison Bright Sloane
ADNA
AELEX
Africa Law Partners
Afrilex
Akiplaw Advocates
Al Tamimi & Company
Aluko & Oyebode
Angola Legal Circle
Anjarwalla & Khanna
ARC Risk Consulting
Armstrongs
ARS Law & Advisories
Ashong Benjamin & Associates
Ashunchong & Partners Law Firm
AVM Advogados
AXIS
Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah
BFF Law Firm
Bilé-Aka, Brizoua-Bi & Associés
BLC Robert & Associates
Bookbinder Business Law
Bowmans
B&M Legal Practitioners
Cabinet FDKA
Certa Law
CGA – Couto, Graça and Associados
Chibesakunda & Co.
Cabinet Chikuru & Associés
Clyde & Co (Tanzania)
Coghlan Welsh and Guest
Corpus Legal Practitioners
CRB Africa Legal
CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates
Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews
Dentons LEAD
Dentons EALC
Desai Law Group
Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Inc.
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Dube Manikai & Hwacha
ENSafrica
Fasken
FB Attorneys
FBL Advogados
FTL Advogados
G. Elias & Co.
Geni & Kebe
Goldsmiths Solicitors
Houda Law Firm
Howard & Marietta Legal Practitioners
IBFL Consulting
IBN Immigration Solutions
IKT & Associés
JCA
J.K Kibicho & Co. Advocates
JLA Advogados
Juristconsult Chambers
Kampala Associated Advocates
Kanokanga & Partners
Kantor & Immerman
Kaplan & Stratton
Katende Ssempebwa & Company
Kleingeld Attorneys
Kozen Law
KSMO Advocates
Lahlou, Nemmaoui, Guensi & Associés
Liedekerke Africa
LPS L@w
Manokore Attorneys
Marghany Advocates
Matthew Magare & Associates
Mayet & Associates
MBM Conseil
MC Jurist
MDR Advogados
Mercalex
Mesfin Tafesse & Associates
Minchin & Kelly
MMAKS Advocates
MMAN Advocates
Moira Mukuka Legal Practitioners
Morais Leitão Legal Circle
Moribame Matthews
Musa Dudhia & Co
N. Dowuona & Company
Ngassam Fansi & Mouafo Avocats Associés
Nigeria - Banwo & Ighodalo
Oraro & Company Advocates
Ortus Advocates
Osei-Ofei Swabi & Co.
PLMJ Colab Angola – RVA Advogados
PLMJ Colab Mozambique - TTA Advogados
Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors
R & Partners Law Firm
Reindorf Chamber
Robinson Bertram Attorneys
Sal & Caldeira Advogados
Sam Okudzeto & Associates
Scanlen & Holderness
SCP Mame Adama Gueye Associés
Shonubi Musoke & Co.
Stabit Advocates
Tamrat Assefa Liban Law Office
TPLA
TripleOKLaw
Trust Law Chambers
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Victory Attorneys & Consultants
Von Seidels
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans
Get in touch with the team.
See how Afriwise can help you solve your legal and regulatory challenges across Africa.