Roger Wakefield

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Director

Johannesburg

+27 11 535 8209

Roger Wakefield has over 30 years’ experience at Werksmans as a highly skilled litigation and dispute resolution lawyer.

He specialises in major commercial litigation with a focus on international arbitration; investment treaty arbitration and cross border disputes; technology disputes and Maritime Law. Roger has deep expertise in cross border disputes; enforcements of foreign judgments; and private international law and commercial litigation in the United States.

He is also skilled in arbitration, mediation and alternative dispute resolution; IT litigation; administrative law; intellectual property law trademarks and copyright law; healthcare and health funding; mining law; and corporate fraud.

Roger writes the South African Chapter in Juris Publication Enforcement of Foreign Money Judgments and edits the Lex Africa Guide to the Enforcement of Foreign Money Judgments and Arbitral Awards in Africa.

Experience: 31 years

Digital Media & Electronic Communications
Disputes
Intellectual Property

Arbitration
Private International Law and Cross-Border Disputes
Maritime and Shipping Law
Investment treaty arbitration
Disputes
Technology Disputes
Intellectual Property

Enforcing a USD 100 million arbitration award against the Government of Zimbabwe in favour of KfW Bank
Represented the Premier Soccer League in its dispute with the SABC relating to broadcast rights. The SABC's claims against the PSL were dismissed by the arbitrator in January 2008, paving the way for the PSL to conclude one of the biggest sports broadcast rights deals in South Africa.
Involved in majority of the leading cases on the enforcement of foreign judgments in South Africa since 1994.
Attachment of a commercial Airbus airliner belonging to the Government of Tanzania in litigation proceedings against Tanzania.
Attachment of mineral cargo aboard ship belonging to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in litigation proceedings against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Acted for the Premier Soccer League in court proceedings declaring that copyright vested in its fixture lists, requiring gaming operators using fixtures to pay royalties
Represented numerous multinational companies in cross-border disputes and litigation.
Represented numerous multinational companies in litigation against foreign states.
Representing Danish investor against the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania regarding a breach of the bilateral investment treaty between the two countries
Represented ship owners in Maritime disputes

Admitted as an Attorney, 1993
LLB, University of the Witwatersrand, 1990
BA, University of the Witwatersrand

Named as a leading commercial litigator in the International Who's Who of Commercial Litigators (2013 - 2017)
Rated as a leading arbitration lawyer in Best Lawyer since 2010
Member of the Management Committee of LEX Africa: a network of leading law firms in 27 countries across Africa
Member of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre's (MARC) Court of Arbitration
Member of the South African ICC Nomination Committee

Roger Wakefield

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Roger Wakefield

Director