As South Africa marks Women’s Month, Deneys has reaffirmed Michelle David’s position at the helm of the firm, re-electing her as Chair for a second term as the firm settles into its new identity as an independent African law firm.
David will begin her second term on 30 September 2026, with her tenure running until 29 September 2030. Her re-election comes only months after Deneys completed its transition from Norton Rose Fulbright and relaunched as an independent firm earlier this year.
David’s first term as Chair was marked by one of the most consequential periods in the firm’s recent history, culminating in the South African practice’s separation from the Norton Rose Fulbright network and its return to the Deneys name.
Deneys, which traces its history back more than a century, operated under the Norton Rose Fulbright banner for almost 15 years. The South African practice formally embarked on its independent chapter in 2026, retaining the experience, international relationships and capabilities developed during its time within the global network while taking greater control over its strategic direction.
“Stability at the top of a firm is a commercial asset,” Deneys CEO Brent Botha said following the re-election, noting that David had chaired the firm through a period that placed significant demands on its people. He said her re-election provides clients, employees and the market with certainty as the firm builds towards 2030.
For David, the role is less about the title than the responsibility attached to it.
“It is a privilege to be trusted with this role again,” she said. “The chair is not a platform. It is a responsibility to the people across our regions, to our clients, and to a profession we intend to leave better than we found it.”
David brings to the role a practice focused on financial services regulation, with particular experience advising pension funds, medical schemes, financial services providers, regulators and major corporates. She has continued to practise while serving as Chair.
Her leadership also carries particular resonance during Women’s Month. While the appointment should not be reduced to a diversity milestone, the continued elevation of women into the highest levels of leadership in South Africa’s legal profession remains significant in an industry where women continue to navigate questions of representation, progression and access to leadership.
David’s career illustrates the trajectory of a lawyer moving from private practice into institutional leadership while maintaining a substantive legal practice. She began her career at Bowman Gilfillan in 2006, later moving into a partner role at Routledge Modise before joining Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa as a director in 2012. She was first appointed Chair in 2022.
Her second term now coincides with a very different chapter for the firm.
