Nortons Inc: A Leader in South African Competition Law

Nov 26, 2025 0

Nortons Inc stands at the forefront of competition law in South Africa.

Since our inception, we have cultivated a team of exceptional lawyers and economic experts, driven by core values and a shared vision of excellence.

Recognition and Awards

We are pleased to share that Nortons Inc has been chosen as the winner of the 2026 Corporate INTL Magazine Global Award: Competition Law Firm of the Year in South Africa - 2026. This prestigious win is a direct result of the unrivaled expertise and relentless dedication of our legal team.

Over recent months, Corporate INTL has conducted extensive nomination and research processes for their 19th Global Awards.

Unlocking the Power of Mediation in Complex Competition Law Disputes: Insights from Experts

Areas of Expertise

Nortons is a highly reputed competition and regulatory boutique noted for its wealth of specialist expertise in the field. The firm provides the full gamut of services, including in relation to horizontal and vertical restrictive practices, abuse of dominance, joint ventures and merger control. The group has an impressive litigation record in the area, with extensive experience before authority investigation tribunals.

The department plays a central role in a number of Competition Commission market inquiries. The practice has notable strength in sectors including consumer goods, TMT and financial services.

We have successfully litigated matters on behalf of clients in the medical and pharmaceutical, oil and gas, aviation, consumer goods, telecommunications, mining, downstream diamonds, general industrial, motor vehicle, publishing, media and healthcare industries.

Notable Practitioners

Anthony Norton

Founding partner Anthony Norton maintains his standing as one of the market's most highly regarded practitioners. Acting out of Johannesburg, he is additionally well placed to advise on merger filings and interventions. He has extensive experience handling competition disputes and hearings before the Commission and Competition Appeal Court, including advising clients on leniency applications.

Here's what clients say about Anthony Norton:

Anthony Norton is one of the top practitioners in the field.
Anthony Norton is the most astute competition lawyer in South Africa. He is technically excellent, commercially minded and on top of his game in all aspects.
He gets the outcomes clients are looking for.
Anthony Norton is top class, he understands competition law well and has a good relationship with the competition authorities. He understands the business and the company trusts him.
Anthony Norton has a great knowledge of competition law and has steered us well strategically.

Anton Roets

Anton Roets's expertise spans the competition field, covering merger filings, as well as investigations into prohibited practices and market inquiries. He is based in Johannesburg and has notable experience acting for TMT and financial sector clients.

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Here's what clients say about Anton Roets:

He is very clever overall and when he speaks to directors I know he will present things clearly and in an understandable way, so he has real credibility in the boardroom.
Anton Roets is incredibly knowledgeable, really good and what sets him apart is his ability to break down complex issues into smaller parts and simplify matters for clients.
Anton Roets is outstanding - he is extremely thorough, very detailed but also practical.
Anton Roets is super easy to work with. He gives advice in a sentence, is very to the point and is quick to understand business, so engaging with him is a real pleasure.
His strength is his people skills. He wants to go into the details and is very conscientious.

Client-Focused Approach

Warwick brings a deep understanding of South African competition law and a pragmatic approach to helping clients navigate this complex landscape. Warwick combines his deep legal knowledge with a practical understanding of business needs. He works closely with clients to develop strategies that achieve their commercial.

Nortons in the News

Our firm's recognised legal and economic experts are frequently sought after for their informed analysis and opinions, appearing in a wide range of publications and media platforms.

While South African authorities have moved with speed to allow competitors to collaborate in promotion of exports in light of high tariffs imposed by the US, legal experts warn this does not shield local companies from foreign prosecution. Trade, industry and competition minister Parks Tau introduced the draft block exemption for the promotion of exports on August 12, just 12 days after US President Donald Trump imposed a 30% tariff on South African goods entering the US.

Constitutional Court Cases

Nortons has been involved in numerous seminal Constitutional court cases in South Africa including the precedent-setting AllPay decision dealing with the social grant tender, the analogue switch off case relating to ensuring that poor South Africans are not cut off from access to television, the challenges to the processes of the Judicial Service Commission, the Constitutional Court cases relating to the purported extension of the term of office of the former Chief Justice and the attempt to postpone the local elections, as well as several constitutional cases relating to the provisions of the Competition Act and the ambit of unlawful competition in a constitutional setting.

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White-Collar Crime Competence

Our white-collar crime competence includes engaging with a number of local law enforcement agencies, including the National Prosecuting Authority, the Special Investigating Unit, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), as well as a number of foreign law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the FBI), the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission.