Introducing South Rock Legal. Your edge in complex legal deals.
Who is South Rock Legal?
Founded in 2025, South Rock Legal is a brand new, niche player in the alternative legal services market. We are dedicated to helping improve deal outcomes, and in turn, the performance and profitability of construction, infrastructure and energy projects, for contractors, developers, IPPs, investors and lenders.
What matters to us?
Africa is facing a major infrastructure and energy gap, with many countries in the region struggling to meet the growing demands of urbanisation, industrialisation, and population growth. The lack of reliable energy access, outdated transport networks, and inadequate digital infrastructure has become a critical barrier to economic growth, social development, and regional integration.
Bridging this infrastructure and energy gap is not just about the scale of investment – it’s also about the volume and speed of deals needed to bring about real change.
This is why we believe in breaking down the traditional barriers of overly complex documents and slow negotiations, and finding mechanisms to speed up project implementation.
To achieve this, you need well-structured deals, balanced risk allocation, objective-led negotiations and genuine collaboration among project participants.
We are excited to play our part in the delivery of the deals needed to improve infrastructure and energy for the African region.
What can you expect from South Rock Legal?
Deal maker; not blocker
Strong in negotiation, we will cut through complexity to find contractual solutions that drive successful projects.
Part of your team; not an outsider
We will work alongside you, as a key member of your team.
Focused on your industry
We are not generalists. We play to our strengths – construction, infrastructure and energy.
Global outlook; local knowledge
We balance global perspectives against a strong understanding of local markets and regulations.
Clear pricing structures
No hidden fees: transparent, straightforward pricing that aligns with your project, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Our journey
South Rock Legal did not happen overnight. Stephanie McDonald, the founder of South Rock Legal, was previously a partner in a global law firm in London and ran the firm’s Africa desk. It was this experience which sparked her interest in the African region. In 2015, she set up in South Africa, advising contractors, suppliers, investors and market-leading law firms on construction, infrastructure and energy deals in African markets.
In 2024, Stephanie went to sea with her husband and two young children in their 40 foot boat, ‘Roman Rock’, to sail 3,600 nautical miles across the South Atlantic from Cape Town to Brazil. The adventure they experienced as a family was life changing. Through careful planning, preparation, creativity and resilience, they took on the ocean and discovered the art of the possible. Upon returning to Cape Town, Stephanie was determined to “continue the journey” by challenging the status quo in her working life; and so she started South Rock Legal with one goal – to ease the complexity of deals in the construction, infrastructure and energy sectors.