Zara Jamal wins Law.com's African Legal Awards 2026

Zara Jamal, partner at JLA Advogados and partner at Abreu Advogados, JLA's partner firm in Portugal, has been awarded "Women Leaders in Law – Private Practice" at the African Legal Awards 2026, organised by Law.com International. The awards ceremony took place last Friday, 4 September, at The Wanderers Club in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The African Legal Awards are among the most prestigious awards in the African legal sector, recognising each year the professionals and law firms that stand out across the continent. In the "Women Leaders in Law – Private Practice" category, which honours outstanding leadership and impact among women lawyers in private practice across Africa, Zara Jamal was selected from a shortlist of twelve finalists representing leading firms from several African countries. Beyond this individual distinction, JLA Advogados was also shortlisted at this year's African Legal Awards 2026 in the "African Network/Alliance of the Year" category, which recognises the integrated presence and strength of international law firm networks operating across Africa. This nomination reflects the joint work carried out by JLA Advogados with its partner firm in Portugal, Abreu Advogados, and with the wider international network to which both belong. This dual recognition, at both an individual and institutional level, confirms the position of JLA Advogados and its network of partner firms as a benchmark for excellence in legal services across Africa.

The full list of results can be viewed here.